Kevin O’Connell: Josh Dobbs Will Remain Vikings. Dobbs, the Vikings’ starting quarterback on Sunday, will have at least one more start but must limit turnovers to maintain his position.
Kevin O’Connell said that Josh Dobbs will continue to be the Vikings’ starting quarterback when they travel to Las Vegas to face the Raiders on Sunday.
Following a four-interception performance in Minnesota’s humiliating defeat to the Bears before the bye week, Dobbs was not certain to remain the starting. In his postgame press conference and again the next day, O’Connell hinted at the possibility of a swap. Veteran Nick Mullens and rookie Jaren Hall are both fit and available as alternatives.
However, during the bye week, as O’Connell and his staff reviewed the tape and evaluated their choices, they eventually elected to remain with Dobbs. They believe he has the best chance of winning a football game versus the Raiders this weekend.
To be clear, Dobbs will need to play considerably better than he did against Chicago to keep his job. He needs to decrease his turnovers (he has eight in four games with the Vikings) and be able to make basic throws from the pocket with the proper rhythm, timing, and accuracy. If he fails early against the Raiders, the Vikings might turn to Mullens or Hall in an effort to find a way to win.
Dobbs is also not guaranteed to start in Week 15 against the Bengals, nor in any of the Vikings’ last three NFC North games. He’ll need to come back to playing strong football, as he did against the Falcons and Saints in his first two games since being acquired from the Cardinals.
While going 2-2 with the Vikings, Dobbs completed 66.4 percent of his throws for 832 yards, five passing touchdowns, and five interceptions. He has 142 rushing yards, three rushing touchdowns, and three lost fumbles. He was selected the NFC offensive player of the week after defeating the Falcons in extraordinary circumstances.
The expected return of superstar Justin Jefferson could make Dobbs’ job easier against a below-average Raiders defense on Sunday. After missing seven games due to a hamstring injury, Jefferson returns to lead a pass-catching trio that includes T.J. Hockenson and Jordan Addison.
