Another week and another milestone for the NFL pass-catching machine known as Justin Jefferson.
The former LSU wide receiver put on a show Thanksgiving night with 9 catches for 139 receiving yards and a TD in the Minnesota Vikings’ 33-26 victory over the New England Patriots.
In the process, Jefferson surpassed Hall of Fame receiver Randy Moss for the most receiving yards in NFL history through a player's first three seasons. Jefferson’s acrobatic 37-yard second-quarter catch pushed him past Moss’ 4,109 yards.
Jefferson is now at 4,248 yards and counting.
"It means a lot," said Jefferson, who played alongside Moss’ son Thaddeus who was a starting tight end on LSU’s 2019 national championship team. "It means that my course of reaching to the Hall of Fame is near. But I'm just going to keep working, doing whatever it takes to make plays for this team. I love this team. I'd do anything for it. When the ball is in the air, it's mine."
That’s something Vikings’ QB Kirk Cousins now understands.
"There were a couple of times where the ball is in the air, he is in the right position with who is defending him, but there's another player on his way, and his ability to not hear footsteps, to not alligator arm it, but bring it in and get popped," Cousins said after the win. "That's one of his many traits, that when that ball is up in the air, it's his ball and he's not going to allow somebody to come in and affect that."
Added Minnesota coach Kevin O’ Connell of Jefferson, “He’s one of absolutely the most special players I've ever been around as a player or coach. He tends to show up and be ready to go every time we put on the uniform and go out there," O'Connell said.
Here’s what all the Ti-gahs did in NFLSU Week 12:
Thanksgiving Day
Buffalo Bills, 28 Detroit Lions 25
Bills: LS Reid Ferguson snapped on 4 punts, 2 of 2 field goals and 2 of 3 extra points. CB Tre’Davious White no stats.
Lions: WR DJ Chark 2 catches (5 targets) for 16 yards and 1 TD, DE Michael Brockers (inactive list).
Dallas Cowboys 28, New York Giants 20
Giants: CB Cordale Flott 5 tackles (4 solo).
Cowboys: LB Jabril Cox no stats, LB Damone Clark (reserve/non-football injury list).
Minnesota Vikings 33, New England Patriots 26
Patriots: DT Davon Godchaux 4 tackles (1 solo), 1 TFL, CB Jalen Mills 4 tackles (3 solo), 1 TFL, 1 QB hit. OL Chasen Hines was a reserve on an offensive line that helped produce 409 yards and allowed 1 sack.
Vikings: WR Justin Jefferson 9 catches (11 targets) for 139 receiving yards and 1 TD, 1 of 1 for 11 passing yards, CB Patrick Peterson 2 tackles (2 solo), LB Danielle Hunter 2 tackles (2 solo), 1 TFL, 1 sack, 1 QB hit, OG Ed Ingram started on an offensive line that helped produce just 358 yards and allowed 7 sacks.
Sunday afternoon
Carolina Panthers 23, Denver Broncos 10
Broncos: C Lloyd Cushenberry III (inactive list).
Panthers: CB Donte Jackson no stats, WR Terrace Marshall Jr. 1 catch (3 targets) for 8 yards, TE Stephen Sullivan no stats.
Cleveland Browns 23. Tampa Bay Bucs 17
Bucs: LB Devin White 13 tackles (8 solo), ½ sack, 1 TFL, 1 PD, 1 QB hit, RB Leonard Fournette (inactive list), WR Russell Gage (inactive list).
Browns: PK Cade York 1 of 2 FG, 2 of 2 extra points, S Grant Delpit 5 tackles (4 solo), 1 PD, LB Deion Jones 2 tackles, LB Jacob Phillips (injured reserve list), C Ethan Pocic (injured reserve list).
Jacksonville Jaguars 28, Baltimore Ravens 27
Ravens: LB Patrick Queen 6 tackles (4 solo), 1 TFL, 1 PD.
Jaguars: DE Arden Key 1 PD, 1 QB hit, K’Lavon Chaisson (injured reserve).
Miami Dolphins 30, Houston Texans 15
Texans: CB Derek Stingley Jr. (inactive list), OL Austin Deculus (inactive list).
Dolphins: LS Blake Ferguson snapped on 6 punts, 3 of 3 field goals and 3 of 3 extra points, LB Duke Riley 3 tackles (1 solo), 1 sack, 1 TFL, 1 PD, 1 QB hit.
New York Jets 31, Chicago Bears 10
Jets: LB Kwon Alexander 4 tackles (2 solo).
Cincinnati Bengals 20, Tennessee Titans 16
Bengals: QB Joe Burrow. 22 of 37 for 270 passing yards, 1 TD, 32 rushing yards on 9 carries, OT La’el Collins started for an offensive line that produced 374 yards and allowed 1 sack, DT Tyler Shelvin (practice squad), WR Ja’Marr Chase (inactive list).
Titans: CB Kristian Fulton 6 tackles (5 solo), FB/ST Tory Carter no stats, WR Racey McMath (injured reserve).
Washington Commanders 19, Atlanta Falcons 13
Commanders: OG Trai Turner started and OT Saahdiq Charles was a reserve on an offensive line that produced 314 yards total offense and allowed no sacks.
Los Angeles Chargers 25, Arizona Cardinals 24
Chargers: C/OG Will Clapp was a reserve on an offensive line that produced 311 yards total offense and allowed 4 sacks, DL Breiden Fehoko 3 tackles (2 solo).
Cardinals: RB Darrel Williams (injured reserve list) DT Rashard Lawrence (injured reserve list).
Las Vegas Raiders 40, Seattle Seahawks 34
Raiders: TE Foster Moreau 3 catches (7 targets) for 33 yards and 1 TD, DE Tashawn Bower no stats, DL Neil Farrell Jr. (inactive list).
Seahawks: OG Damien Lewis started for an offensive line that helped produce 372 yards and allowed 3 sacks, DT Al Woods 6 tackles (5 solo), SS Jamal Adams (out for the season torn quad muscle).
Los Angeles Rams at Kansas City Chiefs
Chiefs: RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire (injured reserve).
San Francisco 49ers 13, New Orleans Saints 0
Saints: CB Tyrann Mathieu 3 tackles (3 solo), 1 TFL, WR Jarvis Landry 2 catches (4 targets) for 20 yards.
49ers: RB Ty Davis-Price (inactive list).
Sunday night (Score will be updated at game’s conclusion)
Green Bay Packers at Philadelphia Eagles
Packers: QB Danny Etling (practice squad).
Monday night (Score will be updated at game’s conclusion)
Pittsburgh Steelers at Indianapolis Colts
No LSU players on either team