Only a small percentage of players that enter the NFL get to climb the mountain and win the Super Bowl.
The difficulty level surrounding the challenge of lifting the Lombardi Trophy is too often forgotten and too often impressive seasons are written off and quickly consigned to history after a team falls short.
It is not unusual for players to take about their exploits throughout a season being meaningless when they fall short of the ultimate goal. Yet in a league that is so tough to win, it is important to cherish the dramatic victories and moments that spark the greatest joy in the long journey that is an NFL season.
No fanbase understands this more than that of the Minnesota Vikings, who have continually had their hearts broken throughout a tortured history.
The Vikings have gone to four Super Bowls without winning any and have a long history of playoff agony.
Yet they are also responsible for one of the great postseason finishes, Stefon Diggs' last-gasp touchdown in the Divisional Round against the New Orleans Saints at the end of the 2017 season quickly coming to be known as the 'Minneapolis Miracle'.
With Diggs providing the opposition as a member of the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson produced another of those indelible moments for the franchise and the fans to cling on to in their astonishing 33-30 overtime win at Orchard Park.
The Vikings were firmly in the last chance saloon, trailing 27-23 with two minutes remaining and faced with fourth-and-18 from their own 27-yard line. Minnesota's hopes of victory were seemingly about to end, but Jefferson literally plucked some new life out of the air, bending backwards as he leapt to take a desperation Kirk Cousins throw away from the grasp of Bills defender Cam Lewis, producing a catch that instantly joined the discussion as arguably the best of all-time.
What made that reception more remarkable was the fact it did not result in points and was only a prelude to the utter chaos of the finale to the unquestioned game of the year. The Vikings drove to the Buffalo one-yard line but were stopped on fourth down, only for the Bills to cough up what looked to be certain victory when a fumbled snap on their goal-line allowed Eric Kendricks to recover a fumble and give Minnesota the lead.
It was quickly snatched away when Josh Allen, with a little under 40 seconds remaining to do so, guided the Bills in position to kick a game-tying field goal and force overtime, achieving that feat in part thanks to a controversial completion to Gabe Davis, officials electing not to review his catch despite replays indicating he had dropped the ball.
The Vikings kicked a go-ahead field goal in the extra period after again failing to convert from inside the Buffalo five-yard line, but their profligacy in the red zone was not punished as Allen ended an off-colour showing with a poor decision to throw over the middle, his pass intercepted by Patrick Peterson in the endzone to clinch a thrilling comeback triumph for Minnesota.
Allen's fumble and his red-zone interception were the decisive plays, but it is Jefferson's exploits that provided the defining image of the game, with his unbelievable fourth-down reception the highlight of one of a domineering display from a player who has swiftly ascended to the elite at the wide receiver position.
Jefferson had two receptions for first downs on the overtime drive that ensured the Bills would have to score a touchdown to win, the second another leaping grab on a corner route to haul in a perfectly placed ball from Cousins against a two-deep safety coverage.
For the game, he finished with 10 catches for a career-high 193 yards and a touchdown, another history-making display for a receiver who has made a habit of rewriting the record books since entering the NFL in 2020.
This was his 20th career game with at least 100 receiving yards, surpassing Odell Beckham Jr. (19 games) and Randy Moss (19) for the most such games by a player in his first three career seasons in NFL history.
Jefferson now has seven games with at least 150 receiving yards, overtaking Moss and fellow Hall of Famer Lance Alworth (both six) for the most by a player in his opening three seasons, while he is up to 4,076 receiving yards in 42 games, tying Alworth and Beckham for the fewest games to reach 4,000 career receiving yards in NFL history.Following his efforts against Buffalo, Jefferson has 18 completions of at least 20 yards or more this season, trailing only Tyreek Hill (20). Jefferson's Stats Perform big play rate of 36.3 per cent puts him fifth among receivers with at least 50 targets, his explosiveness a product of his ability to manufacture separation with his route-running and make superb plays at the catch point.
Registering a burn, which is when a receiver wins his matchup with a defender on a play where he is targeted, on 66.7 per cent of targets, Jefferson is fourth in burn yards per route (4.2), further illustrating how adept he is at breaking free from coverage.
The Vikings trade with Buffalo in 2020 saw them part with the man at the heart of one of the greatest plays in franchise history as the Bills acquired Diggs in exchange for a first-round pick. Minnesota used that first-round pick on Jefferson, with that exchange now deservedly viewed as a huge win for both sides.
By producing a physics-defying catch with the game on the line in a matchup seen as a referendum on the Vikings' credentials as a contender, Jefferson has followed in Diggs' footsteps in delivering a moment that will live in franchise folklore.
The wild nature of the victory may lead some to hit the pause button on declaring the Vikings to be a team in contention to win the Super Bowl, even with an 8-1 record and a win over one of the AFC's best now on their resume.
But discussion over Super Bowl chances should be secondary in this instance. Regardless of whether the Vikings go on to make it deep into the postseason, Jefferson's play is one that the Vikings fanbase will talk about forever. The Vikings may not be holding the Lombardi Trophy come the end of the season in Arizona, but Jefferson's heroics in this bewitching chapter of their 2022 campaign will still be worth celebrating.
Serbia head coach Dragan Stojkovic has no concerns Aleksandar Mitrovic will miss the World Cup – even if he has to go to Qatar "without a leg".
Mitrovic has impressed for Fulham in the Premier League this season with nine goals in 12 games but missed the last two matches due to a foot injury.
Fulham head coach Marco Silva suggested the Serbia international may be a doubt for the World Cup prior to Sunday's 2-1 defeat to Manchester United.
While Silva admitted fears over Mitrovic's chances at the World Cup, Stojkovic reiterated his more defiant stance as he suggested the Fulham forward would play on one leg.
"Mitrovic will go to the World Cup without a leg, we can also cut off his head — he'll still go," he added. "We have until tonight to change things, but I strongly doubt anything will change.
"We'll see today when they come [for training]. With his behaviour and games, and the injuries he had… He begged to play after that."
Stojkovic remains confident the 28-year-old will be fit for Serbia's Group G opener against Brazil on November 24, along with Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic, who has been sidelined with a groin issue.
Stojkovic said: "I don't like when my players don't play because of injuries. It's obvious that they are out of the team for a long time and it's good that I firmly believe that they will be ready.
"We are working on it. There is a song by Aleksandra Prijovic that says: 'It's not who was told, but who was destined'.
"I haven't seen the players yet, but now I'm going to hang out with the doctors. I guess the players will arrive by [6pm, for training].
"There are problems and small problems, but there is still a long time before the match with Brazil, this [friendly on Friday] against Bahrain is not important for us."
Mykhaylo Mudryk says he follows Arsenal closely amid speculation over a potential move to the Gunners from Shakhtar Donetsk.
Mudryk's sparkling form this season has seen him register 16 goal involvements in as many appearances and attract interest from some of Europe's elite clubs, with the 21-year-old closely linked to Arsenal.
The Ukraine international says he has kept up to date with the Gunners' impressive form, which sees them holding a five-point lead at the top of the Premier League heading into the World Cup break.
"I check on them on 'MyScore' and know when they’re playing I can check on them," Mudryk told Vlada Sedan's YouTube channel. "I also watch them too.
"They are a very dynamic side, in general not just in controlling possession but also in scoring goals."
However, Mudryk would want assurances over his playing time from Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, adding: "I would first want to know from the head coach that even if I wasn’t a guaranteed starter, that I’d receive a chance.
"Essentially I need to hear directly from the manager what he envisages my role in his side to be.
"From a purely hypothetical perspective if there was the option of being a bench player for Real Madrid or a starter for Arsenal, I’d probably choose Arsenal.
"But it’s a tough question and involves a lot of factors in my answer. The team’s style of play will play a role. It’s very important to me."
Mudryk was reportedly close to a move away from Shakhtar in the last transfer window, but ended up staying with the 13-time Ukrainian Premier League champions.
While he was disappointed a move never materialised, Mudryk acknowledged that the delay in a move away may actually end up benefitting him, saying: "I spoke with two or three head coaches either directly or via a translator. They were Nice, Bayer Leverkusen and Brentford.
"When it didn’t work out I was a bit upset but as we can see now God’s plan is better than my dreams."
New Wolves head coach Julen Lopetegui is "worried" after Raul Jimenez was named in Mexico's World Cup squad despite not playing since August.
Former Sevilla and Real Madrid coach Lopetegui officially took charge at Wolves on Monday but will have to wait until after the World Cup break for his first game.
Jimenez has only made three Premier League appearances this season, totalling 211 minutes, after battling with a groin injury but was still included in Mexico's 26-man list to travel to Qatar.
With Wolves four points adrift of safety at the bottom of the top-flight table, Lopetegui says his primary concern is having his key forward to call upon after the break.
"The most important thing is not the World Cup, it's Wolves," Lopetegui said during his first press conference in England.
"I have spoken with Raul, I am worried about him because he doesn't play a minute with his team, Wolves.
"We need all of them but we need Raul fit and the best version. I hope he will come back here in this way. I respect the decision of the player and the coach but above all for me it's Wolves."
Mexico and Wolves have already endured a fractured relationship, with Gerardo Martino's team apologising after naming an unfit Jimenez on their bench for Wednesday's 4-0 friendly victory over Iraq.
The 31-year-old was in attendance at Molineux for the 2-0 home defeat to Arsenal on Saturday before being announced in a Mexico squad that includes Napoli's Hirving Lozano and Ajax defender Edson Alvarez.
But there was no room for former Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez, who scored 18 goals in 34 MLS appearances for Los Angeles Galaxy in 2022.
Gerardo Martino's men start their World Cup campaign against Poland on November 22 before facing Argentina and Saudi Arabia in Group C.
Mexico squad in full:
Guillermo Ochoa (Club America), Alfredo Talavera (Juarez), Rodolfo Cota (Leon); Jorge Sanchez (Ajax), Kevin Alvarez (Pachuca), Nestor Araujo (Club America), Johan Vasquez (Cremonese), Hector Moreno (Monterrey), Cesar Montes (Monterrey), Gerardo Arteaga (Genk), Jesus Gallardo (Monterrey); Andres Guardado (Real Betis), Hector Herrera (Houston Dynamo), Charly Rodriguez (Cruz Azul), Erick Gutierrez (PSV), Luis Chavez (Pachuca), Edson Alvarez (Ajax), Orbelin Pineda (AEK Athens), Luis Romo (Monterrey); Alexis Vega (Guadalajara), Hirving Lozano (Napoli), Raul Jimenez (Wolves), Roberto Alvarado (Guadalajara), Uriel Antuna (Cruz Azul), Henry Martin (Club America), Rogelio Funes Mori (Monterrey).
The USA’s Patrick Cover stormed in an early lead at the end of Sunday’s first round of play at the 55 Jamaica Open Golf Tournament at the Tryall Golf Club in Sandy Bay, Hanover.
Erling Haaland has been subject of a tongue-in-cheek loan bid from non-league Ashton United while Manchester City break for the World Cup.
FIFA's global tournament starts on Sunday in Qatar and leaves a schedule gap for the Premier League as elite-level club football pauses for the action in the Middle East.
Haaland will not be going to the World Cup after Norway failed to qualify, and seventh-tier side Ashton have lodged an offer to keep one of Europe's most prolific talisman fit throughout the break.
"It just makes sense," Michael Clegg told the Northern Premier League Premier Division side's website.
"City aren't playing, and we want to help by keeping Erling fit. It makes more sense than him playing golf for six weeks.
"We think he will be a great fit for us and would slot in with our squad dynamic really well."
The Norway striker has scored 18 top-flight goals this season since leaving Borussia Dortmund, with a further five in cup competitions taking him to 23 strikes.
City manager Pep Guardiola suggested Haaland would be allowed some time to rest before returning to training in early December.
While Ashton are based just over six miles away from City's Etihad Stadium, Clegg's side are keenly awaiting a response from City's delegates as to Haaland's interest in nearby non-league football.
"The club are yet to receive any response from Manchester City," the statement on the website added.
City are not back in Premier League action until a visit to Leeds United on December 28, six days after a crunch fourth-round EFL Cup tie at home to rivals Liverpool.
Elijah Mitchell believes he and Christian McCaffrey could form the best running back tandem in the NFL after he returned in style in the San Francisco 49ers' 22-16 win over the Los Angeles Chargers.
Mitchell, the 49ers' leading rusher as a rookie in 2021, had been sidelined since Week 1 with a knee sprain.
His position as San Francisco's leading back looked to have been taken by McCaffrey last month when the 49ers traded four draft picks to acquire the former All-Pro in a deal with the Carolina Panthers.
However, the pair split carries as the 49ers prevailed in primetime despite an uneven offensive performance. Mitchell carried the ball 18 times for 81 yards and McCaffrey 14 times for 38 yards and a touchdown, the latter also had four catches for 39 yards.
The 49ers finished with 157 yards on the ground but at an average of just 3.8 yards per carry, however, Mitchell is confident he and McCaffrey can take their rushing attack to great heights.
"At the end of the day, it helps both of us and like I said, year six and he's an unbelievable back," Mitchell said of McCaffrey's arrival. "I get to learn from him so I'm excited for it.
"We could be the best duo of backs in the league, in my opinion."
The 49ers' victory moved them to 5-4, trailing the Seattle Seahawks (6-4) by just half a game in the race for the NFC West title.
That record is identical to that of the Chargers, who could not overcome critical injuries on the offensive side of the ball to the likes of Keenan Allen and Mike Williams.
San Francisco's vaunted defense dominated and shut out the Chargers in the second half, and running back Austin Ekeler refused to blame the Chargers' injuries for their struggles.
"We got some of our guys who are down," Ekeler said. "I get it. That doesn’t matter. . . . No one really created today.
"We need more playmaking. We didn't have that in the second half. We can't just go out there and play hard. That doesn't win in the NFL."
Hugo Lloris believes players must focus on football at the World Cup amid concerns over human rights in Qatar but says they "cannot remain insensitive" over the issues.
Qatar has come under the spotlight long before the first game of the tournament on Sunday due to controversy over human rights in a country where same-sex relationships are illegal.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has penned a letter to all 32 nations who will play in the World Cup encouraging them to focus on football, but that was met with a backlash.
France goalkeeper Lloris is one of nine captains who will wear a distinctive rainbow heart-adorned armband at the tournament, raising awareness for the OneLove campaign against discrimination.
However, the Les Bleus skipper shares FIFA's view that players should respect the beliefs of their host country, telling reporters: "I have my personal opinion and that is in line with that of the president [French Football Federation (FFF) president Noel Le Graet].
"When we welcome foreigners to France, we want them to follow our rules and respect our culture. I will do the same when I go to Qatar. We may not agree with that, but I will show respect.
"We cannot remain insensitive to these subjects. We are asking more and more of the players.
"But I believe that we must keep the focus on the game. Outside, everyone is free to express themselves and defend their opinions."
Lloris feels the onus to denounce Qatar's human rights record should not fall upon footballers, saying: "There’s too much pressure on the players. We are at the bottom of the chain.
"If you have to apply pressure, first of all it had to be 10 years ago. Now it’s too late.
"You have to understand that for players this opportunity happens every four years and you want every chance to succeed. The focus has to be on the field. The rest is for politicians. We are athletes."
Ireland will be without Robbie Henshaw and Joey Carbery in their final Autumn Nations Series Test against Australia on Saturday.
Centre Henshaw suffered a hamstring injury during a 35-17 win over Fiji last weekend and will continue his rehabilitation at Leinster.
Carbery was replaced early in the second half of that victory at the Aviva Stadium with a head injury and the fly-half will complete the return to play protocols with Munster.
Johnny Sexton, James Ryan, Andrew Porter, Josh van der Flier and Hugo Keenan will be monitored ahead of the clash with the Wallabies in Dublin after sustaining knocks in the win over South Africa.
Jimmy O'Brien will complete the head injury assessment [HIA] process on Monday and is expected to be back in training on Tuesday.
Joe McCarthy has got through the HIA process and is back in the fold along with Bundee Aki, who has completed a suspension.
Meanwhile, Ireland boss Andy Farrell was on Monday shortlisted for the World Rugby Coach of the Year award after guiding the team to the top of the rankings.
Fabien Galthie, the France head coach, New Zealand women's head coach Wayne Smith and England Women's head coach Simon Middleton are the other contenders for the gong.
Moeen Ali has bemoaned a "horrible" schedule that will see England start an ODI series against Australia four days after winning the T20 World Cup.
Jos Buttler's side became the first team to be both T20I and 50-over world champions at the same time with a five-wicket victory over Pakistan in the final at the MCG on Sunday.
After playing seven World Cup matches in a period of just over three weeks, England will remain in Australia for a three-match ODI series that starts at Adelaide Oval on Thursday.
Moeen is among nine members of the T20 World Cup squad who will face Australia, but the all-rounder feels they should be taking some hard-earned time off.
"It's been happening for a while," he said. "As a group we want to enjoy and celebrate and have that time because you put so much into it as well. It's not just while the tournament is going on, there's the pre-tournament, the build-up and all that.
"Having a game in three days' time, it's horrible. As players we're kind of getting used to it now. But to give 100 per cent all the time is difficult when you're playing every two, three days.
"We have to do it and while we're here we might as well do it, it would be better than going back and then having to come back out another time."
England white-ball head coach Matthew Mott also feels the schedule is asking a lot of the players.
"We always saw that series as being something that we will have to be really professional about," said Mott.
"Cricket is a funny game: we have long breaks off in the white-ball game but when we're on, we're on. We've got to enjoy this victory, they don't come around very often so there'll be no disguising the fact that we will enjoy this.
"But come game day, we've got to turn up and make sure we put out a great effort. For the white-ball team in particular, we get through those three games and then there's a long break. So that'll be the time to properly let the hair down and enjoy it, but the schedule is the schedule and we've got to move with it."
Wallball is a sport being played globally in over 100 countries and Founder and President of the Jamaica Wallball Association, Oneil Cummings, is optimistic about where the sport can go in the country.
Wallball is an indirect style of a ball game where the player hits a small rubber ball with their hand against a wall. The goal of the game is to score more points than the opponent. If the opponent fails to return the ball, the player scores a point. The game begins when one player serves the ball by hitting the ball towards the wall. The ball must bounce one time on the ground before it reaches the wall. The receiving player must let the ball hit the wall and bounce once before returning it.
“We are launching off at a very small level but we can only grow. We are hopeful that the sport will take off in Jamaica. I am hopeful that we will get the support that will foster the growth of the sport here,” he said at the JWA’s press launch and demo of Wallball at the University of Technology (UTECH) on Saturday.
“There are several emerging and exciting sporting activities that have been helping to foster greater social cohesion across the world and the game of Wallball represents one of those,” added Cummings before going into ways the association plans to integrate the sport locally.
“We at the Jamaica Wallball Association intend to host an annual International Invitational Pro Tournament so the future should be very bright for prospective players.”
Getting the sport into schools is also a goal down the line for Cummings, who reiterated that this is just phase one of their plans as the association, formed in 2018, is just picking up where they left off after taking a break due to the Covid-19 Pandemic.
“This is just phase one. We are now creating a brand so marketing will be very important after this phase. The association was formed just before Covid so now we are just picking up back where we left off before the break.”
He did mention one partnership that is already in motion with the hosts of the event, UTECH.
Donna-Marie Wynter-Adams, head of the Caribbean School of Sports Sciences at the university, spoke about the essence of their partnership with the JWA.
“We are always open to doing the certification for small federations and we have a sport elective. We feel that our graduates must know not only their field of study, but they must also develop the sportsmanship and community spirit that comes from sport. We have electives that you can do from another module and we have the sports elective so you can do Basketball, Golf and learn to swim and we can add Wallball to that collection that we can offer to persons who are getting their degree.”
“We think it is a good partnership because you are introducing another sport. If you realize now, we are expanding. Our athletes want to do field events and novel sports. With 2.9 million persons, not all of them want to do the 100 metres. It is good when we bring in small sports because we have a great capacity for sport,” she added before going into some benefits of playing Wallball.
“You can burn a lot of calories with it. It is not related to your age, just your ability to move. Even if you are not able to move and you’re wheelchair bound, you can still play it.”
Phase one of the associations efforts to grow Wallball in Jamaica will involve a series of training and demonstration clinics in the Kingston & St Andrew and Portmore areas from November 11-20. The training series will be hosted by the Wallball International Federation.
“We are very excited to be here to introduce a new sport to Jamaica. It is very easy to play,” said Colombian WIF President Alberto Viteri.
International players Tony Roberts, Paul Yagual and Stephanie Vega will be the coaches at the clinics while Cummings also noted that Jamaica College, Papine High, Bridgeport High, Kingston College and Donald Quarrie High will all be involved.
Stefon Diggs feels the Buffalo Bills might be "blinking a little bit" after their defeat to the Minnesota Vikings in the game of the year so far.
The Bills led 27-10 in the third quarter and still appeared set to prevail leading 27-23 late in the fourth with the Vikings seemingly on their last chance on fourth-and-18.
However, Justin Jefferson's remarkable one-handed grab, which immediately entered the discussion around the best catches of all-time, set in motion a chaotic and incredible finish.
Despite that catch, Buffalo looked to have clinched the game when they stopped Minnesota on the Bills' one-yard line, but Josh Allen fumbled the snap on the subsequent series, Eric Kendricks recovering to put the Vikings ahead with 41 seconds left.
Allen led the Bills down the field for a game-tying field goal that forced overtime, in which the Vikings took the lead on a field goal after once again failing to convert from inside the Buffalo five-yard line following another Jefferson-inspired drive.
That gave Allen the chance to win it for Buffalo with a touchdown, but he paid the price for a poor decision as the Bills quarterback was intercepted in the endzone by Patrick Peterson and Minnesota clung on for a 33-30 success.
Buffalo's second successive defeat dropped them to 6-3, meaning the Bills are now third in the AFC East behind the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets.
It is a surprising downturn for a team that has long since been seen as Super Bowl favourites, and one Diggs put down to the Bills not following their mantra.
"We've got to continue to play sharp," said Diggs. "I mean, I feel like we're coming out in the first half, minds sharp, getting after it, and then we somewhat hit a little lull and then kind of got to get back in the groove.
"It seemed like when we've got to get in the groove, it's always crunch time. And we always manage to kind of figure it out and make a way, but it'll save us if we don't take that lull, don't take that little gasp of air.
"[Defensive end] Von [Miller] always say don't blink and I feel like we might be blinking a little bit, especially when we come out trying to figure it out... This game has its ebbs and flows along with the season. I mean, we can’t ride a rollercoaster, so chin up."
Asked to explain what he meant by blinking, Diggs pointed the finger at himself for a false start in the fourth quarter.
"No, I mean, if you look at the score, the score was still tight," Diggs added. "When I think about a lull I feel like it's more so not being as sharp. For example like me jumping offsides like s*** like that.
"That's more so like a lull, not so much about the other team because like I said every week the other team will give you their best shot and they’re always going to give us that. More so looking inward than anything."
Andrey Rublev opened his ATP Finals campaign with a gripping 6-7 (7-9) 6-3 7-6 (9-7) success over compatriot Daniil Medvedev in Turin.
The sixth seed came from behind to beat his fellow Russian in a match lasting over two and a half hours to put himself top of the Red Group, with the pool's other two players, Novak Djokovic and Stefanos Tsitsipas, playing later on Monday.
Rublev got off to a fast start, securing a break to put himself 4-1 up in the first set. However, Medvedev saw off two set points to take it to a tie-break, before fending off five more set points on his way to taking an extraordinary opener.
World number seven Rublev hit back with two breaks in a strong second set to level the match, Medvedev not helping himself with six double faults.
Medvedev, the fourth seed, cut down the errors in a tight final set that did not see a solitary break of serve as a tie-break was required to settle an absorbing contest.
But after a remarkable final stand from Medvedev that saw him save four match points, Rublev finally got over the line make a winning start.
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Medvedev - 24/8
Rublev - 9/1
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Medvedev - 46/26
Rublev - 38/24
BREAK POINTS WON
Medvedev - 1/2
Rublev - 3/9
Justin Jefferson's critical fourth-quarter catch in the Minnesota Vikings' thrilling Week 10 win over the Buffalo Bills will go down as one of the best of all-time, but for the All-Pro wideout it was simply a case of him meeting expectations he has held since childhood.
Jefferson's astonishing one-handed grab on fourth-and-18 with the Bills ahead 27-23 kept the Vikings' hopes alive in an instant classic, the 23-year-old arcing his body backwards and leaping to rip the ball away from Cam Lewis for a 32-yard reception.
Despite driving down to the Buffalo one-yard line, Minnesota failed to get across the goal-line, but the Vikings were handed a reprieve when Bills quarterback Josh Allen fumbled the snap after the turnover on downs, Eric Kendricks recovering to put the visitors ahead with 41 seconds left.
Allen led the Bills down the field for a game-tying field goal that forced overtime, in which the Vikings took the lead on a field goal after once again failing to convert from inside the Buffalo five-yard line following another Jefferson-inspired drive. That gave Allen the chance to win it for Buffalo with a touchdown, but he was intercepted in the endzone by Patrick Peterson as Minnesota clung on for a remarkable 33-30 success.
In a game of so many dramatic moments, it is the image of Jefferson wresting the ball from Lewis in mid-air while falling backwards that will be the defining one.
Yet the Vikings star appeared to see nothing extraordinary about his pivotal play.
"Before we left the huddle," Jefferson told Peter King for Football Morning in America.
"Kirk [Cousins] said to me, 'Hey, I might just throw this up to you.' Kirk knew. We just needed to make something happen.
"I felt how close [Lewis] was. I knew it was going to be a battle for the ball. On plays like that, I don't remember exactly what happened. But I'm going up, I'm going to fight for the ball.
"That's my ball. Since ninth grade, those are the balls I think I should catch. I'm just happy Kirk trusted me and put the ball up for me to catch."
Jefferson finished with 193 yards and a touchdown on 10 catches. It marked his 20th career game with at least 100 receiving yards and saw him surpass Odell Beckham Jr. (19) and Randy Moss (19) for the most such games by a player in his first three seasons in NFL history.
He has yet to play in a postseason game, but with his latest heroics helping the Vikings improve to 8-1, that appears destined to change.
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