Justin Jefferson and Josh Dobbs (Credits: Pro Football Network)
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson will be returning with the team after a visit to a local hospital for evaluation following a chest injury during the first half of their 3-0 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders. Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell stated that Jefferson underwent further assessment to rule out serious internal injuries after a hit from Raiders safety Marcus Epps. Although Jefferson returned to Allegiant Field by the end of the game, his availability for the upcoming match against the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday is still undetermined.
Coach O’Connell expressed relief, stating, “It looks like we avoided any significant issues there.” Jefferson’s absence was notable, contributing to the Vikings’ struggle to score until Greg Joseph kicked a 36-yard field goal with 1:57 remaining—the lowest-scoring indoor NFL game since 2007.
Justin Jefferson and Josh Dobbs
The decisive drive leading to the victory was orchestrated by backup quarterback Nick Mullens, who replaced Josh Dobbs in the fourth quarter. O’Connell refrained from naming a starting quarterback for future games, citing the need to assess injuries sustained by various players, including Jefferson, right tackle Brian O’Neill (ankle), and running back Alexander Mattison (ankle).
Jefferson sustained his injury with 9:54 remaining in the second quarter, making a high catch from Dobbs and facing a hard hit from Epps after a 15-yard reception. Despite playing only 13 snaps, he caught two passes for 27 yards. This game marked Jefferson’s return since a right hamstring injury in Week 4, causing him to miss seven games.
Starting the season at a blazing pace, Jefferson led the NFL with an average of 135.8 yards per game in the first four weeks, challenging Calvin Johnson’s single-season receiving yardage record. However, the hamstring injury halted his progress, leaving him at 571 yards. Tyreek Hill of the Miami Dolphins (1,481 yards) stands as the most likely candidate to break Johnson’s record this season.
Jefferson acknowledged the challenge, saying, “It’s been hard to adjust those goals honestly,” expressing the difficulty of missing seven games and witnessing other players excel. Despite the setbacks, he remains determined to achieve his new goal of reaching 1,000 yards for the season.
Coach Kevin O’Connell confirmed on Wednesday that the Minnesota Vikings will continue with quarterback Josh Dobbs for at least one more week. Despite Dobbs committing six turnovers in the last two consecutive losses, he is set to start in Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders. During the bye week, O’Connell evaluated Dobbs’ performance over four games and contemplated the possibility of turning to backup Nick Mullens or third-string quarterback Jaren Hall. However, O’Connell ultimately decided to make more assertive adjustments to the Vikings’ offensive scheme to better align with Dobbs’ skills.
“We’ve been in the process of providing him with clarity on our offensive approach, and we’re learning a lot about each other as we go,” said O’Connell. He emphasized the importance of understanding Dobbs’ strengths and mentioned the ongoing effort to help him be the best version of himself. O’Connell expressed confidence in the team’s commitment to elevating each other’s abilities and supporting Dobbs in achieving sustained success.
Josh Dobbs
Dobbs, addressing reporters later, acknowledged upcoming tweaks to the Vikings’ offense but emphasized that these adjustments would be subtle. He highlighted the discussions he had with O’Connell, including a one-on-one film session, during the bye week to tailor the offensive scheme to his strengths. Dobbs stressed the need to focus on what the team does well, protect the football, and execute routine plays for success.
The Vikings initially designed their offense around veteran pocket passer Kirk Cousins, who excelled in touchdown passes and passing yards before suffering a season-ending Achilles tendon rupture in Week 8. With Mullens on injured reserve due to a back injury, Dobbs was acquired from the Arizona Cardinals on October 31 to back up Hall. Dobbs stepped in when Hall suffered a concussion in his first start and has played a significant role in the team’s past four games.
O’Connell did not provide specific details about the schematic adjustments but hinted at potential changes, including reduced reliance on timing-based passing routes that Cousins had mastered over two years of practice in O’Connell’s offense. Regardless of the specifics, the return of receiver Justin Jefferson on Sunday, after missing seven games due to a right hamstring injury, is expected to bolster the offensive scheme.
The NFL season of 2023 has spun a unique tale, and it appears as though quarterback Josh Dobbs’ storyline is almost done. After a difficult performance on Monday night, in which quarterback Josh Dobbs threw four interceptions in a close 12-10 loss to the Chicago Bears, Minnesota Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell stated that the team will use their next bye week to choose the best course of action at quarterback.
Just five days after being acquired by the Vikings from the Arizona Cardinals in a trade in late October, Dobbs was thrown into a pivotal position in Week 9. After rookie Jaren Hall suffered a concussion, there was an immediate need. Complicating matters further, veteran Nick Mullens, the team’s designated backup, had a back issue at the time and was placed on injured reserve.
Now that Hall has been released from the concussion protocol and Mullens has returned to the active roster, O’Connell is thinking about the team’s quarterback position. “We’re going to take a look and really evaluate the inventory of plays we have of Josh,” O’Connell said. “We got healthy. We got Jaren back available to us, and then Nick Mullens is available as well.”
Josh Dobbs (Credits: Getty Images)
O’Connell acknowledged that Dobbs had a difficult Monday night and that they were about to look for a spark to get the team going. Still, O’Connell praised Dobbs for his tenacity, saying that he “battled, no flinch, and just kept playing and competing to try and help us win.”
In his four games with the Vikings, Dobbs has committed eight turnovers overall, indicating that he has struggled despite his best efforts. Throughout the season, the team has struggled with turnovers; they now rank 31st in the NFL in terms of turnovers per game (2.0) and 30th in terms of turnover margin per game (-0.67).
Dobbs expressed displeasure and a will to learn from his blunders while admitting to his mistakes. “I’ll be better from it. I’ll learn from every single one of them tonight, and we’ll use it to build momentum into the next opportunity,” he declared.
But the question that remains is whether Dobbs will get another chance. When asked about this, Dobbs replied, “Honestly, I think that’s a coaching decision. I just focus on myself. Focus on how I can help this team win. Focus on how I can be a better teammate and a better quarterback, and focus on how I can make sure the offense is in the right play based on the scenario to go out and execute.”
Just prior to making his debut as the emergency quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings, Josh Dobbs found himself in a hurried meeting with the offensive line. His new teammates were eager to acquaint him with the five primary cadences they’d utilized during the season, a conversation usually reserved for the first day of training camp.
Dobbs, who had been acquired from the Arizona Cardinals just days before, hadn’t received a single practice repetition with the Vikings’ offense throughout the week. Up until Sunday, he hadn’t thrown a single pass to any of their receivers or taken a snap from center Garrett Bradbury. In fact, he admitted to not even knowing the majority of his new teammates’ full names.
However, Dobbs was thrust into action after rookie starter Jaren Hall suffered a first-quarter concussion on Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, ultimately delivering one of the most remarkable stories of the NFL season. Despite a slow start, Dobbs rallied the Vikings to a thrilling 31-28 victory over the Atlanta Falcons.
Josh Dobbs’
His 6-yard touchdown pass to receiver Brandon Powell with just 22 seconds left capped an 11-play, 75-yard game-winning drive, in which he also contributed a crucial 22-yard scramble to convert a fourth-and-7.
“In this league,” Dobbs remarked, “there is never an excuse for your circumstances. I learned that from Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin. Usually, people don’t care about your circumstances. They just want to see you succeed given the circumstances you’ve been given.”
The fact that Dobbs was even wearing a Vikings uniform on Sunday showcased the increasingly bizarre nature of the Vikings’ season. They had lost their starting quarterback, Kirk Cousins, to a torn right Achilles tendon the previous week, and with backup Nick Mullens on injured reserve due to a back injury, Hall was the sole healthy quarterback on the active roster.
During the practice week, all the reps were dedicated to Hall to prepare him for his first NFL start. Coach Kevin O’Connell instructed Dobbs to approach his own preparation as if the Vikings were playing on a Thursday night, with condensed play installations and shorter, lighter practices.
Josh Dobbs (Credits: The Register-Herald)
As a seasoned NFL journeyman over the past seven seasons, Dobbs had experience with quick turnarounds. In 2022, he made his first start with the Tennessee Titans just eight days after signing with them. The Cardinals had also acquired him in August and started him in their first regular-season game in September. However, it was nothing compared to the challenge he faced on Sunday.
Dobbs had observed Hall practice the play that led to Powell’s game-winning catch but had never executed it himself. O’Connell transitioned the offense into an up-tempo, no-huddle approach to allow for more coaching through the headset before the speaker cutoff at 15 seconds on the play clock, as mandated by NFL rules.
O’Connell described the instructions he provided to Dobbs, from drop-back details to concept explanations, all the way to the last-minute reminders. He also asked Bradbury to monitor protection calls for Dobbs.
During the huddle, skill players confirmed their routes and positions on the field as Dobbs sought clarification. The Vikings had called a timeout just before the pass to Powell, giving O’Connell the chance to use a play specifically designed for that moment.
According to Powell, the Vikings had adopted the play after seeing its success when the Detroit Lions used it against the Falcons in Week 3. When the Falcons deployed the same defense (Cover 4), the Vikings knew it was the right call.
Dobbs may have lost two fumbles and was sacked for safety, but he ultimately completed 20 of 30 passes for 158 yards and two touchdowns. He also led the team with 66 rushing yards on seven scrambles, all while key players like Cousins, Justin Jefferson, K.J. Osborn, Christian Darrisaw, and Cam Akers were sidelined.
“It was like an ugly, awesome game,” said Bradbury.
Dobbs entered the game with a 1-9 record as an NFL starter, having played for the Steelers, Titans, and Cardinals, as well as spending time with the Browns, Lions, and Jaguars. He may not officially get credit in the record book for Sunday’s win since Hall started the game, but he won’t soon forget the experience. Dobbs likened last week to “taking AP Spanish all year, and now somebody tells you you’re going to take the AP French exam.”
What made the day even more special was that it happened in Dobbs’ hometown; he graduated from Alpharetta (Ga.) High School. When a local reporter asked O’Connell if that added an extra layer of significance, O’Connell confessed, “This may surprise you, but I just met him a few days ago, and I didn’t know that. You just gave me something to talk to our new quarterback about.”
