The Vikings will start Joshua Dobbs at quarterback against the Raiders on Sunday.
After Dobbs threw four interceptions in the team’s 12-10 loss to the Bears on Nov. 27, the Vikings’ offensive coaches spent the bye week evaluating Dobbs, Nick Mullens and Jaren Hall. Rather than returning to Hall, the rookie who started against Atlanta on Nov. 5, or giving Mullens his first playing time since his return from a low back injury, the Vikings decided to give Dobbs his fourth start since the Oct. 31 trade that brought him from Arizona to Minnesota.
Coach Kevin O’Connell announced the decision at the beginning of his press conference on Wednesday.
The Vikings’ bye week discussions, offensive coordinator Phillips said, were “about really the whole offense in general, kind of where we’re at, what’s been good for us and not so good.” The bye also gave them time to assess Dobbs’ play more closely and devise ways to help him, Phillips said.
“I think it gave us time to take a breath from game-planning, and starting to look at, ‘OK, what did he have success with? What are some things we can help him with and work on, throughout yesterday’s practice and going forward this week?'” Phillips said.
Dobbs played the final three quarters of the Vikings’ 31-28 win over the Falcons, earning NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors after entering the game following Hall’s concussion, and threw for 268 yards while running for 44 yards and a touchdown in the Vikings’ win over the Saints the following week. He lost a fumble and threw an interception in a one-point loss to the Broncos on Nov. 19, before his four-interception game against the Bears that led O’Connell to say the Vikings would evaluate all their QB options before the Raiders game.
But the Vikings returned to Dobbs, in part because of the belief they could do more to make their offense compatible with his game.
“We know, just him getting accustomed to our offense and our system, he’s got more time, but we can put a couple of those things together where we’re hopefully getting to some things that are going to be good for him,” Phillips said.
The Raiders game will be Dobbs’ first with Justin Jefferson, as last year’s NFL offensive player of the year returns from the hamstring injury that kept him out for seven games. Jefferson could draw coverage away from Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson, while giving Dobbs a receiver who’s proven he can snatch throws away from defensive backs and run after the catch.
“It makes it a lot easier [on the quarterback],” Phillips said. “Now we’re back in the world of, ‘OK, now they know Justin Jefferson’s out there — how is coverage going to adjust, potentially, with him out there?’ Now we have to be back in that mode of being more aware of how coverage can be tilted or rolled to his side, where his alignment is. They’re going to know where he’s at.”