The Athletic Issues Bold Predictions for Vikings 2nd Half of 2022

Jefferson is averaging 124.2 yards per game since Week 4, but that still only puts him at roughly 1,985 for the season.

Lewis said two factors will have to come into play for Jefferson to accomplish his goal. He wrote:

It helps that the Vikings recently acquired tight end T.J. Hockenson. With fewer defenders focused on Jefferson in coverage, the more likely it is that he’ll slither his way through the intermediate and deep areas of the field with swaths of open space.

Another added dimension is quarterback Kirk Cousins’ increasing willingness to heave 1-on-1 balls to Jefferson.

Speaking of Cousins, Lewis added the Vikings quarterback will play better than he has so far this season.

Now eight games into the 2022 season, Cousins has his lowest completion rate (64.8 percent), his lowest air yards per attempt (6.60) and his lowest EPA [expected points added] per dropback (-0.03) since arriving in Minnesota in 2018.

Lewis said Cousins has faced a lot more pressure under center this season than in previous ones with the Vikings.

Cousins has seen a Cover 0 defensive look on 28 of his dropbacks this season, which is 20 more than he faced in the first eight games in each of his first four seasons with Minnesota.

Cousins has also been blitzed on 28.3 percent of his dropbacks on third-and-greater-than 6 yards, more than double what he’s faced in a season while in a Vikings uniform.

Lewis pointed to comfort in Head Coach Kevin O’Connell’s system and Cousins’ career trajectory as to how he can improve his numbers going forward.

On the defensive side of the ball, Lewis predicted that Vikings outside linebacker Za’Darius Smith will be named the 2022 Comeback Player of the Year.