Justin Jefferson will factor in to Vikings starting QB decision
Just when it seemed like the Minnesota Vikings had found their answer at starting quarterback, they again find themselves embroiled in a controversy at the position. With a bye in Week 13, they are faced with a major decision: Who will be their starting QB?
Joshua Dobbs, acquired by Minnesota (6-6) before the Oct. 31 trade deadline from the Arizona Cardinals, was the story of the NFL for his first few weeks with the Vikings. He brought a high-tempo offense and a running element to the organization — a stark contract to the passing-friendly offense under Kirk Cousins, who's out for the season with an Achilles injury.
The magic, however, seemed to disappear for Dobbs after his four interceptions during a 12-10 loss to the Chicago Bears on "Monday Night Football." Many pundits expected Dobbs — a journeyman — to perform like one at some point. He has trended in the wrong direction the past two weeks, leading the team to consider other options at QB.
Fortunately for the offense, it will soon get a major boost with star wide receiver Justin Jefferson's probable return Dec. 10 against the Raiders.
On Tuesday, head coach Kevin O'Connell told the media the importance of Jefferson's significance to the offense and that his return will factor in to the decision of who will start at quarterback.
Accuracy and the deep ball will be paramount to the offense. The turnover margin has been a battle for the Vikings all season, so the four-interception game does not bode well for Dobbs' chances of retaining the job.
Besides the turnover struggles against the Bears, Dobbs missed a wide-open Jordan Addison for an easy touchdown. Addison seemed to have lost his sense of where he was relative to out of bounds, but Dobbs' pass was a blatant miss.
If the Vikings stray from Dobbs against the Raiders, their options are either rookie Jaren Hall or Nick Mullens, another journeyman. Will the Vikings stay will Dobbs to see what he can do with Jefferson back in the mix? Or will it be time for another change in Minnesota?
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