EAGAN, Minn. – Welcome to Minnesota, Joshua.
Vikings QB Joshua Dobbs is still working on learning his new teammates' names, but he's already earned plenty of recognition after his debut performance Sunday against the Falcons.
The NFL on Wednesday named Dobbs the NFC Offensive Player of the Week for Week 9.
With Kirk Cousins on Injured Reserve due to a torn Achilles suffered Week 8 at Green Bay, the Vikings traded on Oct. 31 to acquire Dobbs from Arizona. They started rookie Jaren Hall, but he left Sunday's contest with a concussion during Minnesota's second offensive series.
It was next man up, and Dobbs answered the call.
Despite never having taken a practice snap with Minnesota's first-team offense, he helped the Vikings to an improbable 31-28 defeat of the Falcons – without starting receiver Justin Jefferson and left tackle Christian Darrisaw, no less.
Dobbs was 20-of-30 passing for 158 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. His passer rating was 101.8.
He also demonstrated his ability to move and think on the fly, an 18-yard rushing touchdown being just one of the plays he ad-libbed. Dobbs' 66 total rushing yards were the third-most by a Vikings QB since 2010 and the most since Joe Webb recorded 109 yards on the ground in December 2011.
"He can change the game athletically," Vikings Head Coach Kevin O'Connell said of Dobbs following the Vikings victory. "That's something that we knew, quite honestly; bringing him here was one of the traits, in addition to his leadership quality, his smarts, his toughness. You've got to be a mentally tough guy to do what he did today in addition to being physically tough."
NFC Players of the Week Under O'Connell
2023 Week 9 at Atlanta: Joshua Dobbs, QB (Offensive)
2023 Week 7 vs. San Francisco: Camryn Bynum, S (Defensive)
2023 Week 6 at Chicago: Jordan Hicks, LB (Defensive)
2022 Week 12 vs. New England: Kene Nwangwu, RB/KR (Special Teams)
2022 Week 10 at Buffalo: Justin Jefferson, WR (Offensive)
2022 Week 8 vs. Arizona: Za'Darius Smith, OLB (Defensive)
2022 Week 6 at Miami: Ryan Wright, P (Special Teams)
2022 Week 4 vs. New Orleans in London: Greg Joseph, K (Special Teams)
