Justin Jefferson has been the best wide receiver in the NFL this season, and he had Twitter buzzing with a filthy route against the Colts during the Vikings’ miraculous comeback on Saturday. It wasn’t against some no-name cornerback, either. He burned Stephon Gilmore for a touchdown in the red zone, easily beating the star corner for six points.
Jefferson pretended to run a quick out route before faking a whip route to the inside, only to continue toward the sideline and leave Gilmore grasping at air. It was one of the better routes all season, and it was actually taken from Cooper Kupp.
Vikings OC Wes Phillips, who was previously on the Rams’ staff, said he and Kevin O’Connell brought it over from Los Angeles to Minnesota and installed it in the Vikings’ playbook. Kevin Seifert of ESPN shared a thread on the route on Twitter.
Vikings OC Wes Phillips told the cool origin story of this Justin Jefferson route today. It originated from a 2020 Rams offseason workout when Phillips and Kevin O'Connell were LAR assistant coaches. Quick 🧵… https://t.co/766sFPJ7gL
— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) December 21, 2022
Later, they sold it to Phillips, O'Connell and Rams HC Sean McVay as a good change-up. It went into the Rams' playbook, and O'Connell/Phillips brought it to Minnesota. And the Vikings used it as part of the biggest comeback in NFL history.
— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) December 21, 2022
Kupp ran that exact same route in 2021 to beat the Buccaneers for a touchdown, faking out, in and then going back outside again. Sean McVay called it the “ocho” route, combining an Omaha route, a China route and an out route.
Both times Kupp and Jefferson ran it, it worked to perfection and resulted in a touchdown. And after seeing both players leave their defenders in the dust, it’s safe to assume more receivers will adopt it.
No WR has been more impressive through Week 3 than Cooper Kupp — currently leads the NFL in yards per route run (3.86), per @PFF. pic.twitter.com/OJhqIorqHe
— Austin Gayle (@austingayle_) September 28, 2021
