Kyler Murray Explains What Detroit Did to Justin Jefferson

The Detroit Lions defense slowed the Minnesota Vikings offense down on Sunday, and Detroit won 19-15 at Ford Field to hand Minnesota its first loss of the season. After the game, quarterback Kyler Murray gave the Lions credit for the way they covered Justin Jefferson.Murray said in his postgame press conference, posted by the Vikings, that Detroit took his best receiver out of the game plan.“We gotta find ways to get him the ball,” Murray said. “Obviously they’re going to double him, and they did today.”Jefferson finished with five catches for 33 yards and a 1-yard touchdown, and he was targeted nine times, according to the box score.Kyler Murray Says Justin Jefferson Has Every Right to Be FrustratedMurray, who is in his first season with Minnesota, also addressed his receiver’s frustration.“Obviously he’s frustrated, and that’s understandable,” Murray said. “He is who he is, and he has every right to feel the way he feels when he doesn’t get the ball.”Jefferson himself did not take questions. He declined comment through a team spokesperson after the loss.Murray Also Struggled Against the Detroit Lions DefenseMurray did not have a strong game himself. He completed 17 of 29 passes for 210 yards with two touchdowns and one interception, and he added 35 yards on four carries, per the NFL game stats.The coverage showed up on his worst throw of the day. ESPN noted that Murray’s second-quarter interception came on a pass that fell between Jefferson and Jordan Addison. His two touchdown passes went to Jefferson in the second quarter and to former Lions tight end T.J. Hockenson in the fourth.Detroit’s Defense Has Now Strung Two TogetherMinnesota has not cleared 20 points in back-to-back weeks. The Vikings scored 16 in a Week 7 win over the Indianapolis Colts. The Lions defense has held an opponent under 20 in each of the last two games, after giving up 17 in a 20-17 win over the Green Bay Packers on Oct. 25.It does not get easier for Murray. Minnesota’s next three games come against the Buffalo Bills, the Packers and the San Francisco 49ers.