The Reasons for Josh Dobbs Being a Journeyman Were on Full Display Sunday Night

Prior to the Vikings’ Week 11 Loss to Denver, the Josh Dobbs craze was running rampant through the NFL. After Kirk Cousins went down with an Achilles tear, Minnesota went out and acquired Dobbs right before the deadline. Dobbs immediately became a folk legend overnight after leading a furious comeback in Atlanta that same week, without even knowing the names of all his players. He literally won a game while getting plays dictated to him at the line by coach Kevin O’Connell. Dobbs then followed that up by trouncing the Saints in the first half of the following week.

After the two wins, talk started switching over to: “Have the Vikings found their long-term Kirk Cousins replacement?”. Sunday night’s loss to the Broncos should put at least a temporary stay on those conversations. Dobbs looked very mortal, while still flashing the occasional brilliance that marked his first two games with Minnesota. When looking at what the Vikings have to look forward to for the remainder of the season, it’s important to look at both sides of the Josh Dobbs coin.

Josh Dobbs the Person and Playmaker is Elite

It’s not hard to find reasons to like Josh Dobbs. His work in the Alopecia community is well-documented, and his story is impossible not to be drawn to. Dobbs is the ultimate underdog, having bounced around the league to the tune of seven teams in seven years. The Cardinals, seemingly out of nowhere, decided to acquire Dobbs at the end of training camp and announced him the Week 1 starter. Despite not having a lot of talent around him, Dobbs had the Cardinals playing at a respectable level. That made it somewhat surprising when they suddenly handed him and a sixth-round pick over to the Vikings in what amounted to a salary dump.

Dobbs ingratiated himself with his teammates in record time with the way he handled the situation. It even prompted Justin Jefferson to tweet that he can’t wait to get on the field with this team. The speed at which Dobbs became a locker room leader just further speaks to his incredible character.

Josh Dobbs the playmaker is also something to behold. He slips out of would-be sacks in a way that the league hasn’t seen since the early Russell Wilson days. Both his passing touchdown and rushing touchdown Sunday night were pure gold. On the throw, he broke out of multiple sack attempts and stood on the precipice of the sideline for as long as possible before finding Josh Oliver for the touchdown. That ability to scramble and extend plays will lead to plenty of highlights throughout the remainder of the season. As was the case Sunday, even the losses will have their moments with Josh Dobbs at the helm.

Josh Dobbs the Turnover Machine Will Hold Him Back

Now for the downside of the Josh Dobbs experience, it’s going to come with a lot of back-breaking turnovers. Going back to the start of the season, he’s turning the ball over at a Jameis Winston-like rate. After Sunday night, Dobbs has now accounted for 13 turnovers to go along with his 16 touchdowns. Even in the Falcons game, Dobbs had a pair of atrocious turnovers that were forgotten after his game-winning drive. When the turnovers come, they typically come in bunches for Dobbs as well. He already has six games this year in which he’s committed multiple turnovers.

Part of the problem stems from putting the ball on the ground 12 times so far this season, 7 of which resulted in a turnover. That’s largely a byproduct of Dobbs’ propensity to never give up on a play. One of his lost fumbles in the Atlanta game was the result of Dobbs extending the play toward the sideline and losing the ball while trying to heave it downfield. Had he gotten the ball off, it easily could have gone for a big completion that would’ve sparked a drive. It’s one of those things that a team can live with as a trade-off for when things do work out.

The more worrisome part of Dobbs’ game is his lack of arm strength which can lead to some ugly interceptions. Especially when he’s on the move, the ball flutters on Dobbs and stays in the air a second too long. He was very close to throwing a few pick-sixes on out routes that the defense jumped on Sunday night. Improved decision-making and timing can be coached up to limit some of the risks, but the lack of arm talent will always be a limiting factor for Dobbs.

The Vikings Can’t Win a Superbowl with Josh Dobbs but it’ll be a Fun Ride

The Vikings likely weren’t going to be serious Superbowl contenders even with Kirk Cousins healthy. So, the fact that Dobbs is a clear step down doesn’t make a world of difference when looking at things from a macro perspective. Minnesota will still have to make big decisions at the position next year. Those decisions likely have nothing to do with Dobbs or potentially any quarterback currently on the roster.

With those thoughts in mind, Vikings fans should just sit back and enjoy the Josh Dobbs experience. There’s going to be some ugly and there’s going to be some flashes of brilliance. There are going to be moments where Dobbs is running around like a baby giraffe, slipping tackles from all directions before finding a man downfield or taking off for big gains. But there are going to be moments where he slips those tackles and takes a 30-yard sack or fumbles hilariously. Regardless, Dobbs makes the Vikings a joy to watch and along with Kevin O’Connell’s masterful play-calling should keep Minnesota frisky. That’s all the Vikings could have asked for after the season-ending injury to Cousins.

Main Photo: [Ron Chenoy] – USA Today Sports