Vikings rookie QB Kellen Mond makes an unexpected NFL debut in relief of Sean Mannion

GREEN BAY, WIS. – Rookie quarterback Kellen Mond's NFL debut was not by design at the end of the Vikings' 37-10 loss to the Packers on Sunday night.

Mond spelled quarterback Sean Mannion — who started for Kirk Cousins after he had a positive COVID-19 test — for a three-play series that saw Mond nearly throw an interception on third down.

The third-round rookie was only playing because Mannion had cramping in his hands.

"Which is unusual," said Mannion, who returned and finished the game. "I've never had an issue with cramps. I try to drink more than a gallon of water every day, so it's kind of bizarre. Thankfully, I think I only missed the one series, but it was a fluky cramping situation."

Mond completed two of three passes for 5 yards, his first NFL throws because Mannion suddenly had trouble gripping the ball in the 11-degree weather. Mannion finished completing 22 of 36 passes for 189 yards and a touchdown.

"If it was anywhere else," Mannion said, "I could've probably figured out a way to manage it. But I was chugging all the stuff — pickle juice — everything they're giving me on the sideline, desperately. I want to stay in the game for every snap."

Mond's third and final pass was nearly picked by Packers linebacker Krys Barnes. Don't expect to see Mond again this season, should coach Mike Zimmer have his way. Zimmer was asked whether he'd want to evaluate Mond in the regular-season finale against the Bears with the Vikings (7-9) eliminated from playoff contention.

"Not particularly," Zimmer said.

Why not?

"I see him every day," Zimmer said.

Receiver Dan Chisena avoided disaster when officials picked up a flag for interfering with the Packers punt returner in the first quarter, ruling Chisena was pushed into the returner. But the Vikings' coverage team wasn't so lucky in the third quarter, when Packers receiver David Moore found a seam on a 22-yard return.

Cornerback Tye Smith, elevated from the practice squad, cost them another 15 yards with a low tackle on the sideline flagged for unnecessary roughness. Moore's 22-yard punt return is Green Bay's longest of the season.

But kicker Greg Joseph drilled an impressive 51-yard field goal in frigid temperatures, marking his seventh conversion from at least 50 yards away this season. Joseph has the most 50-yard field goals by a Vikings kicker since Blair Walsh's 10 in 2012. Joseph, a restricted free agent this spring, has made 32 of 37 field goals [86.5%].

Center Garrett Bradbury had the Vikings' second-longest catch of the night when he scooped up a pass jarred out of the hands of tight end Tyler Conklin. Bradbury ran for most of the 21-yard gain, marking the longest catch by an offensive lineman in franchise history. It's the longest by an NFL lineman since the Falcons' Ty Sambrailo had a 35-yard catch during the 2019 season.

"It's nice to be on the receiving end of some fluky, good-luck plays like that," Mannion said.

On the next play, Mannion threw his first NFL touchdown pass with a 14-yard toss to receiver K.J. Osborn.