3 Vikings most to blame for demoralizing beatdown against rival Packers
After an 0-3 start, it looked like the Minnesota Vikings had absolutely no shot at coming close to the playoffs in the 2023-24 season. The team then winning six of their next seven put them in a great position to get to the playoffs for the second year in a row. Losses in five of their last six have virtually put an end to that, with their most recent loss at home against the Green Bay Packers likely being the nail in their coffin.
The Vikings overcame a lot, most notably a season-ending injury to quarterback Kirk Cousins and an injury that kept superstar wideout Justin Jefferson on the sidelines for two months. They deserve some praise for being competitive, but losing in the fashion that they did to essentially end their season against their division rivals is unaccepable.
The Vikings are technically still alive, but would need a lot of help to get to the playoffs. With this loss likely being what keeps them out, here are three members of their organization who should be blamed.
3) Vikings quarterback Jaren Hall looked completely overmatched
Ever since the injury to Kirk Cousins, the Vikings have been scrambling trying to find their replacement. Jaren Hall earned the first crack as Cousins' replacement, but he suffered a concussion in the first quarter of his first NFL start in Atlanta, so Minnesota turned to Joshua Dobbs.
Dobbs looked like their savior at the quarterback position after they had acquired him for just a sixth-round pick at the trade deadline. He led them to wins over Atlanta and New Orleans, but saw his play take a turn for the worst, leading to his eventual benching. Nick Mullens was next, but he didn't fare much better than Dobbs, so Hall was really their last resort.
The 2023 fifth-round pick showed why he was selected in the fifth-round by playing one of the worst halves of football this season. He completed just five of his ten passes for 67 yards, to go along with an interception and a fumble. Both of his turnovers led to Packers points, and Minnesota was down 23-3 at halftime when Hall was removed from the game.
Mullens would come in to replace him and at least get the Vikings a touchdown. In all likelihood all three of their healthy quarterbacks lose this game, but the Vikings' rookie looked completely overwhelmed against a Packers defense that did not even have Jaire Alexander.