Looking past the Bears s*&t show...

[purplefaithful]

Despite throwing four interceptions against the Bears, Joshua Dobbs said he is "growing by leaps and bounds" in learning the Vikings' offense. But are his skills in line with how the team wants to attack opponents' defenses?When the Vikings play their next game in Las Vegas on Dec. 10, they plan to have Justin Jefferson on the field for the first time in more than two months, catching passes from one of three quarterbacks who's never thrown to him in a game.

They'll spend their bye week figuring out which one of those quarterbacks it will be.
"I think we'll take the time over these next couple days to really evaluate, not only Monday night, but the previous body of work and see where we're at as an offense, knowing we'll get Justin back to solidify our skill group," O'Connell said. "When you're looking at our skill group overall, I think the quarterback position needs to be evaluated to just figure out what we think gives us the best chance to win, [with] individual skill sets of all three of those guys, and take a look at that from a standpoint of what's the best fit right now for our team."

After leading the Vikings to wins in his first two games with the team, Dobbs has thrown five interceptions in the past two, as the Vikings have lost to the Broncos and Bears by a combined three points. The quarterback said Monday night he is "growing by leaps and bounds" in his command of the Vikings' offense after the team traded for him on Oct. 31, but O'Connell said Tuesday there's still a balance to be struck between Dobbs' skill set and the way the Vikings want to attack defenses.
"[That's] not only from an Xs and Os standpoint, but the rhythm [of the play], how footwork ties in and just trying to make up for a lot of time that we just don't have logged with Josh," O'Connell said. "There's still a lot of things that are new for him. And just the margin of error, when you're talking about the NFL pass game, can be razor-thin sometimes. The difference between conversions and chances for catch-and-runs, versus potential turnover-worthy plays, it's such a small margin of error that that's what I'm trying to balance throughout the game, throughout our preparation. If that means molding and adapting [the offense] more than we have, that's what we'll take a look at doing. If that means trying to mix and match and figure out what's best personnel-wise, we'll take a look at that as well."
Mullens, whom the Vikings acquired in a trade with the Raiders last August, has spent more time in the team's offense than either Hall or Dobbs, and O'Connell acknowledged Tuesday the veteran's experience with the scheme's details makes him an appealing option. Hall, O'Connell added, "showed some real positives" against the Falcons completing five of his six passes for 47 yards before a concussion put Dobbs in position to earn his first NFC Offensive Player of the Week award before his furniture arrived in Minnesota.
"I do think what Josh Dobbs has been able to do, especially getting out there and making plays during a tough stretch without some of our best players in the huddle, can't be discounted," O'Connell said.
Of the 529 passes targeted for Jefferson in his three-and-a-half seasons, all but 11 have come from Cousins, who missed only the Vikings' Week 17 game against the Packers in 2021 with Jefferson on the field. The receiver's return could provide opportunities for the Vikings' quarterbacks, as teams roll coverage toward Jefferson and leave other receivers open. But the Vikings' next starter will have to learn, as Cousins did, how to get Jefferson the ball in the midst of the extra attention from defenses.
Jefferson has practiced the past three weeks while remaining on injured reserve, and O'Connell said the receiver has had time to run routes with Dobbs, Mullens and Hall, so "coming off the bye won't be the first time" any of the three are throwing to him.
"We've got quite a bit of inventory of the tools defenses can use with Justin," O'Connell said. "We absolutely will put together a plan that tries to maximize number 18, whether he's lined up static in a formation, motioning, lined up with some of his other teammates in a bunch or stack and kind of go through the potential scenarios within the progression. … He happens to be an extremely friendly target with his catch radius, his ability to do pretty dynamic things after the catch."
Players will return from the bye week on Monday, O'Connell said, as the Vikings build in an extra day of practice "to make up for some time lost and get our guys as comfortable as we possibly can."
No matter what happens this weekend, the Vikings will be at least tied for the NFC's final wild-card spot. How they handle the quarterback position as Jefferson returns could dictate whether they win enough in the season's final five weeks to make the playoffs.
"Definitely, it's not the same as when you're operating with Kirk and JJ out there full-time," O'Connell said. "But by no means do we view that as a as a potential roadblock. I view that as, it's our responsibility, and specifically my responsibility, to help make that all go.
"https://www.startribune.com/vikings-quarterbacks-joshua-dobbs-justin-jefferson-jaren-hall-nick-mullens/600322965/

[Guest]

My purple hash got settled after Monday's loss. Took the life out of me. So brutal on several fronts, they STILL could have won it, then didn't. I'm just scrolling on my phone in back of the purple bus, waiting for my stop. I don't care if Lou Dobbs is QBing, just get me to the Draft.

[Guest]

 "see where we're at as an offense"
The defense allowed 1 touchdown in 2 games, and the Vikings lost them both! That's where they are.
They have a QB who lacks accuracy and makes bad decisions, often times throwing to covered receivers.
Jefferson returning is not going to be enough. Dobbs won't be able to get the ball to him.
The offensive line didn't protect as well against the Bears as they had been, but the offense with Dobbs was almost non existent.

The Vikings had positioned themselves to be a real threat to the Lions for the division lead. All they had to do was beat the pathetic Bears at home. Instead they pissed down their leg. It's such a common tale it is almost a defining characteristic of the Vikings organization since the 1970's!

It is near impossible to win when your franchise QB is out with a season ending injury. Continuing to put your faith in Dobbs seems more likely to result in missing the playoffs than getting a wild card slot. 
A wild card slot with this defense could be competitive. They have good offensive players. They just need a decent passing and decision making QB.

Hall or Mullins may be just as bad or worse, but I think you need to find out. I doubt they will.

[Guest]

Biggest thing I saw is Dobbs has been hesitant to get out of the pocket against Denver and Chicago.  I think he's been trying to stay in there and find the open guy but he missed some open dudes holding the ball too long.  And his arm isn't that great, lots of wobblers when he's trying to throw on the move.  

The Dobbs experiment should be over now.  Get Hall or Mullens ready after the bye week and let Josh continue to learn the playbook and serve as the backup.

[Guest]

Dobbs is not a pocket QB.  What KOC thinks he's doing in that regard I have no clue, other than letting a shitpile Bears squad totally embarrass him on national tv. 

Either play Mullens and continue to 8 or 9 wins and maybe "hurray, first round playoff exit!", or see what you've got in Hall - which has been my preference all along.

[Guest]

My take is that KOC wants to run his offense and has been unwilling to bend concepts to take advantage of Dobbs' skillset.  I give KOC props for talking Dobbs through the playbook on the fly and salvaging two wins with him.  I am equally critical of him sticking to the Cousin's playbook with Dobbs against the Broncos and Bears, seemingly without installing a handful of plays that Cousins could never have executed, but that would have unleashed Dobb's strengths.  I read the KOC comments as effectively saying that the offense is not going to change.  If that is the case, the best Cousins "clone" in the stable is Nick Mullins and I expect that is where he will go next.

[Guest]

@Wetlander said:
Biggest thing I saw is Dobbs has been hesitant to get out of the pocket against Denver and Chicago.  I think he's been trying to stay in there and find the open guy but he missed some open dudes holding the ball too long.  And his arm isn't that great, lots of wobblers when he's trying to throw on the move.  

The Dobbs experiment should be over now.  Get Hall or Mullens ready after the bye week and let Josh continue to learn the playbook and serve as the backup.

Agree. Seems KOC was trying to make Dobbs Cousins. That will never happen. He just doesn't have that kind of talent or knowledge of the offense. So many times, Dobbs would hit the bottom of his drop and just stand there...with open receivers. That ball has to be OUT, for better or worse.

Now, all QBs do this at times. Even Cousins. But Cousins got so much better at this under KOC. Throw the damn ball on time, even if your guy isn't wide open. Trust your receivers. Of course you'll throw more picks, but with good receivers you'll win much more than you'll lose. 

I just hope KOC makes the decision on which QB will playing in Vegas soon, like now, so they can give that guy all the reps this week and next. I hope it's Hall, but I can understand why it might be Mullens.  

[Guest]

I think people are being way too harsh on Dobbs when I think
it’s much more accurate to say that playing NFL QB is really hard.  A lot of the criticisms people are having of Dobbs
are very similar to the criticisms people have of Cousins early in his learning
process of this scheme, and for young QBs. 
He’s probably just thinking a lot and the defenses are better now at
keeping him in the pocket.  Heck even
earlier this year, Cousins was getting hit way too much because he was holding
the ball way too long and he had a full year in the system and JJ to bail him
out.  I do think even without more experience,
that KOC will scheme things better to counter what defenses are doing.


I think without a doubt Dobbs will look better the more time
and experience he has in the system, but I think it’s more about which QB gives
us the best option to win on any given Sunday. 
Mullens has the most experience in our system and the most starts.  Hall has the season up until now of experience
in our system and more athleticism, but no real starting experience.  Dobbs obviously has the least experience in
our system, and way more athleticism.

[Guest]

8 Starters on offense who are first or second round picks.(with Jefferson) And they are still not a top scoring unit even before Kirko got hurt. The defense has one 1st rounder old man Harrison smith and a bunch of 3rd and lower even a few FA. Which end is holding up?
Unreal what Flores could do with some talent infusion.

[Guest]

In the Atl. & NO games we saw Dobbs roll out. We saw him run when the protection broke down & I thought to myself that we're seeing a preview of the type of QB that KOC wants to draft to run his offense.
But in the last 2 games we saw Dobbs stay in the pocket. Even when the protection broke down he was trying to find an open receiver & he hardly ran at all even though there were opportunities.
Between what we've seen against Den. & Chi. & the rumors that they want Kirko back, I'm thinking that our next QBOTF will be primarily a pocket passer.