Luke Braun's Film Room: The Vikings Have A Cover 2 Problem... Or Do They?

Justin Jefferson only produced 48 yards against the Jacksonville Jaguars while the Minnesota Vikings came away with just 12 points. Was the Jaguars' use of Cover 2 the reason the Vikings floundered?

In 1998, the NFC Central had a problem named Randy Moss. His first victim was Tony Dungy’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers, just three years after Dungy departed Minnesota for the head coaching job. Four catches, 95 yards, 2 touchdowns and a big fat loss later, Dungy needed an answer.

Moss was coming to Raymond James Stadium in a couple of months for a second helping. Meanwhile, he was tearing up the rest of the league, including a 190-yard eye-gouging in Green Bay.

They needed something that would defend against Randall Cunningham’s cannonballs to the young SuperFreak. Unlike anyone else in the NFL at the time, Dungy had the perfect tool in his repertoire for the rematch: Cover 2.

The idea of two high safeties splitting the deep field in half is not novel, nor was it then. In Dungy’s own words, he used concepts from his playing days with the Steelers in the late 1970s, originally introduced by Bud Carson.

From Tony Dungy

In that thread, Dungy insists that his Buccaneers teams were using classic Cover 2 rules rather than the slight variation we now call “Tampa 2”. But regardless, it worked. Dungy’s defense limited Moss to just 2 catches for 52 yards and held him out of the end zone.

Before long, Cover 2 would sweep through the league and take a permanent place among any defensive play caller’s play sheet. Fast forward to this past weekend, with another Vikings phenom traveling to Florida to take on a team that won’t make the playoffs. 

This time, Justin Jefferson went to Jacksonville and faced a team that absolutely loves Cover 2. It worked, at least on him.

Courtesy Next Gen Stats

Is this the answer to Kevin O’Connell’s explosive offense? Is there something about Cover 2 that preys on a specific weakness? We can find out, if only we wish to use our eyes.

Man Him Up, Beat Him Up

Justin Jefferson hasn’t had many bad moments throughout his career, but one of them came on New Year’s Day 2023. The Vikings traveled to Lambeau Field, slipped all over the wet grass, and Jaire Alexander had the most triumphant moment of his career by giving Jefferson hell all day long. 

Jacksonville took a page out of that book, using Cover 2 safeties coupled with man coverage to give corners the opportunity to be as aggressive as they wanted. Watch #3 Tyson Campbell on Justin Jefferson at the top of the screen.

Justin Jefferson takes his first steps right into Campbell’s face — to “handshake distance”, if you will. In a normal man coverage situation, that’d be very hazardous territory to enter, with no cushion to give Campbell time to react to Jefferson’s release. But with a safety over the top of him, he can afford to be aggressive and physical, just like Alexander was in 2022.

The result is a pass breakup and a lucky tipped interception. If ever there were a consistent way to beat Jefferson, it’s this. Get your biggest, meanest corner, put him in press coverage and protect him deep with a safety.