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2023 NFL Season: Week 9 Overreactions

Matt Hanifan / NFL / November 8, 2023

NFL Overreactions — Joshua Dobbs’ breakout performances headlines our Week 9 overreactions. (Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports)

2023 NFL Season: Week 9 Overreactions

We are at the halfway point of the 2023 NFL Season. Can you believe that? Oh, how time flies! Anyway, it’s time to overreact to everything that happened this past weekend–here are Week 9 overreactions below!

Trey Daubert:

The Bills are screwed without Matt Milano.

He covered up for so many sins on that defense. Since he went down they are statistically the worst defense in the NFL. Josh Allen can only cover up for so many problems. Von Miller isn’t the same player anymore either. Buffalo can’t cover anybody and without Milano it’s hard to see them hoisting the Lombardi Trophy.

Matt Hanifan:

Kevin O’Connell deserves to be in the Coach of the Year consideration.

After they were a literal afterthought mere weeks ago, the Minnesota Vikings are now 5-4 and staring directly in the face of the No. 6/7 seed in the NFC. Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell deserves to be in the COY conversation with Doug Peterson, Mike McDaniel, Dan Campbell and Demeco Ryans, among others.

What O’Connell did Sunday was one of the most remarkable coaching jobs I’ve ever seen, all things considered.

Minnesota was missing Justin Jefferson (who’s missed the last four games), Kirk Cousins (out for season) and left tackle Christian Darrisaw (late scratch); K.J. Osborn and rookie quarterback Jaren Hall–who started the game in lieu of Cousins’ injury–both suffered concussions mid-game; Cam Akers tore his Achilles while both T.J. Hockenson and Brandon Powell were playing through rib and leg injuries, respectively. Nobody is 100 percent healthy at this stage of the season, but Minnesota was beat the hell up offensively.

Joshua Dobbs, who arrived just days prior without any practice reps with the first-stringers, stepped in and helped lead Minnesota to a 31-28 road victory against an above-average Falcons defense. O’Connell, who was literally mapping out the plays and reads for Dobbs up until the 15-second mark in the game clock because he wasn’t completely familiar with O’Connell’s complicated system, deserves massive amounts of credit with how shorthanded Minnesota was.

It’s wild stuff that you never hear about, in part because players aren’t usually thrown into situations 96 hours after they arrive in the building. It helps to have a literal rocket scientist behind center, huh?

Roquan Smith: ‘Glad’ Bears Traded Him To Ravens

James Herrick:

The Minnesota Vikings still have a shot at the playoffs.

The Minnesota Vikings playoff chances were considered bleak shortly after the 2023 NFL Season began. Now, despite losing Kirk Cousins, they still have a shot to make the playoffs. The Vikings sit at 5-4 with a manageable schedule, Jefferson should return shortly and O’Connell runs a respectable offense. I do not love Dobbs, but he has already proven he can exceed expectations and play at a fair level. It is no guarantee that the Vikings make the playoffs, but this squad has a serious shot.

Anthony Miranda:

Arthur Smith should be fired.

Now, well I do think that is a bit of an overreaction by me (Garrett also believes this), I do think it is possible by the end of the season. The Falcons have a decent amount of talent on their roster. They have enough talent to at least be competitive in the terrible NFC South. However, I do not understand how he does not give Bijan Robinson the ball more. There is no need to draft incredibly talented, lottery offensive weapons if you won’t get them the ball. Robinson and Kyle Pitts need the ball more. I don’t think Smith is going to work to make that happen so something needs to change.