Heading into their Week 4 game against the Miami Dolphins, the Minnesota Vikings will have to prepare a game plan that does not include their best offensive player in Justin Jefferson, who suffered an ankle injury on the first drive of last week’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Jefferson will miss his first game since the 2023 season and the Minnesota offense will have to find a way to show offensive progress with Kyler Murray under center. Murray had some struggles in his Week 3 start against Tampa Bay as he completed 15 passes out of 29 attempts and was pressured into throwing some bad passes for incompletions with Jefferson out. But the Brian Flores defense held down the fort against a Buccaneers offense that had equal struggles in the 23-16 win.
Other main receiving options for the Vikings include Jordan Addison(who had a big game in being Murray’s main option), T.J Hockenson, Jauan Jennings(who has only one reception so far this season), and Aaron Jones(who can make some catches while being the main running back). Other injuries to the offense include Jordan Mason on injured reserve with a designation to return from a torn thumb ligament and Josh Oliver with a torn bicep that could keep him out for the rest of the season. With backup options at wide receiver such as Tai Felton, Myles Price and Jeshaun Jones(who is back from a three-game suspension for drunk driving), the Minnesota offense will definitely need a next-man-up mentality against a struggling Dolphins team that has a respectably good defense.
Jefferson is expected to return in time for the Vikings’ Week 5 game against the New Orleans Saints at Caesars SuperDome in a homecoming for the Louisiana native. For now, he will sit out this home game against Miami and his recovery from the ankle injury can also be given an extra week with the upcoming bye in Week 6 as well for Minnesota. Murray will seek to lead a few good offensive drives in creating a good rhythm offensively at U.S Bank Stadium following a concussion in Week 1 that knocked him out early in the home opener. Without Jefferson, that task becomes a bit harder for Murray and Kevin O’Connell as the offensive playcaller.
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