Despite the Week 11 setback, Josh Dobbs and Ivan Pace got the Vikings back on track. Josh Dobbs gave the Vikings a legitimate [+]. The Minnesota Vikings may have gotten off to a rough 
, losing their first three games, but they look like they have a chance to make the playoffs. The Vikings have won 5 straight games, thanks in large part to their trade day acquisition as an emergency quarterback after starter Kirk Cousins suffered a season-ending Achilles tear.
Instead of throwing up his hands and going with starting quarterback Jaren Hall and injured third baseman Nick Mullens, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah traded the Arizona Cardinals for Josh Dobbs. Dobbs started 8 games in Arizona, but Kyler Murray’s immediate return from a knee injury allowed the Cardinals to send the quarterback to Minnesota. After two stellar performances that led the Vikings to near-miraculous victories, Dobbs and his teammates were held to less than a point against the Denver Broncos. The Vikings led most of the game, but Russell Wilson rallied the home team Broncos to a 21-20 victory in the fourth quarter. The Vikings (6-5) have no reason to cry in their beer. They are still the 7th seed in the playoffs and should have a great chance to move up to the 6th seed and ahead of the Seattle Seahawks. However, their chances look to take the NFC North away from the surging Detroit Lions. After the Vikings fell to Denver in the final minute, the Lions rallied late to overcome a 12-point deficit against the Chicago Bears. That leaves the Lions with an 8-2 record, giving them a 2.5 game lead in the division. The Lions and Vikings have two games remaining in Weeks 16 and 18, and even if the Vikings were to win both, they would fall behind the Lions if Detroit didn’t lose one more game than the Vikings during the season. On the plus side, the Vikings have a 1.5-game lead over the Green Bay Packers (4-6) for the final NFC playoff spot. Green Bay has struggled offensively this season with Jordan Love at quarterback, and the Packers don’t look like they can put together a remarkable streak. Dobbs is a highlight for the Vikings as he stepped into a tough situation with little preparation and ran for a TD and a score in all three looks. He has built an impressive working relationship with head coach Kevin O’Connell and it looks likely that will continue in Week 12 against the Bears before their bye next week. Cincinnati vs. Temple Undrafted from Cincinnati, rookie Ivan Pace Jr [+] GETTY IMAGES As much as Dobbs was a surprising addition on offense, rookie linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. did the same for the Vikings’ 13th-ranked defense. Pace was forced into the role of defensive signal caller after team captain Jordan Hicks suffered a calf injury. SportsMoney Playbook: Subscribe to the SportsMoney Playbook for the latest sports news and analysis on valuations, signings, gambling and billionaire ownership. Email address Sign in By registering, you accept and agree to our Terms of Service (including the group waiver and arbitration provisions) and agree to our Privacy Statement. The undersized Pace — 5-10 and 231 pounds — had a team-leading nine tackles against the Broncos. He made every play call that defensive coordinator Brian Flores threw at him — and he did it without a hitch. andquot;They worked hard last week to communicate the in-game adjustments andquot; Flores said. andquot;They started without much trouble. Weand#039;need that anymore.andquot; Pace was an undrafted rookie free agent and played in all 11 games, starting 7. He has 46 tackles, 1 forced fumble and 1 pass defended. He has outstanding speed on the field and also has the quick wits to make defensive calls on one of the league’s most improved defenses. The loss to the Broncos hurt at the time, but the Vikings are in a strong position to make the playoffs and regain momentum.
Leave a Reply