Cowboys at Vikings: Can Trevon Diggs Silence Justin Jefferson Again?
The Dallas Cowboys (6-3) and Minnesota Vikings (8-1) will meet for the fourth straight season when they clash on Sunday at U.S Bank Stadium.
It also marks the third consecutive season that Vikings star receiver Justin Jefferson will face Dallas, and it's safe to say that last year's matchup wasn't a kind for one of the NFL's best.
Jefferson posted what was undoubtedly his worst performance of 2021 in the 20-16 loss to the Cowboys last season. He posted just two catches on four targets for 21 yards, all of which were season-low marks.
His lack of production was a major reason that Dallas was able to pull out the win, and the Cowboys have cornerback Trevon Diggs to thank. The league's interception king last season didn't get one against the Vikings -- a game that ended his streak of six straight contests with a pick -- but Diggs allowed just one catch for three yards when guarding Jefferson.
While it might be near impossible to hold Jefferson to just two catches this time around, Diggs will need to at least limit the potential Offensive Player of the Year from doing what he did against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.
Jefferson is coming off a monster game against one of the league's best defenses. Along with some impossible late-game heroics, he finished with 10 catches for a career-high 193 yards and a touchdown.
Stopping the Griddy Train could be one of the toughest things Diggs has done this season. He'll need to keep the same confidence he had headed into last year's meeting.
"He's a ballhawk and I am too," Diggs said of Jefferson a year ago.
The two of them go back beyond just last year. Diggs, a former receiver himself at the University of Alabama, battled with Jefferson when he starred with the LSU Tigers.
Both quickly went on to become stars in the league after entering together as rookies in 2020. But in a game where the results on the scoreboard are the obvious priority, the matchup between Diggs and Jefferson is pivotal to the final results while simultaneously being must-watch TV.
The Cowboys and Vikings kick off from U.S Bank Stadium on Sunday at 3:25 p.m.
You can follow Zach Dimmitt on Twitter at @ZachDimmitt7
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