Minnesota Vikings 28
New Orleans Saints 25
Q. (No microphone.)
JUSTIN JEFFERSON: Second and third we got a little bit more double-teams, triple teams. This week Lattimore pretty much followed me the whole game. Pretty much was a one-on-one battle majority of the game.
I keep saying it, we definitely feel confident in our guys to win those one-on-one battles. If I don't get double-teamed and triple-teamed, I feel confident to get open and give Kirk an open eye to throw the ball.
Q. Great connection with Kirk today. What is different today than the last couple weeks?
JUSTIN JEFFERSON: Double-teams. Double-teams was the major point. I mean, those double-teams help Adam and K.J. get open. They get the one-on-one battles when I'm getting double, triple-teamed.
Whenever the whole line is getting that man-to-man, we're all up for grabs. He can throw the ball to each one of us. We always feel confident in our game to get open. Coach Keenan, our coach, definitely stressed that on us, too always be open, give Kirk an easier throw.
Q. (No microphone.)
JUSTIN JEFFERSON: I feel it's great. Especially against this type of defender. I mean, he's definitely known around the whole league to be a great corner. I got the upper hand on this matchup, especially seeing him when I was a rookie.
Q. Verbal exchange between the two of you?
JUSTIN JEFFERSON: It's competition, you know (laughter). We both love the game. We both have emotion towards the game.
Of course if I get outplayed, I going to talk. If he get outplayed, he going to talk.
Q. Were you surprised to see yourself in single coverage on the final deep shot?
JUSTIN JEFFERSON: No. That's Lattimore. I mean, I'm pretty sure they're not going to have a safety on top of Lattimore, just being the type of player he is.
Seeing that one-on-one matchup, we've been saying it all week, if we get it, we're going to throw it deep. It was a great play, great call, great throw by Kirk.
Q. What do you need to tidy up in terms of field goals?
JUSTIN JEFFERSON: It's our execution. One is our execution, just throwing it to the right person, getting open. I felt that PI was called on me, that K.J. scored on, it was a little difficult because of the way they was covering.
We definitely have to get in the end zone way more. Just executing our plays. Of course those flags hurt, being second and 20, those type of downs definitely hurts a lot.
Q. How good was it to get your hands on the ball so early?
JUSTIN JEFFERSON: It feels great. That's the main key factor, to get the ball early. Once you get that ball early, you get in a rhythm, you get in a tone. It definitely sets the game up right.
Q. What was Kevin's message after the game in the locker room? Last week you talked about being an addicted feeling, winning.
JUSTIN JEFFERSON: One, it's definitely great to get a win. Of course, an eight-hour flight, didn't want to come here and lose. Really it was on us at the end of the day.
He called the great plays. It was just on us to go out there, execute our plays. We definitely have to clean up some things, limit the flags. But I feel like we played pretty good so far. We definitely have to score in the red zone, for sure.
Q. Coach O'Connell talked about your growing influence in leadership on this team. Talk to us about how you see your leadership growing.
JUSTIN JEFFERSON: Yeah, well, I definitely wasn't a vocal player my first two years in the league. Just trying to fit into everything. Me being a young player, listening to the veterans.
Now going into my third year, playing the way I've been playing, he definitely wanted me to take on that leadership role. Not getting frustrated, not having those temper tantrums on the sideline when I'm not getting my way, that all plays a part.
If Adam and K.J. is eating, I love it. If we win, I love it. The doesn't really matter about the stats that I get, the touchdowns I get, as long as we winning, our whole team is playing together.
Q. The reality of playing here in London as opposed to the expectation before you came?
JUSTIN JEFFERSON: Well, I didn't expect it to be the way it is just because I never been here. It was my first time here, first time just in this type of environment. Flying eight hours, having a whole different schedule, whole different time frame.
But I feel like we did it professionally. Everybody was on cue. Everybody was doing what they needed to do. Nobody really got outside the box, did stuff we didn't need to do.
I feel like it was a great team win.
Q. Think it will be a quiet flight home?
JUSTIN JEFFERSON: I'm going to be asleep. I'm going to try to get as much sleep as I can. Adam was telling me to wait to sleep because we land at 2 a.m. It's going to be tough to sleep the majority of the flight, land at 2 a.m.
I'll try to sleep as much as possible, but I guess we'll see (smiling).
Q. You said O'Connell wanted you to take on a leadership role. Did he have a meeting where he challenged you to take that on?
JUSTIN JEFFERSON: Just messages that he relays to me just walking past me. He wants me to be that leader. He knows guys are going to double-team me, I'm going to get though mix-match coverages.
It's really just staying patient, just being a leader, being vocal. At the end of the day as long as we win, I'm fine.
Q. What did you make of (indiscernible) touchdown celebration?
JUSTIN JEFFERSON: I liked it. It set the tone, for sure. He definitely made a great play. Being that far away from the end zone, on third down. Getting a quick screen to him, getting into the end zone definitely helped us big getting a touchdown on that first possession.
Q. Big play at the end, did you see that look earlier in the game or was it the first time?
JUSTIN JEFFERSON: No, they've been playing like that the whole game. I was telling K.O. the whole game, we should throw it up, give me a chance to make a big play, switching the possession, getting down on the field.
I'm glad he called that play at the end of the game. Like I say, Kirk threw a dime, for sure.
Q. When K.O. was talking about you being patient, what is it about you being patient that translates to leadership?
JUSTIN JEFFERSON: Just because I'm not being an emotional player. I'm not being a virus to the team. Just being frustrated. I'm going to be frustrated, but I'm going to keep that to myself.
At the end of the day, if somebody's double-teaming me, I can't really do too much about that. That just shows you how much effect I have on the defensive side, just being a key player, just having them know where I'm at at all times.
I mean, if I'm getting doubled, K.J. and Adam is getting one-on-one team. We feel confident in those type of matchups getting the ball to them and making a play.
Q. Was that something you felt you needed to keep in check?
JUSTIN JEFFERSON: I mean, nothing really ever goes well, just being overall emotional, you know? Of course, I love the game. Of course, I want to make a play. Of course, I want the ball in my hand.
I can't do too much if they're double-teaming me. At the end of the day I just got to face the fact that I'm a key player on this team, they're going to key on me every week. We always got to find new ways to get me open in space.
I love this offense, the way we run it, the type of players that we have on this offense, for sure.
Q. Was that airplane chain purposeful for this trip?
JUSTIN JEFFERSON: No. I always wear this. My nickname is Jet. I got a Jet, my little stars. When we flying in space, you know...
Yeah (laughter).
Q. A word about your quarterback?
JUSTIN JEFFERSON: We always have faith in Kirk. He always have that confidence. He have that confidence in us, as well. We have to make his job easier. He has a lot of things on his hands, having to go through a whole new playbook. We have these long calls that he have to sit in and call to us.
It's always about being communicative, being open at the right times, just catching the ball when they come.
Q. One of the red zone possessions, you were pretty open. Kirk went shorter. Is that the type of scenario where you're being less emotional?
JUSTIN JEFFERSON: I mean, of course I wanted that one. Of course, getting the touchdown. I mean, he can't see everything, you know? People make mistakes, people make wrong reads, too. He's human.
I mean, it's all about just looking at the film, seeing what we can do better, telling him what things look open, what things can work. It's all about communication at the end of the day. Nothing is ever going to get done just overreacting, getting frustrated, getting emotional on the field.
Just coming back to the huddle saying, Hey, Kirk, this can work on this, just look at me a little longer on this.
It's all about our communication. I'm pretty sure our connection is going to grow and grow as long as this season go on. I'm glad we're 3-1.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports