Suddenly, Coach Kevin O’Connell Of The Vikings Insisted.

The NFL suspends Broncos safety Kareem Jackson for hitting Josh Dobbs; the Vikings respond.
Jackson was suspended for four games for the dirty hit on quarterback Josh Dobbs.

Josh Dobbs, the quarterback for the Vikings, insists he shouldn’t have fumbled in the game against the Broncos on Sunday night in Denver. He describes the ball as the organization’s hopes, dreams, and aspirations on a regular basis. He recognizes the significance of minimizing turnovers as a result.

Nevertheless, when asked about Broncos safety Kareem Jackson’s four-game suspension for an illegal tackle that went uncalled in real time, Dobbs offered some observations.

“Obviously the NFL deemed it a hit to suspend the guy for several games,” Dobbs said. “I would have liked to see the flag thrown on the play if it was that type of hit.”

The sequence happened early in the primetime game. After the Vikings opted for some trickery, with tight end T.J. Hockenson taking a snap under center and pitching to Dobbs in the backfield, Jackson raced in and lowered his head as he braced for contact with Dobbs.

It’s pretty clear looking at the replay that Dobbs fumbled at least partially because Jackson hit him directly in the helmet. Not that Dobbs was making any excuses for the result of the play itself.

“I can’t live in a world where I’m trying to get bailed out for fumbling the ball,” Dobbs said. “As I look back on it, it’s, ‘Get the first down and protect the football.’ ”

“I have a ton of respect for Kareem as a player,” O’Connell said. “He has been a really good player in this league for a long time. The league decided to do what they did. There’s absolutely nothing against the player personally or anything like that. We are moving forward, and I am sure he is, too.”

“That’s my mindset behind it,” Dobbs said. “We’ve got to handle our play on the field.”