Minnesota Vikings Week 9 Superlatives

In their first game without Kirk Cousins, the Minnesota Vikings found a way to defeat the Atlanta Falcons. It wasn’t always pretty. It was very scrappy. It was a win. It was a great team win. Here are some of the players that shined the brightest in the 31-28 win. 

Offensive Player of the Game

Joshua Dobbs, QB

Acquired last Tuesday in a trade deadline deal, Joshua Dobbs wasn’t supposed to play in the game. It was Jaren Hall’s opportunity. The rookie lasted two possessions. He suffered a concussion on a goal line hit at the end of his second possession. Enter Dobbs. On a handful of practices with his new team, he was forced to lead them. His handful of practices were as the backup. He hadn’t taken a snap with the starters. He hadn’t thrown a pass to many of his receivers. He didn’t even know the names of some of his new teammates. It was a difficult situation and it didn’t start well. His first possession ended in a safety. His second possession ended with a fumble that was returned to the 1. From there, it got better. Much better.

Dobbs’ numbers:

20 completions

30 attempts

158 yards

2 touchdowns

1 two-point conversion

7 carries

66 yards

1 touchdown

His running ability was a game-saver. His six-yard pass to Brandon Powell with 22 seconds to play was the game-winner.

Defensive Players of the Game

Byron Murphy Jr., CB

Akayleb Evans, CB

Josh Metellus, S

Until the Falcons went on that long, draining drive that put them up 28-24 with two minutes to play, the entire defense played well. The difference in the game was the Vikings defense forcing the Falcons offense into settling for field goals. In particular, they kept the Falcons out of the end zone when they started a started possession on the Vikings one-yard line. The defense played well as a unit. 

To single out players is difficult. So, I’ll go with the players that involved in the turnovers. The two turnovers were crucial as they came on consecutive Falcons possessions late in the third quarter. The first turnover came when Akayleb Evans slapped the ball from Bijan Robinson’s grasp after a 14-yard gain. Josh Metellus somehow recovered the ball in the resulting pileup. The Vikings turned that opportunity into a touchdown. A two-point conversion tied the game at 21. Byron Murphy Jr. intercepted Taylor Heinicke on the next possession. The Vikings turned that opportunity into a field goal and a 24-21 lead. Two turnovers. 11 points. Those plays put the Vikings in control of the game.