Vikings to start Hall at QB in crucial game vs. Packers

The Minnesota Vikings are making another change at quarterback ahead of a crucial matchup against the Green Bay Packers.

Minnesota will start fifth-round rookie Jaren Hall in Sunday's game, the team announced Thursday.

Hall made his first NFL start in Week 9 but left the game in the first quarter due to a concussion and hasn't attempted a pass since. Minnesota turned to Joshua Dobbs (four starts) and Nick Mullens (two) in the past six weeks. Mullens threw four interceptions in last week's 34-20 loss to the Detroit Lions.

"We have to maintain possession of the football," head coach Kevin O'Connell said of his decision to bench Mullens on Thursday, according to ESPN's Kevin Seifert.

The Vikings, who lost starter Kirk Cousins to a season-ending injury in October, have started four different quarterbacks this year.

Minnesota is 7-8 in 2023, having lost four of its last five. O'Connell's outfit is currently just outside the playoff picture as the No. 8 seed in the NFC. The Packers, who are also 7-8, are the conference's 10th-ranked team at the moment.

The Vikings own the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Packers, as they beat Green Bay 24-10 in Week 8 with Cousins under center.

Minnesota currently has a 28% chance of making the playoffs, according to The New York Times. That number would increase to 48% with a win over Green Bay. A loss on Sunday, however, would drop the Vikings' chances to 4%.