Josh Dobbs has been involved in a couple of ‘miracle’ wins for the Vikings, but now he must deliver … [+]
It is now time for the Minnesota Vikings to get down to serious business as the NFL season has reached the start of the post-Thanksgiving home stretch. When they take the field Monday night at U.S. Bank Stadium, it will no longer be about entertaining their fans and putting together miracle victories with their “Passtronaut” quarterback Josh Dobbs.
It certainly was an eye-catching story that the Vikings acquired this emergency quarterback at the trade deadline shortly after Kirk Cousins suffered a season-ending Achilles injury. Dobbs was able to drive the team to dramatic wins over the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints before suffering a close-call loss to the Denver Broncos in a difficult Mile High environment.
Dobbs didn’t know the playbook or his teammates, yet he kept the Vikings on track. Now that he has three games under his belt and several weeks of practice, Dobbs has enough knowledge and skill on his side to get the job done in a more conventional fashion.
He will need to use his athleticism, passing skill and leadership ability to drive the Vikings down the stretch, and it starts against the Bears. He has a solid offensive line on his side, and a number of dangerous offensive weapons on his side.
O’Connell clearly wants to build on everything Dobbs has done to this point. “We don’t want to take any of that improvisational ability out of his game because it’s a critical factor for him,” O’Connell said. “In addition, as he builds comfort and confidence in our progressions, and in the footwork and rhythm and timing of our pass game, I think we’ll continue to see some improvement.”
This should be a game where the running game is vital because left tackle Christian Darrisaw, center Garrett Bradbury and the rest of the offensive line should be able to get an edge on the Chicago defense. If Alexander Mattison and Ty Chandler can deliver consistent yardage on first-down plays and other running situations, the Vikings have the receiving weapons to do quite a bit of damage.
It starts with tight end T.J. Hockenson, who is one of the best at his position in the league. Hockenson knows how to read defenses, get open and make key third-down receptions. Rookie wideout Jordan Addison is a big-play threat who can torch the Chicago secondary with his speed, while K.J. Osborn is a gutsy receiver who can serve as an X-factor for Dobbs. Not only can Osborn get open, but he can also make big plays when Dobbs can’t find either one of his first two options.
What O’Connell and the rest of the coaching staff would really like to see is the return of superstar wideout Justin Jefferson from his hamstring injury. That is much more likely to happen in Week 14 against the Las Vegas Raiders after their bye in Week 13 than it is against Chicago, but there is a chance Jefferson could play against their long-standing NFC North rivals.
The Vikings defense will receive a challenge from Justin Fields, who may be the best athlete among all quarterbacks in the NFL. If he is allowed to get out on the run, Fields is capable of running for more than 100 yards and tiring out the defense.
However, Fields is a long way from a complete player. Accuracy and decision making are issues for Fields, and he is also playing in just his second game following a thumb injury that caused him to miss 4 games.
The key player for the Vikings defense is likely to be dynamic pass rusher Danielle Hunter, who has the speed and explosiveness to contain Fields when he is on the move. Hunter has 12.0 sacks and 3 forced fumbles for one of the most improved defenses in the league.
Minnesota ranks 12th in yards allowed, a huge jump from the 2022 season when the Vikings ranked 31st in that category. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores has given the Vikings a blitz-heavy defense that is incredibly difficult for most quarterbacks to read and analyze.
Since that’s the biggest weakness in Fields’ repertoire, the Vikings should have a chance to seizing control of this home game and getting closer to both a playoff spot and the Detroit Lions at the top of the division.
The Vikings still have 2 late-season games remaining with the Lions, and if they can win both games, they can take the division crown away from Dan Campbell and Jared Goff.
But it starts Monday night against the Bears. It’s no longer about creating miracles with their NASA-inspired quarterback. It’s about playing dominant football and imposing their will and skill against an opponent that does not measure up.