6 bold Minnesota Vikings predictions for the rest of the 2023 season
By Chris Schad
1. Josh Dobbs will be the starting QB the rest of the way
The Vikings' biggest surprise this season came when Kirk Cousins suffered a torn Achilles in Week 8. After missing his first game due to injury since signing with the Vikings in 2018 (he missed one game due to a positive COVID-19 test in 2021), many thought the season was doomed until Josh Dobbs led Minnesota to a win over Atlanta last Sunday.
Dobbs isn’t the quarterback that Cousins is, but he does several things well. His background as a rocket scientist helped him digest the playbook quickly, and his mobility gives the Vikings offense an element that they didn’t have with Cousins. While Cousins is a better pocket passer, Dobbs makes do with what he has and has the qualities to become an instant leader for the Vikings, as evidenced by Sunday’s celebration in the locker room.
Dobbs’s carriage could turn into a pumpkin next week as he posted a 1-7 record with Arizona before being traded to the Vikings. But he’s also working with a better infrastructure that includes a top-10 offensive line and elite weapons in Justin Jefferson, T.J. Hockenson, and Jordan Addison.
While Jaren Hall could have taken this role, his concussion makes it unknown when he will return. That leaves the starting job to Dobbs and creates a golden opportunity for the journeyman this season.