Minnesota Vikings finally make a QB decision for Week 17
By Adam Patrick
![Minnesota Vikings rookie quarterback Jaren Hall Minnesota Vikings rookie quarterback Jaren Hall](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_6524,h_3669,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/GettyImages/mmsport/63/01hjrwwjas0yzde55zq8.jpg)
For the second time this season, rookie quarterback Jaren Hall will get the opportunity to start under center for the Minnesota Vikings.
The Vikings announced on Thursday that Hall will be the team's starting signal-caller for their upcoming Week 17 matchup against the Green Bay Packers inside U.S. Bank Stadium.
Minnesota is hoping their rookie quarterback can do enough to lead them to a playoff appearance by helping them get wins in their final two games of the regular season.
Minnesota Vikings rookie QB Jaren Hall has a great opportunity vs. the Green Bay Packers
Earlier this year, Hall had the chance to start in Week 9 against the Atlanta Falcons after Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins tore his Achilles in the team's previous game.
Unfortunately, the rookie's day was cut short against Atlanta after he suffered a concussion during Minnesota's second offensive drive of the matchup.
Since then, Hall has been waiting for his next opportunity, and now he's getting one this weekend against a Packers team that has one of the weakest defenses in the entire NFL.
Last week, Green Bay allowed Carolina Panthers rookie quarterback Bryce Young to throw for 312 yards and two touchdowns.
Before the game against the Packers, Young's previous single-game high this season was 247 yards.
This performance also came a week after Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield finished with a perfect 158.3 passer rating in a win over Green Bay.
In addition to the Packers' defense playing poorly in the last few weeks, they will also be without their top cornerback, Jaire Alexander, for Sunday's matchup against the Vikings.
Alexander was suspended for one game by Green Bay on Wednesday for conduct detrimental to the team.
So Hall has a lot of things in his favor heading into Sunday's game in Minnesota, including the opportunity to throw to Vikings All-Pro wide receiver Justin Jefferson, something he didn't get to do during his start against the Falcons in Week 9.
Will the switch to Hall prove to be the right decision for the Vikings, or will Sunday's game against the Packers just be another reminder that Minnesota's season essentially ended when Cousins tore his Achilles in Week 8?
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