The Minnesota Vikings were able to sneak away with a 3-0 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday. But the game created some major questions regarding the future of their quarterback situation for the rest of the season.
The Vikings’ offense struggled heavily all game long, which led to them making a drastic move at the quarterback position.
Joshua Dobbs started the game for Minnesota, but he was benched in favor of veteran backup Nick Mullens in the fourth quarter when it became clear that the Vikings may not score with Dobbs in the game.
When Mullens came into the game, he made an instant impact. His first play of the game happened to be the longest play of the game for the team, a 26-yard pass to T.J. Hockenson.
Vikings backup quarterback Nick Mullens has entered the game in a 0-0 game. His first play of the game results in the team's longest play of the game, a 26-yard pass to T.J. Hockenson. pic.twitter.com/6acooEc3pd
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) December 10, 2023
When it mattered most, Mullens was able to lead the Vikings down the field to set up a field goal that would be the lone score of the game.
We finally have points in the Vikings-Raiders matchup! pic.twitter.com/efdomqmITi
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) December 11, 2023
The victory is a huge one for the Vikings, as it keeps them in the mix for a potential playoff spot in the NFC.
It also created a big question as to who will lead this Vikings team at quarterback moving forward. Will they turn the reigns over the Nick Mullens after this impressive performance in relief of Dobbs? Or will Dobbs be given another chance to prove himself as the starter?
At this point, we still do not have an answer to this question. Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said in a press conference on Monday that no decision has been made yet and that there will be no decision until later this week on who will start at quarterback.
There can be arguments both ways as to who is ultimately the right decision to be the team’s starter. But whoever the choice ends up being, the Vikings offense will need to be much better moving forward if they want to have any chance of making noise for the rest of the season.
About Reice Shipley
Reice Shipley is a staff writer for Comeback Media that graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Sports Media. He previously worked at Barrett Sports Media and is a fan of all things Syracuse sports.