Minneapolis, Minnesota Despite the prospect of having a fourth starting quarterback this season, the Minnesota Vikings are still in control of a postseason place.
It’s understandable that coach Kevin O’Connell would have delayed making such a statement, regardless of whether Nick Mullens converts a strong relieving performance into a promotion or Joshua Dobbs maintains his position.
“It’s a bit early for me to declare that, but I think we’re going to make that choice soon,” O’Connell stated on Monday, following his team’s dramatic and historic 3-0 triumph in Las Vegas.
Following the game, he declared that the Vikings were a “week-to-week offense at this point,” giving the impression that they were content to play by wing for the remainder of the season after injuries to quarterback Kirk Cousins and wide receiver Justin Jefferson in October pushed the team in an unanticipated direction.
In the fourth quarter of a scoreless contest, Mullens took Dobbs’ place and led a 13-play, 56-yard drive that resulted in that lone and priceless field goal. Like Dobbs, Mullens missed the mark many times. However, he moved the chains three times on third downs during that crucial drive, going 3 for 3 for 38 yards.
That’s all it takes, according to Mullens, sometimes. “It makes no difference in appearance.”
Following Dobbs’ four interceptions in a Nov. 27 12-10 defeat to Chicago, the Vikings were unable to muster a victory in Las Vegas. However, O’Connell will be seriously considering a starter move this week after toying with the idea of benching Dobbs against the Raiders and removing him during the Bears game. The Vikings (7-6) had one less day than usual to recover and get ready for their game against Cincinnati on Saturday.
After suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon versus Green Bay on October 29, 2023, Mullens returned for a second season as Cousins’ primary backup. Sadly, Mullens’ lower back issue kept him out of action at the time. Five days after Dobbs was acquired in a trade with Arizona, rookie Jaren Hall had to play the whole first quarter of the following game against Atlanta due to a concussion. The Vikings prevailed in that contest as well as the next one before dropping their next two.
O’Connell gave the defense a game ball after the Vikings recorded just their second shutout in the previous thirty years. What could have been a disastrous season has been salvaged thanks to defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ magic touch.
WHAT REQUIRES ASSISTANCE
In 2023, the Vikings had nine offensive linemen on the field. Brian O’Neill, a right tackle, was the most recent casualty. More pressure has recently been permitted by the team’s pass protection, which has been as solid as it has been in years. Dobbs was removed after taking five sacks.
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Since Jordan Hicks was injured, rookie linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. has skillfully taken over as the leader of the defensive huddle. He has played all three games’ snap counts and sealed the victory on Sunday with a diving interception right after the two-minute warning. Pace, who is just 5-foot-10 and was not selected out of Cincinnati, also recorded a sack for the second consecutive game.
Pace remarked, “I’ve been proving to the world that I was good since I was young.” “I’m in the league now and I’m still proving it.”
What a waste of the late bye week benefit. The Vikings were missing five of their original starting offensive players at the end of the game, including their two most important players. They had come to Las Vegas feeling as healthy as they had in two months. A fresh injury derailed Jefferson’s comeback after a seven-game layoff due to a hamstring ailment.
Regarding the players’ chances of playing this week—Jefferson (chest), O’Neill (ankle), Alexander Mattison (running back), and right guard Ed Ingram (
hip), who was kept out on Sunday—O’Connell sounded upbeat. But with the game on Saturday in Cincinnati, there’s one less day to recover. Hicks’s (shin) imminent return to practice might help the defense.
12 is the fewest touchdowns the Vikings have given up in the NFL over the course of their last ten games. In the past twelve quarters, opponents have only once made it to the end zone.
O’Connell, who finished with a 13-4 record in his debut season, has had several challenges in his second season, including injuries that have affected his offense, close games the Vikings frequently play, and important choices regarding starting quarterbacks. In addition, he has had a lot of work managing his staff: defensive line coach Chris Rumph left to take a position at Clemson University, offensive coordinator Wes Phillips was arrested over the weekend on suspicion of driving under the influence, and outside linebackers coach Mike Smith has been on personal leave the entire season. On Sunday, O’Connell declared that he will “keep evaluating” Phillips’ position on the squad.
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