Josh Dobbs will remain Vikings' starting QB on Sunday
Josh Dobbs will remain the Vikings' starting quarterback when they travel to Vegas to take on the Raiders on Sunday, Kevin O'Connell announced.
Coming off of a four-interception performance in Minnesota's ugly loss against the Bears before the bye week, Dobbs wasn't guaranteed to continue as the starter. In his postgame press conference and again the next day, O'Connell left the door open to the possibility of making a switch. Veteran Nick Mullens and rookie Jaren Hall are both healthy and available as options.
But over the bye week, as O'Connell and his staff studied the tape and considered their options, they ultimately decided to stick with Dobbs. They believe, for now, that he gives them the best chance of winning a football game against the Raiders this upcoming weekend.
To be clear, Dobbs will need to play much better than he did against Chicago to keep the job. He needs to limit the turnovers — he has eight of them in four games with the Vikings — and be able to make the simple throws from the pocket with the right rhythm, timing, and accuracy. If he struggles early against the Raiders, the Vikings could go to Mullens or Hall in an effort to find a way to win the game.
Dobbs also isn't locked in as the starter in Week 15 against the Bengals or for any of the Vikings' three NFC North showdowns after that. He'll need to get back to playing good football, which he did against the Falcons and Saints in his first two games after being acquired from the Cardinals.
While going 2-2 with the Vikings, Dobbs has completed 66.4 percent of his passes for 832 yards with five passing touchdowns and five interceptions. He also has 142 rushing yards, three rushing touchdowns, and three lost fumbles. He was named the NFC offensive player of the week after beating the Falcons under remarkable circumstances.
The expected return of superstar Justin Jefferson should make Dobbs' life a little easier against a below-average Raiders defense on Sunday. After missing seven games with his hamstring injury, Jefferson is back to lead a pass-catching group that also features T.J. Hockenson and Jordan Addison in prominent roles.
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