New Vikings QB Dobbs needed O'Connell to translate calls during huddles

Six days ago, Joshua Dobbs was benched by the Arizona Cardinals. On Sunday, he was crucial in helping the Minnesota Vikings win their fourth straight game.

The journeyman quarterback revealed Sunday that he didn't take any reps with the Vikings' first-team offense at practice before leading Minnesota to a 31-28 upset win over Atlanta Falcons in Week 9, according to ESPN's Kevin Seifert.

The Vikings started rookie Jaren Hall versus the Falcons after starter Kirk Cousins went down with an Achilles injury last week. However, Hall exited the contest after suffering a concussion in the first quarter, leaving Dobbs to take over only days after joining Minnesota as part of a trade from the Cardinals.

Dobbs, who admitted he doesn't know most of his new teammates' full names, added that Minnesota head coach Kevin O'Connell essentially had to translate his offensive calls and map out plays during the huddles against Atlanta, per Alec Lewis of The Athletic.

"It's like if you were taking AP Spanish all year, you showed up on Wednesday and someone told you you have an AP French exam on Sunday. That's what was going on out there," Dobbs said of his in-game communication with O'Connell, according to Jeff Wald of Fox 9.

Dobbs, who started two games for the Tennesse Titans in 2022, joined the Cardinals this year and made eight starts. There, the 28-year-old completed 62.8% of his passes for 1,569 yards and eight touchdowns against five interceptions. He also scored three TDs on the ground.

"In this league, there is never an excuse for your circumstance," Dobbs said Sunday, according to Seifert. "I learned that from (Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin). Usually, people don't care about your circumstance. They just want to see you succeed given the circumstances you've given."

The 2017 fourth-round pick finished his Vikings debut having completed 20 of 30 pass attempts for 158 yards and two touchdowns, including a go-ahead 6-yard TD pass to Brandon Powell with 22 seconds left in the fourth quarter to cap an 11-play drive. He also rushed for 66 yards and a score, becoming the first player in NFL history to account for at least three touchdowns in back-to-back weeks with two different teams, according to Jason Wolf of USA Today.

Minnesota defeated Atlanta despite playing without its No. 1 quarterback, wide receiver, and left tackle. O'Connell appreciates how his team pulled together in unusual circumstances.

"I don't know if I've been a part of one like that," O'Connell said postgame. "What's inside of each and every guy in that locker room and the feelings they have towards one another, these are the days that cement why you believe what you believe as a coach. I'll remember this one for a really long time. Everybody in that locker room got a game ball."

The 5-4 Vikings will host the New Orleans Saints in Week 10.