Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell didn't rule out a quarterback change entering the team's Week 13 bye. But he's sticking with Joshua Dobbs for at least one more game, telling reporters Wednesday that Dobbs will start Sunday's Week 14 matchup with the Raiders.
Dobbs is coming off arguably the worst game of his NFL career, throwing four interceptions in a 12-10 loss to the Bears on "Monday Night Football." He also leads all QBs with 17 turnovers on the 2023 season, including his eight games with the Cardinals.
But his performance in his first three games with the team quickly made him a fan favorite, catapulting Minnesota back into the playoff conversation. Acquired via trade on Halloween, the journeyman totaled five touchdowns in that span, including three as a rusher. He also did that without No. 1 wide receiver Justin Jefferson, who's set to return from a lingering hamstring injury on Sunday.
Dobbs initially took over as starter because No. 2 QB Jaren Hall went down with an injury of his own. Hall had been starting in place of regular starter Kirk Cousins, who suffered a season-ending Achilles tear in Week 8. O'Connell hinted after the Vikings' last game that Hall, a fifth-round draft pick this year, might replace Dobbs, also mentioning veteran reserve Nick Mullens as a candidate to take over.
"Look, I (commend) what Josh Dobbs has really done, coming in here on short notice and going 2-2 on a stretch where a lot of people might've thought ... the deck's stacked against us," O'Connell told reporters after Week 12. "(But) we're gonna evaluate what we've been able to do. ... We'll take a look at everything. We've got a lot of work to do during the bye."
