Joshua Dobbs Mentions X-Factor for Vikings’ Next Game
Joshua Dobbs has not taken a snap with Justin Jefferson on the field.
And when the Minnesota Vikings set foot within Allegiant Stadium on Sunday to take on the Las Vegas Raiders, Dobbs will remain the team’s starting quarterback while Jefferson makes his return after a seven-game absence.
Joshua Dobbs Mentions X-Factor for Vikings’ Next Game
The Vikings rattled off an impressive 5-2 record during Jefferson’s injured reserve stint, although it may not feel glistening for fans at the moment because Minnesota has lost back-to-back games against the Denver Broncos and Chicago Bears.
But according to Dobbs, Jefferson can make the difference between winning and losing this Sunday.
“Obviously JJ being out there, he’s an efficient and dynamic playmaker,” Dobbs told reporters Wednesday, four days before Raiders-Vikings.
On defense, Minnesota is also on track to welcome back cornerback Akayleb Evans, who missed the last two games with a calf injury.
Dobbs continued, “That changes having him in the lineup, but for me, I still go through my same process and trust the plans and trust the game that when the opportunities are there for him to get the ball, he’ll get it and go out and make a play.”
The Vikings coaching staff debated a change at Dobbs’ position last week, or at least evaluated, deciding Dobbs provided the best spark and chance to win with the postseason six weeks away.
“We feel great about our bye week process of really, two layers to it — evaluating where Josh has been as far as immediately providing a spark and helping us win two football games. Then transitioning to some tough outcomes where there’s all kinds of things we could do better: we can coach better, Josh’s continued comfort in our offense and how we play, but also our offense and our staff’s ability to evolve and help Josh thrive,” head coach Kevin O’Connell said Wednesday at a much-anticipated press conference.
Jefferson was injured in Week 5, a loss at home to the Kansas City Chiefs. Until that moment, he and Tyreek Hill vied for the receiving yards crown, and Jefferson showed weekly why he won the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year award in 2022.
Meanwhile, Minnesota won five games without Jefferson, which blew folks’ minds. In the last two games, however, Jefferson’s presence was sorely missed, so it makes all the sense in the world that Dobbs is excited to use the playmaker in the Vikings’ offense.
“I plan on making the most of this opportunity and bouncing back from the last time on the field,” Dobbs added.
That task should be easier with the league’s best receiver patrolling in Las Vegas.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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