The Vikings are back from their Week 13 bye, and plenty discussions this week will center around the return of Justin Jefferson after the receiver missed seven full games because of a hamstring injury.
Head Coach Kevin O’Connell, the medical team and receiver have exercised patience and the long play with the reigning Offensive Player of the Year, who is expected to provide help to an offense that struggled on its way into the bye week. The bigger question encircling the Vikings is what O’Connell will opt to do at quarterback. Judging by the inbox, everyone is well-aware of the team’s status, but here is a brief recap.
Veteran backup Nick Mullens has returned from Injured Reserve, but he hasn’t played since the preseason and played sparingly in 2022 after Minnesota traded to acquire him from Las Vegas (after facing him there in that preseason).Rookie Jaren Hall is back from the concussion he suffered at Atlanta in Week 9. With Mullens on IR at that point, Hall made his first career start a week after Kirk Cousins his season-ending Achilles injury at Green Bay in Week 8.
Two days after the injury to Cousins, the Vikings acquired Joshua Dobbs from Arizona, and Dobbs was pressed into action after Hall was injured on the second possession. Dobbs led the Vikings to an improbable win over his hometown Falcons and followed with one of the best halves the Vikings have played in recent years (led New Orleans 24-3 at halftime in Week 10).
That, however, has been followed by a stretch of 33 points in the past 10 quarters, including the past two games started by Dobbs.Complicating things has been a continued propensity by the Vikings to give the ball away. Seven turnovers in the past eight quarters have worsened the tally to 24 giveaways on the season, an average of two per game.
