Minnesota Vikings News and Links, 9 November 2023

“I don’t know why we are here, but I’m pretty sure it is not in order to enjoy ourselves” – Ludwig Wittgenstein

It will be very interesting to see what Josh Dobbs is able to do with a full week of practices.

If he does well the rest of the year, Kirk Cousins could get Wally Pipped!

Since yore last open thread …

2023 NFL Week 10: New Orleans Saints at Minnesota Vikings

Josh Dobbs named NFC Offensive Player of the Week

Jeffersonwatch 2023: Vikings announce Justin Jefferson’s return to practice

New Orleans Saints at Minnesota Vikings: Initial injury reports for both teams

FTN Network’s Aaron Schatz on the 2023 Minnesota Vikings

Other Vikings News

Vikings legend Fran Tarkenton salutes Joshua Dobbs for stunning debut: ‘It’s impossible what he did’

“How’d he do it?” Tarkenton said in a video posted to social media. “It’s impossible for him to do what he did. He got us 30-plus points. … He had to deal with the crowd noise. The position, when you come in five days before, nobody can do that. It’s impossible to learn the offense. He didn’t even know the players’ names. And he certainly didn’t understand the offense.”

“People don’t understand the system is important,” he said. “And our head coach, he really understands how to put together an offensive team. … Kirk Cousins may have been the best quarterback in the NFL until he got hurt. … But even with the great system, it’s impossible to do what Josh Dobbs did. Impossible. But he did it. … It was a great thrill for me.”

2023 NFL Playoff Picture: Vikings, Bengals among teams with the most at stake in Week 10

NFL News

2023 NFL Midseason Report: All 32 NFL teams’ highest-graded players, biggest surprises and more

MINNESOTA VIKINGS

Highest-graded player: WR Justin Jefferson (89.9)

Jefferson has been on IR since Week 5 but still ranks 17th in receiving yards (571) and 30th in receptions (36). On top of that, Jefferson is the fifth-highest-graded wide receiver.

Biggest surprise: S Camryn Bynum (85.1)

The former fourth-round pick has two interceptions and four forced incompletions in coverage. He has also earned the fifth-highest coverage grade among safeties (84.8).

Stat to know: The Vikings rank 29th in pressure rate (29.3%).

NFL midseason grades: Giants, Panthers both get an F

Minnesota Vikings (5-4): B

They probably ought to be 7-2, but seemingly used up all of their pixie dust in 2022 – and purged some quality veterans afterward. This year’s bad luck truly spiked when QB Kirk Cousins tore his Achilles in Week 8. And yet that didn’t derail what’s become a four-game winning streak following a 1-4 start. A blitz-heavy approach has made the defense passable. And HC Kevin O’Connell did a masterful job last Sunday, in conjunction with newly acquired QB Joshua Dobbs, while teaching the playbook on the fly during a 31-28 win in Atlanta. While Cousins isn’t coming back in 2023, All-Pro WR Justin Jefferson will – and that might be more than enough to allow the Vikes to hold on to the NFC’s final wild-card spot.

2024 NFL Mock Draft 2.0: New York Giants trade up, select USC’s Caleb Williams at No. 1 overall

20. MINNESOTA VIKINGS: CB NATE WIGGINS, CLEMSON

Record: 5-4

Player ADP (via MDS): 16.0

Player Big Board Rank: 23.6

Cornerback production remains one of the top long-term needs for the Vikings. Wiggins has serious ball skills, and at 6-foot-2 and 185 pounds, he is one of the top cover players in this class.

Yuck!

Super Bowl LVIII midseason predictions: Eight NFL teams picked to lift Lombardi Trophy in Las Vegas

No Vikings but there is one vote for the Saints. WTF?

Yore Mock

Trade Partner: Panthers

Sent: Pick 20, Pick Pick 205

Received: Pick 34, Pick 66, Pick 98

…

Trade Partner: Colts

Sent: Pick 66, Pick 162

Received: Pick 75, Pick 110

…

34. J.J. McCarthy QB Michigan 6’3” 196

51. Troy Fautanu OG Washington 6’3” 312

75. Kris Jenkins DT Michigan 6’3” 305

98. Zach Frazier OC West Virginia 6’3” 310

110. Jordan Burch EDGE Oregon 6’6” 290

115. Dontay Corleone DT Cincinnati 6’2” 318

125. Omar Speights LB LSU 6’1” 235

151. MarShawn Lloyd RB USC 5’9” 210

159. Nazir Stackhouse DT Georgia 6’3” 320

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