Earlier this week, the Minnesota Vikings made a significant announcement regarding their starting lineup. Nick Mullens is set to replace Joshua Dobbs as the team’s starting quarterback in Week 15, a decision that gained some support from those who witnessed their Week 14 triumph over the Las Vegas Raiders.
Dobbs and the Vikings’ offense faced considerable challenges, with Dobbs only completing 10 of his 23 attempts for just 63 yards through the first three quarters before being benched.
A critical moment that likely fueled the decision was when Dobbs delivered a risky throw to star wide receiver Justin Jefferson. Jefferson, playing for the first time since Week 5 due to a hamstring injury, took a hard hit from Raiders’ safety Marcus Epps.
In the fourth quarter, Mullens took the reins from Dobbs and orchestrated the team’s sole scoring drive of the game. Surprisingly, this minimal effort secured a 3-0 victory for Minnesota, marking the lowest-scoring game in 16 years.
NFL Hall of Hame QB Doesn’t Like Vikings’ QB Decision
While the majority may not criticize Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell for the switch, some, including Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner, disagree with the decision.
Warner, after reviewing the game tape, expressed his opinion on X (formerly Twitter), asserting that Dobbs’ performance didn’t warrant benching, attributing the struggles to the players around him.
“Just watched (the) Vikings tape, and I feel for Josh Dobbs being benched. So important to watch each play and not just see the results… I feel he played well, dropped passes all over, some things didn’t work and of course missed some, but far from a ‘benching’ performance in my opinion!.”
Analyzing the game statistics somewhat supports Warner’s perspective. Despite Dobbs‘ unimpressive box score, Pro Football Focus awarded him an overall grade of 68.5 in Week 14, surpassing Mullens’ 59.3.
Dobbs, acquired from the Arizona Cardinals before the trade deadline, faced a challenging situation with the Vikings. Learning a new offense for the second time in three months and having minimal preparation time on the field, Dobbs encountered difficulties. Despite benefiting from a Week 13 bye for adjustment, it seems he fell short in the eyes of the coaching staff.
The Vikings are now placing their playoff aspirations in Mullens’ hands, with Dobbs serving as his backup.