The Minnesota Vikings find themselves in a quarterback quandary, and Josh Dobbs is set to lead the charge in Week 10.
Dobbs, who recently joined the Vikings through a trade with the Arizona Cardinals at the deadline, made a remarkable appearance in Minnesota’s Week 9 victory over the Atlanta Falcons. This came as a result of rookie Jaren Hall suffering a concussion, which has placed Hall in concussion protocol. Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell confirmed that Dobbs will be the starting quarterback against the New Orleans Saints in the upcoming game.
Veteran Sean Mannion is expected to serve as Dobbs’ backup, although he would need to be elevated from the practice squad to be eligible for this role.
As of now, there are no plans, according to O’Connell, to bring in another quarterback before the next weekend’s game. O’Connell praised Dobbs for his remarkable performance, stating, “I thought what he did was remarkable. But there’s a lot of things that we’ll coach him through and get him a little bit more comfortable in what we do.”
Dobbs’ start against the Falcons had its ups and downs, beginning with a rocky start that included a safety and two fumbles. However, he quickly turned the tide and amassed 224 yards from scrimmage along with two touchdowns.
The Vikings have found themselves in this situation due to the absence of their starting quarterback, Kirk Cousins, who is sidelined with a torn right Achilles tendon, and the backup, Nick Mullens, who is still recovering from a back injury. Although Mullens became eligible to have his 21-day practice window opened on Monday, there is no definite timeline for his return to the field.
Dobbs’ performance has instilled confidence in the coaching staff, leading to his second start for the team. With some additional time to get acquainted with the team’s system, he aims to make an even stronger impact in the upcoming game. Dobbs humorously compared his learning experience to a language class, stating, “It’s like if you were taking Spanish all year… You showed up on Wednesday, and someone told you you’re taking AP Spanish, and someone told you you have an AP French exam on Sunday. Someone’s going to speak to you in Spanish, and you’re going to have to translate it into French.” Dobbs’ adaptability and resilience will be crucial as he takes the helm in a pivotal game for the Vikings.