Vikings beat Eagles 26-3 to finish preseason 3-0, Jaren Hall throws 2 TDs
Jaren Hall #16 of the Minnesota Vikings reacts during the first quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on August 24, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ((Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images))
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The Minnesota Vikings are wrapping up the preseason at the Philadelphia Eagles on Saturday, and Jaren Hall might be giving the team a reason to keep three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster.
Hall led four first half scoring drives as the Vikings had a 20-23 lead on the Eagles at the half. He finished 17-of-25 for 189 yards and touchdowns to Trishton Jackson and Justin Hall. Jaren Hall’s only mistake was an overthrow that was intercepted, but the play was negated after an Eagles’ penalty for illegal contact. He started the third quarter and led the Vikings to a field goal for points on five straight drives.
It was as poised and in command of the offense as Hall has been since being drafted by Minnesota in the fifth round last year.
The Vikings beat the Eagles 26-3 to go 3-0 in the preseason after previously losing 10 straight games.
"I thought he did a great job of just coming out, he was efficient, he was playing fast and put the ball in play. For a guy that hadn’t gotten a ton of snaps in the preseason to play a significant amount of time, start a game, I thought he did a really nice job," Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell said.
Why it matters
The Vikings have to cut their roster to 53 players on Tuesday. If they try to get Hall to the practice squad, they risk losing him to another team via waivers. Sam Darnold will start Week 1, and Nick Mullens will be the back-up. Hall would be the emergency third quarterback on game days, if the Vikings choose not to keep three quarterbacks. If they do, then the roster has to be trimmed elsewhere.
Receivers named Jackson shine
Lucky Jackson had three catches for 51 yards in the first half, including a helmet catch similar to the one David Tyree had in the Super Bowl. Trishton Jackson had two catches for 15 yards and a touchdown, his third of the preseason. His spot on the roster is solidified.
Defense makes plays
Jalen Redmond forced and recovered his own fumble in the first half. The Vikings started the third quarter with Andre Carter getting a strip sack fumble, which James Lynch recovered. Jay Ward had a fourth quarter interception after a pass for Joseph Ngata went off his hands and helmet.
Kevin O’Connell mic’d up for third quarter
The Vikings mic’d up Justin Jefferson on the TV broadcast for the third quarter of the preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders. The response was enough that Kevin O’Connell was mic’d up for the third quarter Saturday.
On the first play, Carter got the strip sack that Lynch recovered. O’Connell talked about how trimming the roster is his least favorite day of the season, diagnosed plays pre-snap and reacted live to a late hit on Jaren Hall.
"I didn’t like that at all," O’Connell said.
Another strong game for Will Reichard
The Vikings have their future kicker, if the preseason is any indication. Will Reichard was perfect on Saturday, making field goals of 31, 33 and a 57-yarder in the fourth quarter that had room to spare. His career-long at Alabama was from 52 yards out. He was a perfect 8-for-8 on PATs in the preseason, and 6-of-7 on field goals.