All the magic surrounding Joshua Dobbs‘ arrival in Minnesota might well have vanished on Monday night.
After Dobbs threw four interceptions in the Vikings’ 12-10 loss to the Chicago Bears, Minnesota head coach Kevin O’Connell was non-committal to Dobbs remaining his starter while pledging to an evaluation ahead at the position.
“When asked if he would consider a quarterback change, O’Connell answered, “We’re going to thoroughly evaluate our current inventory of plays for Josh.”
Dobbs finished Monday’s loss completing 22 of 32 passes for 185 yards, the four interceptions and a 17-yard touchdown to T.J. Hockenson in the fourth quarter. Despite all his tribulations, Dobbs looked to have put the Vikings in position for another nail-biting win before Justin Fields, who had fumbled away possession twice late in the game, rallied the Bears down the field for a win.
Despite the INT issues — which weren’t all on him as Jordan Addison let one go off his hands to a defender — Dobbs said he was not focusing on whether the takeaways will result in him heading back to the bench.
“Dobbs said, “To be frank, I believe that’s a decision for the coach to make, but I personally don’t think so. My concentration is solely on improving myself. My aim is to contribute to the team’s victory, be a better teammate and a better quarterback. My priority is to ensure that the offense is in the correct play, based on the situation, so that we can execute and perform at a high level.”
Just a few days after he was acquired via trade from the Arizona Cardinals, Dobbs exploded into the headlines when the journeyman QB guided the Vikings past the Atlanta Falcons for a victory on Nov. 5. A week later, another dramatic win was had against the New Orleans Saints.
However, Monday stands as the Vikings’ second consecutive loss, with Dobbs having turned the ball over a combined six times in the defeats and countered with just two touchdown passes. Those six giveaways since Week 11 are tied for the most in the NFL in that span with the Detroit Lions’ Jared Goff.
While Dobbs and the Vikings’ fortunes have changed, so too has the health of Jaren Hall, the rookie QB who Dobbs filled in for after he was concussed against the Falcons, and veteran backup Nick Mullens, who was available off injured reserve Monday.
“Jaren is back with us and we’re healthy. Nick Mullens is also available,” said O’Connell.
O’Connell confessed that he considered putting Mullens in on Monday, but decided to stick with Dobbs.
O’Connell commented, “I found myself trying to figure out what could ignite us during the game. We had a sudden change after that turnover, and then Josh led us down the field to a touchdown. Despite how devastating turnovers can be offensively, I believe Josh still fought hard, didn’t back down, and continued playing and competing to try to help us win. I credit him for that. It’s a tough thing to do on a night when you’ve turned over the football. He’s a true competitor.”
However, Dobbs’ performance on Monday demonstrated why he hasn’t managed to stay with his former teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers, Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns, and Cardinals.
He can jump-start an offense, but he has consistently faltered after some time in each instance.
“Dobbs stated, “Ultimately, if I have the ball in my hand, and there are open players, I will continue to shoot and pass the ball where it needs to be. We’ll address any other issues later.”
The Vikings kept winning after Justin Jefferson went down with a hamstring injury. Now he’s likely to be activated off injured reserve by Wednesday, NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero reported Monday. They kept winning after Kirk Cousins was lost for the season and Hall briefly took over before Dobbs flew onto the scene.
Currently, Minnesota holds a 6-6 record as it heads into its bye week, tenaciously clinging to the No. 7 seed in the NFC.
Before they recommence their season in Week 14 against the Las Vegas Raiders, O’Connell will decide if Hall or Mullens is best for the future or whether he believes Dobbs has some more tricks up his sleeve.
“Look, Josh Dobbs’ performance on short notice, managing a 2-2 record in a challenging period when key players like Kirk Cousins and Justin Jefferson were absent, has been commendable,” said O’Connell. “Many might have thought we were at a disadvantage, but our team doesn’t operate on such assumptions. Our goal is to win every game, and we continuously evaluate and strive for improvement, regardless of the circumstances.”
Has the final chapter of Dobbs’ inspiring story been penned in the Twin Cities? It seems that O’Connell will be making that decision in the upcoming bye week.
