Vikings full of praise for rookie quarterback Jaren Hall's unexpected debut

GREEN BAY, WIS. – Quarterback Jaren Hall, the fifth-round rookie out of Brigham Young, got eight weeks to see how 35-year-old veteran Kirk Cousins meticulously prepares for an opponent.

After Cousins suffered an Achilles injury in Sunday's 24-10 victory over the Packers, Hall took over the offense — a role he might keep for at least another week when the Vikings (4-4) play the Falcons (4-4) in Atlanta. The 25-year-old Hall may need to quickly apply the lessons he has learned in his short time in Minnesota.

"The preparation," said Hall, who completed three of four throws for 23 yards while playing 11 snaps. "Kirk loves this game. He gives everything to this game, and you hear it every time he addresses the team, every time we're in meetings, the questions he asks and things he wants to make clear before we go out."

Coach Kevin O'Connell didn't want to name a starting quarterback right away, saying backup quarterback Nick Mullens' health will be a factor. But Mullens, who was placed on injured reserve Oct. 11 due to a low back strain, isn't eligible to return until missing a minimum four games; he missed his third game on Sunday in Green Bay.

"[Mullens' health] is why I don't want to commit one way or the other," O'Connell said, "cause we've been kind of allowing Nick to rehab and he's done a really nice job. He's getting stronger. I imagine he'll be a real possibility for us."

Hall had ups and downs in his brief playing time at Lambeau Field, where he went from watching a 24-10 blowout in the fourth quarter to suddenly taking snaps from center Garrett Bradbury on the sideline while Cousins hobbled to the medical tent.

"Didn't have a lot of time to think about it," Hall said. "Just let the preparation and time before that kick in, and just try to soak it all in."

Bradbury hadn't worked much with Hall during practices because Mullens had been the backup quarterback throughout training camp.

"But I was telling all the guys on the sideline, really impressed with how he commanded the huddle," Bradbury said. "Obviously with being so used to '8' being in there."

Quarterback Sean Mannion, the 31-year-old journeyman who re-signed with the Vikings practice squad on Oct. 11 when Mullens was placed on IR, also had praise for the rookie.

"You can tell he's comfortable in the system," Mannion said. "I know he's just a rookie, but he's wise beyond his years in a football sense."

On his third play, Hall was sacked by Preston Smith and fumbled. Smith recovered it at the Vikings 15. But Green Bay was unable to score after Love was sacked for a 7-yard loss on second down and then turned it over on downs when he was tackled short of the sticks on fourth-and-16.

With less than five minutes in the game, Hall's third-down throw to tight end T.J. Hockenson over the middle for a first down led to the Packers using their last two timeouts.

"Big in the landscape of time and forcing them to use their timeouts," O'Connell said. "Every single offensive player told me he was very good with his communication, snap counts, cadence, all the things ... you don't normally give a second thought to when Kirk's in there."