For most of Sunday’s game, the Minnesota Vikings and Las Vegas Raiders looked as though they were heading for the NFL’s first 0-0 tie since 1943.

Then Nick Mullens made his first appearance of the 2023 NFL season, and the Vikings came away with a 3-0 victory.

The former Spain Park High School star completed 9-of-13 passes for 83 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions against the Raiders.

Mullens took over for starter Joshua Dobbs with 9:10 left to play. On his first snap of the season, Mullens had a 26-yard completion, but Minnesota punted on that possession.

On the Vikings’ next possession, Mullens guided Minnesota on a 56-yard, 13-play drive that ended with Greg Joseph’s 36-yard field goal on the first play after the two-minute warning.

Mullens completed three third-down passes on the series, including a 20-yarder to wide receiver Jordan Addison to the Las Vegas 22-yard line. On the fourth third down of the drive, Minnesota ran the football before kicking the deciding field goal.

Mullens was in his second season supporting Kirk Cousins when a back injury sent the backup to injured reserve on Oct. 11, so when Cousins went down for the season with an Achilles tendon injury on Oct. 29, Mullens wasn’t available. Fifth-round rookie Jarren Hall stepped in for Cousins, but left his first start with a concussion, putting Dobbs on the field five days after he’d joined the Vikings in a trade with the Arizona Cardinals. Dobbs lifted Minnesota to a 27-19 victory over the New Orleans Saints in his Vikings’ debut. But two losses followed, with Mullens back on the active roster as the backup.

Mullens was among the 35 players from Alabama high schools and colleges (excluding Alabama and Auburn) who got on the field on the 14th Sunday of the NFL’s 104th season.

Four other former state players were involved in the Minnesota-Las Vegas game:

· Raiders running back Ameer Abdullah (Homewood) had a 12-yard run and gained 7 yards on two receptions.

· Raiders cornerback Jakorian Bennett (McGill-Toolen) made one tackle.

· Vikings running back DeWayne McBride (UAB) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.

· Raiders defensive end Malik Reed (Dothan) was designated as a game-day inactive.

In the other Sunday games:

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 29, Atlanta Falcons 25

· Falcons defensive lineman Travis Bell (Jeff Davis) made one tackle in his NFL debut. A seventh-round draft choice of Chicago on April 29, Bell was signed by Atlanta off the Bears’ practice squad on Oct. 31.

· Buccaneers cornerback Keenan Isaac (Midfield, Alabama State) was designated as a game-day inactive.

· Buccaneers wide receiver Cephus Johnson III (Davidson, South Alabama) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.

· Buccaneers guard Logan Stenberg (James Clemens) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.

Baltimore Ravens 37, Los Angeles Rams 31

· Ravens guard Tyrell Doss (Aliceville) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.

· Ravens outside linebacker Jeremiah Moon (Hoover) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.

· Michael Pierce (Daphne, Samford) started at nose tackle for the Ravens. Pierce made one tackle.

Chicago Bears 28, Detroit Lions 13

· Bears fullback Khari Blasingame (Buckhorn) had a reception that lost 3 yards.

· Bears wide receiver Velus Jones Jr. (Saraland) caught an 11-yard pass and returned two kickoffs for 51 yards. The reception was the first of the season for Jones.

· Lions defensive lineman Brodric Martin (Northridge, North Alabama) did not record any stats in his second NFL appearance.

· Bears cornerback Christian Matthew (Samford) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.

· Darnell Mooney (Gadsden City) started at wide receiver for the Bears. Mooney had two receptions for 44 yards.

Cincinnati Bengals 34, Indianapolis Colts 14

· Bengals cornerback Allan George (Andalusia) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.

· Bengals kicker Evan McPherson (Fort Payne) made all six of his attempts. After kicking four extra points, McPherson connected on field goals of 32 and 35 yards in the fourth quarter.

· Bengals cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt (Park Crossing) is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.

Cleveland Browns 31, Jacksonville Jaguars 27

· Josh Allen (Abbeville) started at weakside linebacker for the Jaguars. Allen made five tackles and recorded two tackles for loss.

· Jaguars offensive lineman Chandler Brewer (Florence) did not record any stats in his 2023 debut.

· Jaguars defensive end DJ Coleman (Jacksonville State) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.

· Browns linebacker Mohamoud Diabate (Auburn High) was designated as a game-day inactive.

· Za’Darius Smith (Greenville) started at defensive end for the Browns. Smith recorded one sack and broke up one pass.

· Browns wide receiver Austin Watkins (UAB) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.

· Darious Williams (UAB) started at cornerback for the Jaguars. Williams made two tackles, intercepted one pass and broke up two others. Williams intercepted Cleveland quarterback Joe Flacco and returned it 11 yards to the Jacksonville 42-yard line in the second quarter. Williams’ fourth interception of the 2023 season was the 10th of his career.

· Jaguars center Darryl Williams (Bessemer City) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.

· Browns defensive end Alex Wright (Elba, UAB) made one tackle.

New Orleans Saints 28, Carolina Panthers 6

· Panthers running back Spencer Brown (Mortimer Jordan, UAB) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.

· Panthers linebacker Tae Davis (Oxford) made one tackle on special teams.

· Panthers wide Jordan Matthews (Madison Academy) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.

· Saints linebacker Monty Rice (James Clemens) was designated as a game-day inactive. Rice joined New Orleans during the week as a waiver claim.

· Saints quarterback Jameis Winston (Hueytown) closed the game with a pair of kneel-downs for New Orleans.

New York Jets 30, Houston Texans 6

· Nico Collins (Clay-Chalkville) started at wide receiver for the Texans. Collins had a 13-yard reception on the second snap of the game to pass 1,000 receiving yards for the 2023 season. But Collins had to leave the game because of a calf injury.

RELATED: FORMER ALABAMA PREP STAR REACHES 1,000 RECEIVING YARDS FOR 2023 SEASON

· Texans wide receiver Tank Dell (Alabama A&M) is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.

· Jets cornerback Tae Hayes (Decatur) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.

· Texans guard Tytus Howard (Monroe County, Alabama State) is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.

· Jets defensive end Bryce Huff (St. Paul’s Episcopal) made two tackles and recorded one sack. Huff has seven sacks this season.

· Jimmie Ward (Davidson) started at safety for the Texans. Ward made seven tackles.

· Quincy Williams (Wenonah) started at linebacker for the Jets. Williams led New York with five tackles, recorded one tackle for loss and broke up one pass.

San Francisco 49ers 28, Seattle Seahawks 16

· Seahawks cornerback Mike Jackson (Spain Park) made two tackles and broke up two passes.

· Forty-Niners cornerback Darrell Luter Jr. (South Alabama) was designated as a game-day inactive.

Buffalo Bills 20, Kansas City Chiefs 17

· Chiefs defensive tackle Neil Farrell Jr. (Murphy) was designated as a game-day inactive.

· Bills cornerback Siran Neal (Eufaula, Jacksonville State) did not record any stats.

· Chiefs quarterback Chris Oladokun (Samford) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.

· Chiefs running back La’Mical Perine (Theodore) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.

· Chiefs tight end Gerrit Prince (UAB) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.

· Chiefs wide receiver Justyn Ross (Central-Phenix City) is on the Commissioner Exempt List and not eligible to play.

· Chiefs wide receiver Kadarius Toney (Blount) had three receptions for 25 yards and gained 16 yards on two rushing attempts. Toney was involved in what might have been the play of the year in the NFL late in the game. With Kansas City trailing 20-17, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes connected with tight end Travis Kelce for a 25-yard gain. With Buffalo defenders converging on him, Kelce tossed the football across the field to Toney, who sprinted to the end zone to complete a 49-yard touchdown play with 1:12 remaining. But the go-ahead touchdown was nullified because Toney had lined up in the neutral zone.

· Chiefs wide receiver Montrell Washington (Samford) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.

Denver Broncos 24, Los Angeles Chargers 7

· Gerald Everett (UAB/South Alabama) started at tight end for the Chargers. Everett had five receptions for 39 yards.

· Chargers safety A.J. Finley (St. Paul’s Episcopal) did not record any stats.

· Broncos cornerback Tremon Smith (Saks) did not record any stats.

· Chargers defensive lineman Nick Williams (Minor, Samford) recorded one tackle for loss.

Dallas Cowboys 33, Philadelphia Eagles 13

· Reed Blankenship (West Limestone) started at safety for the Eagles. Blankenship made three tackles before he left the game to be evaluated for a head injury.

· James Bradberry (Pleasant Grove, Samford) started at cornerback for the Eagles. Bradberry made five tackles.

· Zach Cunningham (Pinson Valley) started at linebacker for the Eagles. Cunningham led Philadelphia with nine tackles.

· Nicholas Morrow (Huntsville) started at middle linebacker for the Eagles. Morrow made six tackles and broke up two passes.

· Cowboys wide receiver Jalen Tolbert (McGill-Toolen, South Alabama) made a tackle on a fake punt.

· Quez Watkins (Athens) started at wide receiver for the Eagles. Watkins did not record any stats.

· Cowboys defensive end Sam Williams (Lee-Montgomery) made one tackle.

Week 14 started on Thursday night, when the New England Patriots defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 21-18.

Week 14 concludes at 7:15 p.m. CST Monday, when the Tennessee Titans and Miami Dolphins square off at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, and the Green Bay Packers and New York Giants play at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. ESPN will televise the Titans-Dolphins game, and ABC will televise the Packers-Giants contest.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.