Quarterback Nick Mullens will make his second start for the Vikings on Sunday against the Lions, coach Kevin O’Connell announced on Monday.
O’Connell liked enough of how Mullens operated the offense in Saturday’s 27-24 overtime loss in Cincinnati, where Mullens became the team’s first 300-yard passer since Oct. 23. He kick-started the passing game, but two interceptions — adding to the Vikings’ 30th-ranked turnover rate — stayed on O’Connell’s mind.
“I thought Nick did a lot of really good things,” O’Connell said Monday. “All positive things and Nick knows we also need to try to eliminate those critical, critical errors where we turn the ball over in the red zone with chances for points.”
Quarterback decisionmaking is a priority at TCO Performance Center in Eagan this week after Mullens threw picks from the Bengals’ 22- and 14-yard lines in a three-point loss. The first was a forced pass to receiver Justin Jefferson on third-and-9.
“It’s just managing those situations and understanding the value of that play,” O’Connell said. “That’s the critical thing when you look at what three or six more points would’ve looked like on Saturday, could’ve been the difference between not even going to overtime.”
The second was a fumble-like interception where Mullens tried to throw the ball away on third down while getting sacked, and instead Bengals defensive tackle B.J. Hill corralled the loose ball.
“A classic case of a guy trying to do too much,” O’Connell added. “A very poor decision. Those are the things you have to manage the situation as the quarterback out there, understanding we’ve got a three-point opportunity for Greg [Joseph] no matter what as long as we maintain possession.”
Only the Browns (30) and Jets (28) have more turnovers than the Vikings’ 26 this season.
And the Vikings are 1-7 when their opponent has more takeaways. While the passing game came back to life under Mullens, he can’t afford the same issues as his predecessors.
“A lot of positive and things we can build on,” O’Connell said. “There will always be those coachable moments that we’ve got to find a way to limit those turnovers because we know what that stat looks like when we lose the turnover battle.”