The Minnesota Vikings have a major quarterback quandary. They looked to have filled the void created by Kirk Cousins’ injury when they acquired Joshua Dobbs from the Arizona Cardinals ahead of the trade deadline.
However, Dobbs’ struggled in recent starts, prompting a change to be made. Head coach Kevin O’Connell opted to start Nick Mullens over Dobbs, who was demoted to the No. 3 job with rookie Jaren Hall taking over as the backup.
It is a decision that has yet to yield fruitful results for the Vikings. Minnesota is on a two-game losing streak with Mullens under center, losing to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 15 and Detroit Lions in Wek 16.
NFL News & Rumors: Kirk Cousins, Justin Jefferson, Nick Mullens, Minnesota Vikings Updates
The loss to the Lions sewed up the NFC North title for Detroit and put Minnesota’s playoff hopes in peril. At 7-8, the team is in danger of missing the postseason as there is a logjam in the NFC Wild Card picture.
While Mullens has played adirmably, he has not been able to get the team over the hump. Against the Lions, he threw four interceptions, putting the team behind the eight-ball and prompting some words from star wide receiver Justin Jefferson.
Following the loss, Jefferson took an opportunity to praise Cousins and the work he was able to do when healthy. He complimented the veteran, speaking about how much his absence is impacting the team offensively.
“I really think it goes to show the rest of the world the type of player Kirk is. At the end of the day, this is a tough league. It’s tough not having 8 out there — the captain that he is, the leader that he is. He’s a great player,” Jefferson said via Alec Lewis, a Vikings reporter for The Athletic.
Jefferson, realizing that his comments could be taken as a shot at Mullens, added on some positive words for the team’s current starter as well. He said, “Nick is an outstanding player as well. We just need to build on that confidence we have. We just need to go on that practice field and make sure we’re getting all the timing right, making sure the ball is where it needs to be.”
NFL News & Rumors: Kirk Cousins, Justin Jefferson, Nick Mullens, Minnesota Vikings Updates
The Vikings have a huge matchup in Week 17 as they will be heading on the road to face the Green Bay Packers. That is essentially an elimination game, as the loser will have their postseason hopes dashed and the winner will move one step closer to clinching a Wild Card spot.
Mullens will presumably be under center for that game, but his leash may be short. The Vikings cannot afford another turnover-riddled performance such as the one he had this past weekend against the Lions. Turnovers are a big reason why Dobbs was removed from the lineup and could be Mullens’s undoing as well.
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