Vikings Fans Want This Man to Start at QB
Dustin Baker
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For the first time arguably since 2013, the Minnesota Vikings have uncertainty at the quarterback position inside a regular season.
Slight debate existed in 2017 when Teddy Bridgewater returned to health, but the franchise never really wavered from Case Keenum, and any quarterback “debate” was menial.
Vikings Fans Want This Man to Start at QB
But there’s a debate now, as Kirk Cousins is out for the season, and Joshua Dobbs struggled tremendously versus the Chicago Bears in Week 12. Dobbs could get the QB1 nod again, rookie Jaren Hall could take over, or veteran Nick Mullens could regain his QB2 job from the start of the season.
“I think the quarterback position needs to be evaluated to see what gives us the best chance to win. I don’t think there’s any particular timeline,” Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell told reporters Tuesday about his thought process after the loss to Chicago.
And if the decision were solely up to Vikings fans, the starting quarterback at the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 15 would be Jaren Hall.
We polled Vikings loyalists on the X app, and the pick was rather definitive: Hall in a landslide.
Approximately 69% of the fanbase wants Hall in the saddle at Sin City. The poll was unscientific, and 2,633 people responded.
Whether Hall is the starter is a different story. As the week has progressed, some Vikings fans and NFL experts have begun to believe Mullens, the QB2 from 2022 and earlier this season, will be tabbed for duty. The job was Mullens’ not that long ago, and he has every reason under the sun to reclaim the job.
O’Connell said this week that he’ll start a quarterback who fancies ball security above all else and also the man who can make Justin Jefferson the offense’s focal point. Jefferson is scheduled to play at the Raiders after missing seven games because of a hamstring injury.
Why do fans want Hall over Dobbs or Mullens? Simple — upside and the unknown. A Holy Grail fantasy suggests Hall could be an unearthed gem that guides the team to the playoffs. He played well on one drive at the Atlanta Falcons in November before succumbing to a concussion. Plus, some Vikings faithful assume the club won’t win a Super Bowl anyway, so why not “see what you have” in Hall, a rookie?
A commenter named @TheNorseSkol defended his Hall vote, “I look at it from upside. From what I’ve seen from Dobbs, he lacks arm talent and of all things doesn’t make good decisions which is surprising. Mullens is a gap filler nothing more. Playing Hall allows him to grow and the Vikings to see what they have going into next year.”
Vikings fan Adam Almsted opined, “Mullens isn’t the future and neither is Dobbs. Give the rook another shot. He drove us down the field and had a gorgeous pass. I want to see more.”
@TheAuthorsMind weighed in, “Hall, reason being … the playbook is not limited with him. You can tell with Dobbs the playcalling is limited to what they’ve practiced for that game, which hinders situational playcalling. Not to mention, even though it was only a glimpse, Hall shined in that glimpse.”
Whoever is chosen by O’Connell must feed Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. Jefferson is hungry to contribute and shove the team into the postseason, and Addison hasn’t scored a touchdown since Cousins was the quarterback.
O’Connell should have a decision by mid-to-late next week.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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