Getty Nick Mullens #12 of the Minnesota Vikings.
The Minnesota Vikings are sticking with quarterback Nick Mullens despite what Kevin O’Connell called some “critical errors” in a Week 15 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.
But as Minnesota treads the Mullens-led offense into the final three weeks of the season, there have been questions of why rookie Jaren Hall, who looked sharp in a Week 9 start against the Atlanta Falcons, has not been considered to start.
KSTP’s Darren Wolfson reported on December 19 that Mullens is on a leash with his turnover struggles a well-known characteristic of his game, but the team is skittish on handing the starting reigns to Hall.
“I’ve heard there’s reluctance to go with the rookie,” Wolfson said on SKOR North’s “Mackey and Judd” podcast. “As long as the playoffs are attainable they’re not ready to throw Jaren Hall out there.”
Hall, drafted in the fifth round and on a four-year, $4.1 million contract, was deemed a developmental project after Mullens was named the backup to Kirk Cousins to start the season. Hall flashed potential upside against the Falcons when he completed 5-of-6 pass attempts for 78 yards before being knocked out of the game with a concussion.
That performance has been enough to keep him in higher favor than Josh Dobbs. Hall is listed as the No. 2 quarterback on the depth chart and would be the in-game replacement if Mullens went down with an injury during a game.
Beyond being an emergency plan, Hall could be looked to if Mullens blunders multiple times this week in a pivotal NFC North division matchup with the Detroit Lions on December 24.
“If it’s multiple catastrophic mistakes on Sunday, I don’t know how you wouldn’t, in the moment, make the change,” Wolfson added.
Nick Mullens May Struggle to Stick to Kevin O’Connell’s Scheme in the Clutch
GettyHead coach Kevin O’Connell of the Minnesota Vikings,
There’s only so much you can prepare for until you’re hit in the mouth, and throughout Mullens’ career, he’s shown to make significant errors in the heat of the moment.
Mullens threw a pair of costly interceptions from inside the Bengals’ 25-yard line in the first half that effectively took points off the board. One interception, he tried to get rid of the ball as he was taken to the ground and threw it into the lap of Bengals defensive lineman B.J. Hill. The situational awareness to take the sack wasn’t there despite Mullens’ six years in the league.
“Just take the sack and kick the field goal,” Mullens said, reflecting on the play, per the Pioneer Press. “You already have points there, so take them.”
Beyond the interceptions, Mullens operated the offense effectively, completing 26-of-33 pass attempts for 303 yards, two touchdowns and a 99.9 passer rating. However, his career interception rate of 3.6% would lead the NFL this season — and he’s thrown interceptions in three of the four games he’s appeared in with Minnesota.
Mullens is a prototype gunslinger quarterback who has tendencies to play too aggressively. But overall, O’Connell said he was satisfied with Mullens’ performance, which met his expectations.
But fear of the unknown, which is Hall, appears to be what’s holding O’Connell back from giving the rookie a go. Minnesota is crawling to the end of the regular season hoping to eke out a playoff appearance instead of going for it all with Hall.
Vikings, Kevin O’Connell’s Coaching Philosophy in Question
GettyVikings rookie quarterback Jaren Hall
Second-year running back Ty Chandler made his long-awaited debut as the Vikings’ starting running back with Alexander Mattison out last week.
He proved many fans right, that he should have been a focal point of the running game long ago, after racking up 132 rushing yards, the most by any Vikings ballcarrier this season.
Chandler’s breakout performance has called into question O’Connell’s coaching philosophy. He’s shown incredible patience and loyalty at times, leaving Mattison as the lead back despite early struggles and keeping Dobbs in the game after he threw four picks in a 12-10 loss to the Chicago Bears.
He stood by Ed Donatell for weeks as opposing offenses marched freely downfield with a soft shell defensive scheme last season. His faith in Donatell led to a mediocre New York Giants offense racking up over 400 yards and 31 points to end the Vikings’ season in the 2022 postseason.
O’Connell has not been one to rock the boat and be too emotionally reactive to poor performances for better or for worse.
Overall, Mullens hasn’t performed poorly enough to be benched, but his loyalty may be in the way of seeing if Hall could provide more upside for a team that has been emotionally bludgeoned by injury in their crawl to playoff relevance.