Nick Mullens interception Bengals Vikings field goal opportunity

Vikings quarterback Nick Mullens makes a costly mistake in Week 15 game, leading to wild interception by Bengals' B.J. Hill.

In the words of Kenny Rogers, sometimes you've got to know when to hold 'em and know when to fold 'em. In the final two minutes of the first half of the Vikings and Bengals' Week 15 matchup, quarterback Nick Mullens found himself in a tough spot.

Making his first start of the season, Mullens and the Minnesota offense were looking to add to their 7-3 lead before halftime. With a timeout in their pocket and positioned on the Bengals' 16-yard line, the Vikings were in a good position to at least secure a field goal. However, things didn't go as planned.

Mullens was sacked on the second-and-1 play, forcing the Vikings to use their final timeout with 31 seconds left in the half. On third down, Mullens dropped back and, under pressure, attempted to throw the ball away to stop the clock. Unfortunately, he was already on his way down and the ball ended up in the hands of Bengals defensive tackle B.J. Hill for a surprising interception.

While Mullens' decision to stop the clock and attempt to get the field goal unit on the field was understandable, the wiser play would have been to hold onto the ball and take the sack. The Bengals were unable to capitalize on the turnover, but it erased a prime opportunity for the Vikings.

This interception marked Mullens' second of the half, both occurring in the red zone. For Hill, it was his second interception in as many weeks, following his pick off Gardner Minshew of the Colts in Week 14.