Minnesota Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell gave Josh Dobbs the start for their Week 14 matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders — but the journeyman quarterback is on a short leash. After O’Connell announced that he would stick with Dobbs despite a rash of turnovers in his past two starts, the Vikings coach said that Nick Mullens will be ready Sunday, signaling that if the turnovers continue, a change is available.
“Nick Mullens will be ready to go,” O’Connell said unprompted in a December 6 news conference. “We’ll prepare Nick like we always do. He’s one of the most professional guys I’ve been around, always ready to roll. And our entire team knows that they can count on Nick when called upon.” Coming out of the bye week with five games left to improve upon a 44% chance of making the postseason, O’Connell did not reassure Dobbs that he would be the starter beyond Week 14.
“Our whole mentality, coming out of this bye, is about 60 minutes on Sunday,” O’Connell said. Dobbs started eight games for the Arizona Cardinals before the Vikings traded for him after Kirk Cousins‘ Achilles injury on October 29. According to KSTP’s Darren Wolfson, Mullens would have been the starter ahead of a Week 9 matchup with the Atlanta Falcons, but he was on injured reserve with a back injury.
