It may not come as a surprise to fans, but the Minnesota Vikings have decided to stick with Joshua Dobbs for their upcoming game against the New Orleans Saints.
On Monday, Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell confirmed that Dobbs will start on Sunday after his impressive performance in the last game.
Dobbs entered the game as a replacement for rookie Jaren Hall, who suffered a concussion in the first quarter. Dobbs went on to throw two touchdowns, run in another, and led the Vikings to a game-winning drive.
As a result, Dobbs will have the opportunity to work with the first team throughout the week to prepare for the game against the Saints. Sean Mannion will likely serve as his backup while Hall is in concussion protocol.
“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,” O’Connell said, via ESPN.
Last week, Dobbs arrived in Minneapolis to join his fifth team in the last calendar year. Starting the season with the Cardinals, he was later benched just before the trade deadline.
During the game in Atlanta, Dobbs faced some early struggles with a sack resulting in a safety, and two fumbled balls. However, he managed to bring the Vikings back into the game with a touchdown pass and an 18-yard rushing touchdown with a subsequent two-point conversion.
To finish the game, Dobbs orchestrated an impressive 11-play, 75-yard touchdown drive, resulting in a victory for the Vikings. He finished the game with 20-of-30 completions for 158 yards, while also leading the team with 66 rushing yards on seven carries. It’s worth noting that he accomplished all of this without having taken a single snap with the first-team offense earlier in the week or even knowing all of his teammates’ names.
“It’s like if you were taking Spanish all year,” Dobbs said of his quick adjustment in Minneapolis, . “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.”
Fortunately, Dobbs will now have a full week to prepare for his next “AP French exam.”
The Vikings are currently on a winning streak, having won four straight games and five out of their last six. They will host the Saints, who recently secured a win against the Chicago Bears, on Sunday afternoon at U.S. Bank Stadium.
ohn Smith is your NFL insider, providing in-depth coverage of football’s biggest league. With a passion for the game and a keen eye for statistics, John delivers game analysis, player profiles, and breaking news to keep readers updated on all things NFL.
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