The Minnesota Vikings need a slew of things to happen in order to qualify for the playoffs and it begins with beating the Detroit Lions this week, an outcome they are turning back to quarterback Nick Mullens to accomplish.
It's the fifth change at starting quarterback that Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell has made since losing Kirk Cousins to a season-ending Achilles injury on Oct. 29.
Mullens replaces rookie Jaren Hall, who replaced Mullens as the starter last week before being benched in favor of Mullens at halftime of the team's 33-10 loss to the Green Bay Packers.
Mullens is 0-2 as the starter since Cousins went down. He's thrown five touchdowns against six interceptions this season, including four in the Vikes' first game against Detroit on Dec. 24.
"Nick has been very effective moving the team," O'Connell said Wednesday. "We've been very explosive as an offense when he's been in there. Nick knows the one area that we must focus on is possession of the football and not giving the football away."
Mullens threw for 113 yards and a touchdown in relief of Hall last week. O'Connell did not name a primary backup vs. the Lions, saying they're still "working through that."
Mullens will draw Detroit's starters. The Lions (11-5) have a slim shot at the No. 2 seed in the NFC and will not be resting starters at home against the Vikings, coach Dan Campbell said earlier this week.
Meanwhile, the Vikings (7-9) need to win and the following to happen in Week 18:
--Cardinals beat Seahawks;
--Bears beat Packers;
--Panthers beat Buccaneers or Falcons beat Saints
Joshua Dobbs went 2-2 as the starter after Cousins went down, throwing five TDs and five INTs in five games overall.
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