The Minnesota Vikings were really behind the 8 ball when Kirk Cousins went down with a torn Achilles last week. They entered Sunday’s game in Atlanta against the Falcons with fifth-round rookie Jaren Hall as their starting quarterback. The just-acquired Joshua Dobbs was backing Hall up.
Unfortunately, Hall went down early with a concussion, Dobbs pinch-hit for him, and the aerospace engineering college-majoring journeyman SHOWED OUT. To pick up an NFL offense on the fly that’s dialed up by as good of a play-caller as Kevin O’Connell is an achievement. Looking merely functional is a raging success.
Joshua Dobbs has no time for your expectations. Discarded by the hapless, tanking 1-8 Arizona Cardinals, Dobbs pulled up to Minnesota and made more of his opportunity than anyone could’ve anticipated.
How about a 4th and 7 bulldozing run to keep the Vikings’ final possession alive? And how about a winning TD pass on a full-field read thereafter?
The fact that those two plays might not have been his best of the afternoon goes to show you just how Built Different this dude is.
Joshua Dobbs is easily one of the most fascinating individual stories in the NFL this season. He played pretty darn well in the desert under dire circumstances. Suddenly he gives the fringe playoff-contending Vikings legitimate hope. There seemed to be zero of that to go around outside Minnesota’s locker room once Captain Kirk went down.
ON THE CONTRARY! Dobbs is here to save the day!! You absolutely love to see it.
Does he even know his receivers’ names? The guys blocking for him? Who he’s handing the ball to? NO way to know for sure.
All the credit in the world to Dobbs for staying ready for every single chance he’s had to play professional football. So long ago he could’ve thrown in the towel and probably gone to work for NASA. And that’s not a joke. Instead, he’s choosing to apply that brilliant mind to digesting NFL playbooks overnight, hoping to keep his dream alive.
That’s why Joshua Dobbs is an American hero. I’ve never been so hyped up to watch a backup quarterback in my life. You have to assume he’ll get the shot to start going forward. Plus, Justin Jefferson will be back sooner rather than later.
How far the 0-3 Vikings have come to ascend to 5-4 and squarely in the NFC playoff picture. Go Dobbs go!
That’s how you introduce yourself to your new team.
