Vikings to start Nick Mullens at QB in regular season finale at Detroit
Nick Mullens #12 of the Minnesota Vikings warms up before the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium on December 16, 2023 in Cincinnati, Ohio. ((Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images))
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell announced Wednesday that Nick Mullens will be the starting quarterback for Sunday’s regular season finale against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field.
The Vikings enter the game 7-9 after a 33-10 loss to the Green Bay Packers, and need a win over the Lions to stay in the NFC Playoff conversation. They also need a lot of help from around the NFL to earn the final seed in the playoffs.
O’Connell benched Jaren Hall at half of Sunday’s game after an interception and a lost fumble, with the Vikings trailing 23-3. Mullens led the Vikings on their only touchdown drive of the game, hitting Johnny Mundt in the fourth quarter.
Mullens also threw for 411 yards in Minnesota’s Week 30-24 loss to the Lions in Week 16 at U.S. Bank Stadium. But in his last two starts for Minnesota, Mullens has six interceptions.
"To me, Nick has been very effective moving the team. We’ve been very explosive as an offense when he’s been in there. He knows that the one area that we must focus on is possession of the football and not giving the football away," O’Connell said.
O’Connell did not declare who the backup will be between Hall and Joshua Dobbs on Sunday, but both will be available as the Vikings can carry an emergency quarterback that won’t count towards the active roster. The quarterback play has been inconsistent since Kirk Cousins went down with a season-ending Achilles injury, but the Vikings believe Mullens gives them the best chance to close out the regular season with a win.
"They’re really important decisions. The decision is what’s best for the team and trying to move the football and see if we can go out and have a quality performance on offense. The quarterback has a lot to do with that," O'Connell said.
The Lions won't be resting their starters, as they still have a chance at the No. 2 seed in the NFC. The Vikings need a win, a Bears' win over the Packers and either a Falcons' win over the Saints or a Cardinals' win over the Seahawks to make the playoffs.
O'Connell has made it clear to the players what is at stake Sunday, playoffs or not.
"They’re certainly aware. They’re very much aware that the only thing that matters is us finding a way to win a football game. From there, we’ll figure out what that looks like. To me it’s not just about 2023, it’s about much more than that as far as an NFC North opponent late in the year coming off a performance where we weren’t proud of much of anything at U.S. Bank Stadium. We felt that, we own that and what are we going to do about it?" O'Connell said. "Are we going to understand the moment and put together a great week of preparation and have that show up on the field Sunday is what I care about. Ultimately, whatever comes from that and the results from two or three other games will matter in determining if it’s our last game of the season or not, but we still do have an opportunity, and it all starts with handling our business."