Vikings QB Carson Wentz doesn't hold back on Justin Jefferson
The Minnesota Vikings came away with a dramatic 21-17 win over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday in London, England. Moreover, the Vikings secured a bounce-back victory after losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers, which was also played abroad in Dublin, Ireland.
Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz completed 25 of 34 pass attempts for 236 passing yards and one touchdown. Furthermore, Wentz spread the ball around, but his go-to target was Justin Jefferson.
Jefferson didn't record a touchdown in this game. However, he did register seven receptions for 123 receiving yards in the win over Cleveland.
Vikings QB Carson Wentz talks Justin Jefferson
After the game, Wentz spoke to the media and put a spotlight on his connection with Jefferson since taking over for the injured J.J. McCarthy in Week 3.
"I mean, Justin's as good as it gets," Wentz told reporters postgame. "Been watching him for years from afar, so it's pretty fun to get a [prime] front row seat. We missed a couple today. I missed a couple, gave him some chances, won a couple back. He's [incredibly] good. I'm just going to keep giving him those chances. We talked about things on the sideline and made sure we were on the same page.
"I can't say enough good things about him, not only as a receiver, but as a [true] leader for this team, the way he goes about his business, his work ethic. His catch run after tackle, breaking tackles, all the things. He does so many things at a high level. I can't say enough good things about him."
MORE VIKINGS NEWS: Vikings' Jordan Addison gets strong message after beating Browns
The Vikings head into their bye week on a positive note. Additionally, this win can boost morale as they will face the reigning Super Bowl champions, the Philadelphia Eagles, on October 19 at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Minnesota will look to build a winning streak as they look to keep pace with fellow NFC North rivals, the Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, and Chicago Bears.
Rome Odunze’s Second-Year Breakout Could Rewrite Bears Record Book
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Second-year wide receiver Rome Odunze could be on track for a record-setting season for the Chicago Bears
Of the many takeaways you could have from the first month of the Chicago Bears‘ 2025 season, arguably the most promising one relates to second-year receiver Rome Odunze. Coming off of a so-so rookie season in which he failed to put up the numbers many of his rookie contemporaries did, there remained plenty of optimism surrounding Odunze heading into the 2025 campaign, and in a small sample size, Odunze has proven it was all warranted.
Through the first four weeks of the season, Odunze ranks 8th in the NFL in receiving yards, 6th in yards per reception (among pass-catchers with at least 20 catches) and 2nd in receiving touchdowns. He’s clearly established himself as the preferred target of second-year quarterback Caleb Williams, and amazing, Odunze finds himself on pace to at the very least threaten multiple single-season Bears receiving records.
While Chicago doesn’t have a track record of producing the most spectacular passing attacks, this is the oldest franchise in the NFL, so if any present player does anything to scale the record book, it’s notable. And while Odunze still has a long way to go to make good on this promising start, even if he ends up falling short, it’s no longer a question as to whether Odunze will become the guy the Bears hoped he would.
Assuming he keeps up at the pace he’s been at so far this season — and again, with only four games in the bank, these numbers could fluctuate greatly over the next three months — Odunze will finish the season with 85 receptions for 1,258 yards and 17 receiving touchdowns.
If those were Rome Odunze’s season-ending splits, he’d finish the year with the 13th-most receptions and 7th-most receiving yards in a single-season in Bears history, and he’d easily break Dick Gordon and Ken Kavenaugh’s shared record of 13 receiving touchdowns. Not too bad considering Odunze is only 23 years old.
Ben Johnson, Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze Are a Trio Bears Fans Can Be Excited About
Even after an offseason in which Bears general manager Ryan Poles attempted to remedy a number of Chicago’s shortcomings, there are still issues with the way this roster has been constructed. But for a second, instead of dwelling on the negatives, let’s celebrate the fact that the Bears have a head coach (Ben Johnson), quarterback (Caleb Williams) and wide receiver (Rome Odunze) trio that’s worth being
Quite literally, this has never been in the case in the century-long history of the Chicago Bears. And now all the sudden, this franchise that has been starved for offensive competency for decades is in the infancy stages of watching a quarterback and wide receiver tandem that, if all things go as planned, will end up with countless career records in Chicago.
Of course, so much of this has to do with Ben Johnson, who has made life far easier for both Williams and Odunze, utilizing the skillsets of both players in appropriate ways, and scheming up looks where Odunze is wide open down the field. That sounds like a low bar, but it’s one that Matt Eberflus couldn’t clear last year with Williams and Odunze at his disposal, and one that various coaches have failed to overcome in previous regimes with their respective QB-WR tandems.
