The Minnesota Vikings’ starting quarterback, Nick Mullens, faced a challenging outing against the Detroit Lions in Week 16, enduring four interceptions in a 30-24 defeat. While not actively playing on Monday night, Mullens became a focal point of discussion due to the struggles of San Francisco 49ers’ quarterback Brock Purdy, who threw four interceptions, took two sacks, and was eventually replaced by Sam Darnold in a 33-19 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
Social media users were quick to draw parallels between Purdy’s performance and Mullens’ previous struggles. @ProFootballTalk humorously asked, “Who does Brock Purdy think he is, Nick Mullens?” @PurpleForTheWin suggested, “Nick Mullens crawled so Brock Purdy could run,” and @tlschwerz commented, “Brock Purdy is certainly trying to make Nick Mullens feel better about his week.”
Despite the banter, Mullens statistically outperformed Purdy in Week 16, completing 61.6% of his passes for 411 yards, two touchdowns, and four interceptions, whereas Purdy completed 56.2% of his passes for 255 yards and zero touchdowns. However, Mullens faced criticism for taking four sacks against the Lions, bringing his two-week total to seven sacks.
Social media users continued to mock Mullens during Purdy’s challenging game. @cjzero sarcastically referred to Purdy’s performance as a “touching tribute to 49ers legend Nick Mullens.”
The article also highlights comments made by Vikings star wide receiver Justin Jefferson after the game, comparing Mullens to injured starter Kirk Cousins. Jefferson expressed the impact of Cousins’ absence, emphasizing his leadership and skill. Cousins has been sidelined since Week 8 but leads the NFL in passing yards per game for the season.
Jefferson clarified his remarks, stating that Nick Mullens is an outstanding player, but the team needs to build confidence and consistency. Acknowledging the challenges posed by Mullens’ shaky performances, Jefferson emphasized the need for improvement in timing and overall execution.
Ravens pick off Brock Purdy for the 4th time tonight. #RavensFlock
📺: #BALvsSF on ABC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/pkwa8SXokx pic.twitter.com/bvuYHRfC6X— NFL (@NFL) December 26, 2023
Notably, Mullens found himself in the franchise history books alongside Hall-of-Fame quarterback Warren Moon for the wrong reasons. Mullens became the second quarterback in Vikings history to record 400 yards and four interceptions in the same game, a feat previously achieved by Moon in 1994. Only 14 other quarterbacks in NFL history have accomplished this, and Mullens is the first since Jameis Winston in 2019.
The article concludes by highlighting the historical significance of Mullens’ performance and the challenges faced by the Vikings in light of his inconsistent play.
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