The Minnesota Vikings are heading into their Week 13 bye on a low note. The team was defeated by the Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football to close out Week 13, giving them two losses in a row and dropping their record to 6-6 on the season.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell has said that the quarterback position will be re-evaluated during the break. Joshua Dobbs, who was acquired ahead of the trade deadline from the Arizona Cardinals, has been starting in the place of the injured Kirk Cousins, who suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in Week 8.
But, the team now has options they can turn to after Dobbs had a disastrous performance against the Bears with four interceptions. Jaren Hall, who started in Week 9 but suffered a concussion, has since been cleared. Nick Mullens, who was on injured reserve because of a back injury, is also ready to go.
NFL News & Rumors: Justin Jefferson, Joshua Dobbs, Nick Mullens, Jaren Hall, Kevin O’Connell, Minnesota Vikings Updates
Who O’Connell will pick to lead the offense out of that trio is anyone’s guess. The Vikings are still in the last Wild Card spot in the NFC despite their recent shortcomings and have the luxury of star wide receiver Justin Jefferson returning to the lineup in Week 14.
Jefferson’s return will be a boost for whoever is under center as he is arguably the best wide receiver in the NFL. O’Connell revealed that his presence in the lineup is going to have a major impact on deciding who will be the starting quarterback as well.
“Justin’s role in our offense, really from Day 1 since we arrived here, has always been very, very significant,” O’Connell said. “… Anytime you can infuse the best receiver in football back into your offense, there’s going to be ways to not only get Justin going and make sure he has a critical impact on the football game … [and] the quarterback position absolutely plays into that.
“We’re going to make sure that whoever is playing quarterback is aware and understands the intent behind plays where either Justin is the primary [target], or based upon coverage, based upon the defensive look, how to quickly and efficiently get to the right place to go with the football. In the end that’s what the NFL passing game is about: rhythm, timing, understanding that the defense can and will take some things away, but progressing in rhythm.”
O’Connell did note that Mullens fits the mold as he has been in their system the longest. The Vikings’ head coach liked what Hall showed in his short stint before suffering a concussion. He also praised the work Dobbs did after being thrown into the fire with virtually zero preparation.
NFL News & Rumors: Justin Jefferson, Joshua Dobbs, Nick Mullens, Jaren Hall, Kevin O’Connell, Minnesota Vikings Updates
“There are still a lot of things that are new for him,” O’Connell said, “and just the margin of error, when you’re talking about the NFL pass game, can be razor thin sometimes. The difference between conversions and chances for catch-and-runs versus potential turnover-worthy plays is such a small margin of error. That’s what I’m trying to balance throughout the game, throughout our preparation, to make sure we do whatever we can to control what we can to put our players in the best possible situation.
“If that means molding and adapting more than we have, that’s what we’ll take a look at doing. If that means obviously trying to mix and match and figure out what’s best personnel-wise, we’ll take a look at that as well.”
You can be sure that Dobbs will be putting in the time during the bye week to learn the nuances of the Vikings’ offense. He has received an extended chance at playing time because of the injuries and has provided mixed results, as the team is 2-2 in games he has appeared in.
Based on O’Connell’s comments, however, this is an open competition. All three are being considered equally and at the end of the day, he and the coaching staff will select the player they believe gives them the best chance to win football games the remainder of the season.
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