Getty Quarterback Jaren Hall #16 of the Minnesota Vikings.
The Minnesota Vikings are going into Week 15 with Nick Mullens under center as the starter. It is the first time in his year-plus with the team. That is significant in and of itself, and he has a chance to make history to boot.
But what happened behind him on the depth chart is equally as significant to the Vikings’ rest-of-season outlook. It could also be telling about how the last few weeks have gone.
“We’re going to go in with Jaren [Hall] as the [QB]2 and Josh [Dobbs] is the emergency 3,” Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said via the team on December 14. “They’ll all be, obviously, suited up. We’ll go through our normal process with those guys, with this game plan making sure, whoever’s in the game, that they feel good about the things that I’m calling.”
Vikings offensive coordinator Wes Phillips expressed similar sentiments in addressing the change from Dobbs to Mullens. Minnesota acquired Dobbs from the Arizona Cardinals at the trade deadline.
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Phillips compared Dobbs’ learning curve to learning the alphabet. But Dobbs was “jumping in at Z”. Everyone else – namely Mullens and, in that same vein, Hall – started at the beginning. With all three of their opening-day quarterbacks suffering injuries, though, he was a necessary addition.
“The way this season’s going, we have a process in place now to be prepared for just about everything,” O’Connell said.
This is a return to normalcy for the Vikings. They began the season with Mullens and Hall backing up Kirk Cousins.
Vikings Shake Up Depth Chart, Prepared Rookie Like ‘He Was Playing’
GettyJaren Hall #16 of the Minnesota Vikings.
“Jaren’s fully healthy now, and has really gotten back on the grass, and really worked through his continued development,” O’Connell said. “Wanted him to kind of go about the week this week kind of simulating … as if he was playing. Just using it as a real tool for his development and growth. And he’s done a nice job, and just want to want to kind of go about it that way.”
This could fuel speculation that Mullens is not long for the starting job. NBC Sports’ Mike Florio presented the idea on “PFT Live with Mike Florio” on December 11.
“Josh Dobbs, it’s over. Nick Mullens, maybe it’s starting. But I don’t think it’s going to last very long, either,” Florio said. “I think Jaren Hall is gonna be in there eventually.”
Hall’s time may come sooner thanks to his spot on the Vikings’ depth chart. But that doesn’t mean the Vikings couldn’t turn back to Dobbs if needed.
“Josh Dobbs will be ready to play like he has to help us go 3-2 over the last five [weeks],” O’Connell said. “I mean he came into the game with way less work than he had this week against Atlanta [in Week 9] and led us to a victory.”
“Tons of confidence in all three guys. I know our entire offensive group feels that way. And we feel fortunate having lost Kirk to have that kind of depth that we do in that room.”
Kevin O’Connell ‘Looking Forward’ to Nick Mullens’ 1st Start
GettyNick Mullens #12 of the Minnesota Vikings.
“Looking forward to seeing Nick go out there,” O’Connell said. “[He] had a really good week of practice. [He] felt kind of the comfort in the things that we’re doing in our system. And I think, hopefully, we can get the other 10 guys in the huddle to be at their best and have a good day offensively.”
Mullens completed 69.2% of his passes for 83 yards in the Vikings’ Week 14. He helped secure the 3-0 win versus the Las Vegas Raiders.
He will likely need to do more than that versus the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 15. And there will be history on the line.
“According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Vikings will be the 29th NFL team since 1950 to endure that frequency of turnover at the position,” wrote Kevin Seifert of ESPN on December 14. “None of them got wins from all four of their starters in that seven-game stretch (except for during the 1987 strike season).”
The Vikings’ chances of making the playoffs would also go from 63.1% now to 78.5% in a win. Their chances drop to 51.5% in a loss, per Seifert and the ESPN Football Power Index. That is a lot at stake in a player’s first start for his new team.