Tennessee Titans quarterback Joshua Dobbs will have been with the team two weeks on Wednesday, yet he’s being thrown into a situation that will either make or break the team’s season.
Dobbs was signed on Dec. 21, and just eight days later he was the starting for the Titans, taking over for rookie quarterback Malik Willis, who struggled in three previous starts while filling in for Ryan Tannehill.
And Dobbs delivered exactly what the Titans needed: hope.
No, he didn’t win the game against the Cowboys, but Dobbs was a clear upgrade over Willis, giving the Titans at least a little bit of momentum despite the circumstances.
Now, Dobbs is tasked with saving the Titans’ season in Week 18 after the Titans officially named him the starter on Monday.
“Josh will be our quarterback,” head coach Mike Vrabel said. “I’ve talked to both quarterbacks and let them know that Josh will be our quarterback for this week and Malik [Willis] has to continue to prepare like a starter.”
For Dobbs, he fully understands the magnitude of the task at hand, which is only made harder by the fact that the Titans have to pull this off on the road.
“The game and obviously the magnitude of the game, everything around it, it’s what you dream of playing in [the] NFL,” Dobbs said. “You want to play meaningful football, especially in December and January, right? You want to play in those playoff games. I have watched and been a part of teams that have been a part of it.
“So to play in it, there’s a lot of excitement around it but there’s also recognition in the preparation, the lead-up to it, and maximizing the reps, my encounters with my teammates and helping them get prepared, helping them see what I am seeing from the quarterback position. So when Saturday comes we just go play football.”
While Dobbs provides an upgrade, the deck is still very much stacked for the injury-plagued Titans. That said, the scenario surrounding this team will only make it sweeter if Tennessee call notch an upset in Duval.
