Vikings to start QB Jaren Hall vs. Packers

By KSTP
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Jaren Hall (16) calls a play at the line of scrimmage during the first half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Nov. 5, 2023, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

(KSTP) – The Minnesota Vikings have made another quarterback change.

Two weeks after switching from Joshua Dobbs to Nick Mullens, head coach Kevin O’Connell announced Thursday that rookie Jaren Hall will get the start over Dobbs and Mullens on Sunday.

It will be Hall’s second career start and third career game. He finished off the game at Green Bay on Oct. 29 after Kirk Cousins tore his Achilles. Hall then started the following week at Atlanta but was knocked out with a concussion after throwing just six passes.

O’Connell is certainly hoping that the rookie will take care of the ball better than Mullens and Dobbs.

In his two starts, both losses, Mullens racked up yardage but also had serious turnover issues. In Cincinnati, he completed 26 of 33 passes for 303 yards and 2 touchdowns but also threw 2 costly interceptions. Last weekend against Detroit, he completed 22 of 36 passes for 411 yards and 2 touchdowns but tossed 4 interceptions. And after his amazing first two games with the Vikings, Dobbs committed 4 turnovers in back-to-back games, then struggled mightily — albeit without any turnovers — before he was benched mid-game against the Raiders.

Last week’s loss sealed the division for Detroit and also knocked the Vikings out of a playoff spot, a game behind both the Seahawks and Rams. A loss on Sunday night against the Packers would likely end Minnesota’s playoff chances, moving the probability down to 4%, while a win would boost those odds to 49%.

Sunday’s game will also be Minnesota’s final home game of the season. The team has lost its last two home games and hasn’t won at U.S. Bank Stadium since Nov. 12 over New Orleans.