After a tough 31-9 loss to the Detroit Lions on Sunday Night Football, Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson didn’t hesitate to point fingers, but not at himself or his team’s performance. Instead, Jefferson took aim at the referees for what he felt were uncalled penalties on Detroit’s defense.

“They held us a lot, a lot of calls that were left out there,” Jefferson said post-game.

“But that’s not something we’re gonna put the blame on.”

Amik Robertson Shuts Down Justin Jefferson’s Complaints
While Jefferson certainly has the talent to make any defense sweat, he couldn’t get much going against Lions cornerback Amik Robertson, who held him to just three catches for 54 yards. Instead of giving Robertson his due credit for locking him down all game, Jefferson chose to complain about missed calls, making excuses for his subpar performance.

It’s hard not to roll your eyes when Jefferson deflects the blame onto the referees rather than acknowledging the superb play from Robertson and the Lions’ defense. After all, Robertson was given a game ball by head coach Dan Campbell and was even awarded a game ball for his stellar performance against one of the league’s best.

Lions Defense Shines Despite Complaints
Yes, there may have been a few calls that went unmade, but the bottom line is that the Lions defense, led by defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, executed a flawless game plan, holding Jefferson in check while keeping the high-powered Vikings offense at bay.

Instead of pointing fingers, Jefferson would do well to remember that in football, it’s not always about the calls—it’s about execution. And this time, it was the Lions who came out on top, proving that no amount of holding can stop a defense that’s dialed in and ready to win.