{"id":77311,"date":"2024-01-04T03:24:40","date_gmt":"2024-01-04T03:24:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aweu.info\/?p=77311"},"modified":"2024-01-04T03:24:40","modified_gmt":"2024-01-04T03:24:40","slug":"kevin-oconnell-makes-final-call-on-vikings-starting-quarterback-for-week-18-kieu-linh","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aweu.info\/kevin-oconnell-makes-final-call-on-vikings-starting-quarterback-for-week-18-kieu-linh\/","title":{"rendered":"Kevin O\u2019Connell Makes Final Call on Vikings\u2019 Starting Quarterback for Week 18"},"content":{"rendered":"

The\u00a0Minnesota Vikings\u00a0are making another quarterback change.<\/p>\n

\"Kevin<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re going to start\u00a0Nick Mullens,\u201d Head Coach\u00a0Kevin O\u2019Connell\u00a0said\u00a0via the team\u00a0on January 3. \u201cTo me, Nick has \u2013 like what went into the decision last week \u2013 Nick has been very effective moving the team. We\u2019ve been very explosive as an offense when he\u2019s been in there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mullens completed 69% of his passes for 714 yards and four touchdowns in his two starts. That is a 6,069-yard (a\u00a0would-be NFL record), 34-touchdown season pace across 17 games.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately for Mullens and the Vikings, he also has six interceptions<\/p>\n

\u201cNick knows that the one area that we must focus on is possession of the football and not giving the football away,\u201d O\u2019Connell said. \u201cReally, on some of those weighty-type downs \u2013 third-down, two-minute \u2013 where we\u2019re kind of in that throw mode, he\u2019s got to be a great decision-maker, trusting the other 10 guys to do their jobs at a really high level.\u201d<\/p>\n

Four of Mullens\u2019 interceptions came in the loss to the\u00a0Detroit Lions\u00a0in Week 16, their Week 18 opponent.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not a matter of understanding the offense, though, as O\u2019Connell explained.<\/p>\n

\n

.@JMundt83<\/a> hauls in his first TD reception of the season. <\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcfa: @SNFonNBC<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/EDJD9tV7NH<\/a><\/p>\n

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) January 1, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n