Vikings bench QB Jaren Hall for Nick Mullens after halftime vs. Green Bay - ESPN

MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Vikings' quarterback carousel continued turning into Sunday night's game against the Green Bay Packers.

With the team trailing 23-3 at halftime, veteran Nick Mullens replaced rookie Jaren Hall. Mullens drove the Vikings to the Packers' 9-yard line on his first possession before they turned the ball over on downs.

In his second career start, Hall completed 5 of 10 passes for 67 yards and had two turnovers — one interception and one lost fumble. Needing victories Sunday night and in Week 18 against the Detroit Lions, coach Kevin O'Connell was not in position to see if Hall could get more comfortable.

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Mullens had started the Vikings' previous two games, both losses, throwing for 714 yards and four touchdowns but also throwing six interceptions. A seventh interception was reversed because of a penalty and a potential eighth was dropped. In deciding to give Hall the start Sunday, O'Connell said: «We have to maintain possession of the football.»

Mullens reacted with candor and sincerity to the demotion, as brief as it turned out to be.

«I totally understand,» Mullens said Friday. «To me, it's pretty cut-and-dry. If I turn the ball over, I'm probably not going to be in the game. I feel like I let the team down and that sucks.»

Hall, a fifth-round pick in the 2023 draft, was Kirk Cousins' backup in Week 8 when Cousins ruptured his right Achilles tendon. He made one start, in Week 9 at the Atlanta Falcons, but departed after suffering a concussion in the first quarter.

Joshua Dobbs, acquired from the Arizona Cardinals after Cousins' injury, replaced Hall and started the Vikings' next four games before giving way to Mullens, who had entered the season as the Vikings' No. 2 quarterback but