The Minnesota Vikings fell just short of victory in Week 15 against the Cincinnati Bengals. Going on the road to play on Saturday afternoon, Minnesota lost 27-24 in overtime, dropping their record to 7-7 on the season.
That game was the first start at center for Nick Mullens since the 2021 season when he made one start with the Cleveland Browns. He was solid in his performance, completing 26-of-33 passes for 303 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.
The interceptions came at bad times, as they both ended drives that could have resulted in points for the Vikings. But, head coach Kevin O’Connell came away pleased with how Mullens performed overall. As a result, he will be starting in Week 16 against the Detroit Lions in a massive matchup for the team.
“The biggest thing is Nick showed he can execute our offense and really move the football team,” O’Connell said. “I think what we’ve got to continue to work through are those plays where we don’t try to do too much”
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While O’Connell didn’t give Mullens the starter tag for the remainder of the season, he certainly executed the offense in a way the coaching staff was hoping to see against the Bengals. He was able to push the ball downfield to their best playmakers, which Minnesota has plenty of.
Rookie wide receiver Jordan Addison caught six passes for 111 yards and two touchdowns to lead the way. Justin Jefferson, who was able to finish a full game for the first time since Week 4, caught seven passes for 84 yards. Tight end T.J. Hockenson caught six passes for 63 yards as the passing offense was humming for most of the afternoon.
After winning in Week 14 3-0 over the Las Vegas Raiders, it was nice to see the Vikings’ offense get back on track against the Bengals. They are going to need to score points to keep up with the Lions, who they are chasing in the NFC North.
Mullens will be under center for that game, and barring unforeseen events, should be for the remainder of the season. He is executing the offense as O’Connell envisioned it being run and right now gives the team their best chance to win football games.
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