EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — Justin Jefferson maintained confidence he would play this week despite the bruised quadriceps that forced him out of the last game.
The Minnesota Vikings agreed with their star wide receiver. After practicing on Friday without restriction, Jefferson was cleared to play on Sunday against Houston.
“He has done a good job of being present, engaged, and having ownership of the plan. He got great work in today, and I think he feels ready to roll,” Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell said.
Jefferson practiced on a limited basis as a precaution on Wednesday and Thursday, when the 2022 AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year said the injured muscle “feels great” following the collision with San Francisco linebacker Fred Warner that sidelined him late in the third quarter last week.
“Just staying in the treatment room and making sure I feel fantastic on Sunday,” said Jefferson, who missed seven games last season with a severe hamstring strain.
Jefferson will play again without his top sidekick, Jordan Addison. The 2023 first-round draft pick, who hurt his ankle in the season opener at New York, was ruled out for the second straight game. On defense, starting linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. (quadriceps, ankle) and backup outside linebacker Dallas Turner (knee) were also declared out. No other player received a status designation on the injury report released on Friday by the Vikings.
For the Texans, running back Joe Mixon (ankle) was listed as doubtful after being held out of practice all week following the injury that occurred in the previous game against Chicago. His backup, Dameon Pierce (hamstring), was ruled out for the second straight game. That should put Cam Akers, who played for the Vikings last year before suffering a season-ending Achilles tendon tear, in the lead role in the backfield with Dare Ogunbowale next in line.
Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said he believes Mixon was injured by an illegal hip-drop tackle, a maneuver the NFL launched a crackdown on this year due to the prevalence of lower-leg injuries that have resulted. Bears linebacker T.J. Edwards was not penalized for the play during the game. O'Connell, coincidentally, noted that Addison was injured by the same type of tackle by Giants linebacker Darius Muasau. He was not penalized in the game but was later fined by the league.
Addison ought to have a good chance to play the following week at Green Bay, O'Connell said.
“He was able to progress, but not all the way to the point where we could be 100% confident he wouldn’t have a setback of any kind. Jordan’s always pushing to go. He was pushing to go last week,” O'Connell said. “Ultimately, the most important thing is, over the long term of the season, getting him back to a place where he’s ready to rock and roll.”
Jefferson said during training camp, while discussing his recovery from the hamstring injury, that he was “so scared for it to happen again” that he upped his commitment to precautionary and proactive exercises and treatments this year. So far, so good on that front.
As for the quadriceps, well, he also believes that was preventable — by avoiding a player like the three-time All-Pro Warner. Jefferson was blocking during a running play when the injury occurred. He was supposed to stay to the outside and steer the 49ers cornerback out of the way. Instead, he moved inside where Warner was.
“Some things you can control. I could have controlled this injury by not going in there on this run play. That wasn’t my job on that specific run, so it’s just things to avoid and things to look for in the future,” Jefferson said. "I've got to know my specific rules for next time and be a lot more smart.”
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