The Vikings QB Battle Is On
The Minnesota Vikings managed to capture an incredible victory in Atlanta by defeating the Falcons 31-28.
After Atlanta drove down the field to take the lead with just over two minutes left in the fourth quarter, Joshua Dobbs led a perfectly executed two-minute drill to give the Vikings their victory.
That is, of course, the main storyline of this weekend in Minnesota, but now, all eyes point to Week 10 and who the Vikings will play under center next Sunday. The Vikings QB battle is officially on, ladies and gentlemen.
The Vikings QB Battle Is On
Dobbs played some incredible football on Sunday. Of course, it came with the caveat of a pair of lost fumbles and a safety early on, but in the end, he completed 20 of his 30 passes for 158 yards and a pair of TD passes, including the game-winner to Brandon Powell at the end.
The intriguing element with Dobbs is his athleticism, and that too was on full display throughout Sunday afternoon. He rushed seven times for 66 yards and another touchdown with an incomprehensible number of broken tackles along the way.
Coming in cold is no easy task for a backup QB. Add in the fact that he got to the team on Wednesday and was playing without Christian Darrisaw, Justin Jefferson, or K.J. Osborn throughout nearly his entire outing, and it cannot be stated how impressive this showing was.
However, we cannot overlook how well Jaren Hall played at the beginning of this game, either. The rookie was making his first NFL start and completely looked the part of a starting QB. He did a great job of making smart plays with the football while completing five of his six passes for 78 yards. This included a terrific throw to Alexander Mattison downfield that gained 47 yards.
Hall also has the ability to move around in the pocket and scramble when need be. He had two carries for 11 yards during that first quarter, but the second carry proved to be the play that took him out of the game. He exited with a concussion, opening up the door for Dobbs to have the performance that he had.
It’s going to be tough to take the ball out of Dobbs’ hands after that showing, but the Vikings clearly have faith in Hall as a player. He showed why during the first quarter of this game, and especially if he is healthy from his concussion, he will be in the mix.
We also have to remember that Nick Mullens is still around, too. The veteran has been on IR with a back injury over the past few weeks, but he is eligible to return in Week 10 and could be in the mix to be the Vikings starter at some point this season.
Minnesota acquired Mullens from the Las Vegas Raiders last preseason, and he is the longest-tenured Viking at this point who has the most experience in Kevin O’Connell’s system. He has plenty of NFL starting experience, being under center for 24 games in his career, including 17 starts.
Regardless, the Vikings have a very interesting decision to make at QB over the next few weeks. All three have some similar skillsets, and all have given reason to believe in them throughout their time in Minnesota.
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Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.
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