Getty Josh Dobbs
Minnesota Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell has considered he may have to pull a Jackie Moon and put the pads on this week if there is another injury at quarterback.
Following a remarkable Week 9 victory over the Atlanta Falcons that saw newcomer Josh Dobbs replace injured starter Jaren Hall on Sunday, the Vikings only have two quarterbacks available to dress this week.
Minnesota does not intend on signing another, as O’Connell joked that the only quarterback the Vikings would add at this juncture would be him if they could.
“Unless that quarterback could be me,” O’Connell said before giving Dobbs the nod to start in Week 10 against the New Orleans Saints. “As far as the amount of time and energy we’ll now put into making sure Josh is ready to roll.”
The Vikings are considering Hall to back up Dobbs if he clears concussion protocol in time. Otherwise, Sean Mannion is a candidate to be elevated from the practice squad and dress on Sunday.
O’Connell may have to find a third player to wear the “green dot” helmet that is wired to the offensive play caller’s headset channel. Running back Cam Akers, who was the emergency third quarterback on Sunday, tore his Achilles midgame on Sunday, which left Dobbs as the only “green dot” designated player left in the game.
Had Dobbs gone down, O’Connell did not discount the possibility of him entering the game.
“Maybe they would let me steal some pads and a helmet and sneak out there, but that would have been something that we would have had to work through,” O’Connell said. “That might have been a level of adversity that even our organization right now would have needed to really find a miracle there.”
Josh Dobbs Gets His 1st Start With Vikings, Jaren Hall Questionable to Dress vs. Saints
GettyQuarterback Josh Dobbs of the Minnesota Vikings.
This will be Dobbs’ first full week of preparation since the Vikings traded for him at the league deadline on October 31 following Kirk Cousins‘ season-ending Achilles injury. He filled in for Hall against the Falcons after Hall landed in concussion protocol following a vicious hit he took in the first quarter.
Dobbs overcame a pair of first-half fumbles to mount a 31-28 comeback victory that included a fourth-quarter game-winning drive he capped with 22 seconds left in regulation. Dobbs hadn’t threw a single pass or taken a snap in practice last week.
Second quarterback Nick Mullens, ailing with a back injury, is eligible to come off injured reserve this week, but O’Connell was not certain when Mullens would return despite him “progressing really well.”
O’Connell appeared confident that, while thin at quarterback this week, the room should be getting closer to full health as they embark on the second half of the season without Cousins.
“Thought what he did was remarkable, but there’s a lot of things we’ll coach him through and get him a little more comfortable in what we’ll do,” O’Connell said. “Jaren will work through (concussion protocol). Sean Mannion has always been ready to take on the whole game plan and Nick Mullens has been in there every single day regardless of his injury.”
Vikings Underdogs in Week 10 Matchup Against Saints
The Vikings are 2.5-point underdogs to the Saints this week, according to DraftKings.
Minnesota has won four straight without Justin Jefferson and is coming off its improbable victory over the Falcons without Cousins. K.J. Osborn is also in concussion procotol and is questionable this week.
New Orleans has won two straight games, including a 24-17 win over the Chicago Bears last week.