Prior to Sunday’s game versus the Chicago Bears, there was an expectation that the Minnesota Vikings would pull their starters during the game and the Vikings did just that after halftime. Kirk Cousins hit wide receiver K.J. Osborn for a 66-yard connection on the teams’ opening drive and then followed that up with a touchdown to wide receiver Adam Thielen.
After going up 16-6 at the end of the first half, head coach Kevin O’Connell pulled his starters as the second half commenced. The decision allowed O’Connell to ensure his starters would stay healthy with the playoffs right around the corner, but it also allowed for the Vikings coaching staff to get a look at the backups.
Here’s a look at some of the backups who played today and how they fared.
Nick Mullens
The Vikings traded for quarterback Mullens at the end of the preseason to be the primary backup for Cousins this season. Thankfully, the only time Mullens has seen the field is in garbage time and not due to a Cousins injury.
He stepped in during the second half Sunday versus the Bears and threw for 116 yards and one interception while completing 84 percent of his passes (11 of 13). The performance was about what you’d expect from a backup quarterback in a meaningless game. Mullens proved that in a pinch he could come and keep this offense running effectively.
Mattison with his second TD of the day for #Vikings. They're up 22-6, PAT pending. Good-looking drive orchestrated by Nick Mullens.
— Chris Tomasson (@christomasson) January 8, 2023
Jalen Nailor
The Vikings rookie wide receiver has quietly put together two good games to round out the end of the Vikings’ season. Last week against the Green Bay Packers, he hauled in his first career touchdown reception. On Sunday versus the Bears, he caught four passes for 62 yards.
With players like Justin Jefferson, K.J. Osborn and Adam Thielen ahead of you on the depth chart, it’s difficult to get many opportunities. This season, Nailor has shown flashes when he’s had opportunities. He is still a young player and barring injury, he won’t be playing consistent snaps on this Vikings offense. As he continues to develop, Nailor could find himself as a weapon the Vikings utilize in 2023.
Patrick Jones II
The Vikings drafted Jones II in the third round of the 2021 NFL draft with the hopes of developing him. Through two seasons, Jones II has continued to show flashes. He’s a player who has good speed and burst which can make him a problem for teams, especially as a rotational player.
On Sunday’s game against the Bears, Jones II made his presence felt. He had four tackles and one sack. He’s played sparingly on defense throughout the season and has been a player that Vikings coaches know they can trust and proved that again on Sunday. While Jones II won’t see an increase in playing time barring injury, his development is right on par with what you’d like to see from a second-year player. Jones II is another player to keep an eye on in 2023, after another offseason of training and crafting his skill.
Chris Reed
All eyes were on Reed this week after last week’s abysmal performance in Green Bay when he was thrust into the starting role after backup center Austin Schlottmann went down with a broken ankle. This week, the Vikings put an emphasis on getting Reed up to speed in case starting center Garrett Bradbury isn’t ready for the Wild Card round. Left tackle Christian Darrisaw is more confident in Reed moving forward.
“I felt like we had a dominant performance (Sunday). We came in looking today to built that chemistry, and I feel we got that done.”
The extra practice appeared to have paid off for the Vikings and Reed. There was a noticeable difference on offense with Reed under center this week and it appeared that Cousins was more comfortable as well. The best-case scenario for the Vikings was that there weren’t any miscues and there weren’t on Sunday against the Bears. This should give the Vikings coaching staff plenty of confidence as they prepare for their playoff matchup against the Giants. Whether it’s Bradbury or Reed, the Vikings are in good hands.
Alexander Mattison
The Vikings had a minor scare in Sunday’s game against the Bears when starting running back Dalvin Cook left the game and was being checked out for an injury. Mattison came in and showed again that he is a capable running back and could likely get a starting opportunity elsewhere if given the chance.
Countless times this season when Mattison has taken the field for the Vikings, he’s played with a level of energy that we haven’t seen from him in previous seasons. Mattison showed off his power and shiftiness against the Bears as he scampered for 54 yards on 11 carries with two touchdowns. Regardless of Cook’s status for the Vikings’ first playoff game, Mattison can step into the starting role if need be and the offense will not miss a beat.
ALEXANDER MATTISON FROM A YARD OUT TOUCHDOWN VIKINGS #skol
pic.twitter.com/Ky23l6X3oz— RetroMinnesota (@RetroMinnesota) January 8, 2023
