Week 10 featured what could very well be the best game of the 2022 season when Justin Jefferson and the Minnesota Vikings traveled to take on the Buffalo Bills in Orchard Park. It didn’t look like it would be anything special for the majority of the afternoon, as the Bills had a double-digit lead for nearly half of the game, but the last 4:34 was as memorable as any in recent history.
Minnesota scored a touchdown with 1:34 remaining in the third quarter to start the comeback, cutting the Buffalo lead to 27-17. No one would score again until there was 4:34 left in the game when C.J. Ham plunged into the end zone for a three-yard score.
That drive, which lasted nearly six minutes, was set up by a Patrick Peterson interception in the end zone, which he returned for 39 yards. Minnesota would hold Buffalo, forcing a punt. That drive is when one of the best receptions in NFL history occurred.
On 4th and 18, Justin Jefferson took the ball out of the hand of Cameron Lewis for a 32-yard gain to keep the drive alive. The Vikings would eventually be stopped at the goal line, as a Kirk Cousins sneak was marked short. On the ensuing play, Josh Allen fumbled the snap and it was recovered by Eric Kendricks in the end zone for a Vikings touchdown.
Buffalo went right down the field for a game-tying field goal to send the game to overtime. In overtime, Jefferson was the only player to catch a pass for the Vikings, having two receptions for 37 yards. The Vikings kicked a field goal and watched the Bills once again go down the field with ease.
However, Peterson once again got the best of Allen, intercepting another one of his passes in the end zone to ice the game. It was a gutsy, come-from-behind performance by the Vikings, who moved to 8-1 on the season.
The Vikings have one of the best offenses in the NFL, as they can never be counted out with how explosive they are. Having a player of Jefferson’s caliber always helps, as he was not shy when offering his opinion on who the best receiver in the league is. Unsurprisingly, he believes it is himself.
Jefferson certainly has a legitimate claim to that title. Against what has been a dominant Bills defense this season, he caught 10 passes for 193 yards and a touchdown. It was the sixth time this season that Jefferson surpassed the 100-yard plateau.
On the season, Jefferson has 69 receptions for 1,060 yards and four touchdowns. He is leading the team with 117.8 yards per game, as he has a chance to lead the league in receiving yardage should he be able to stay healthy throughout the remainder of the season.
