The thought of facing Minnesota’s Justin Jefferson — the NFL’s top wide receiver — might make some cornerbacks cringe. Kansas City’s L’Jarius Sneed, however, welcomed the challenge.
Sneed and the Chiefs secondary more than held their own against Jefferson as he was limited to just three catches for 28 yards before leaving in the fourth quarter with a hamstring injury in the Chiefs’ 27-20 win Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
Sneed, the Chiefs’ top cornerback, guarded Jefferson much of the day before Jefferson left with injury.
“I had been preparing all week,” Sneed said. “Coach had been installing in me what to do and what not to do, and I just come to work and do my work. Challenges, I love to face them. I love to just go out there and work.”
Sneed had eight tackles and two passes defended to go with one hit on Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins. But with Jefferson out, Sneed matched up with Vikings receiver Jordan Addison on a critical fourth-and-11 play late in the fourth quarter.
With the Chiefs clinging to a seven-point lead, Sneed ran down the right sideline stride for stride with Addison. Cousins lofted pass to the end zone, but it was too high and fell incomplete. Sneed, however, couldn’t believe it when he turned and saw a yellow flag in the end zone. He put his hands in the air and turned to a nearby official.
Sneed initially was flagged for pass interference, and he took his helmet off and pleaded his case to the official. After a conference, the officials ruled that Sneed didn’t impede Addison’s ability to catch the ball and the flag was picked up. The Chiefs took over on downs and held on for the win.
“I knew it was fourth down, and I knew they had to go to the end zone,” Sneed said of the pivotal play. “So I played off at the sticks and had to get my head back (in time).”
Chiefs coach Andy Reid agreed with the no-call, saying the officials got it right.
“He was just running with him,” Reid said. “He wasn’t grabbing him or pushing him or anything. They were just running down the field, and the ball obviously wasn’t catchable. But he did a nice job shadowing him. I thought it was a good call.”
While Sneed could’ve been flagged for taking off his helmet, the Vikings wouldn’t have retained possession as it would’ve been a post-possession penalty, and the Chiefs would’ve been penalized only yardage.
Still, Reid couldn’t help but praise Sneed’s performance against Jefferson, last year’s Offensive Player of the Year.
“What can you say about Sneed?” Reid said. “This is the best receiver in the National Football League or at least one of them, and arguably the best. And he went toe to toe with him. So that was a great job.”
Sneed’s rise to becoming one of the game’s top corners seemed unlikely when he was drafted in the fourth round out of Louisiana Tech in 2020. But after playing in just nine games as a rookie, Sneed has been a starter the last three seasons.
Last year, Sneed had 108 tackles, three interceptions, three forced fumbles and 3.5 sacks. Through five games this season, Sneed has 26 tackles, four passes defended and three QB hits.
The most points the Chiefs have given up this season was 20 in the season opener against Detroit, although that included a pick-six. And even though Sneed and the Chiefs defense have held their opponents in check, he said there is plenty of room for improvement for the Chiefs secondary as they now turn their attention to AFC West rival Denver. The Chiefs play the Broncos at 7:15 p.m. Thursday at Arrowhead Stadium.
“We’ve still got a lot of work to do,” Sneed said. “We’re still progressing and still trying to come together. But we’re piecing it together as in technique, what to do, and situations.”
