In his previous start for the Minnesota Vikings, quarterback Nick Mullens threw for 411 yards in a 30-24 loss to the Detroit Lions on Dec. 24.

Mullens returned to the starting lineup on Sunday, and the Vikings’ opponent for their season finale was Detroit – and Mullens almost got to 400 passing yards again.

The former Spain Park High School star completed 30-of-44 passes for 396 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions in a 30-20 loss to the playoff-bound Lions.

Mullens threw a 38-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Justin Jefferson with 20 seconds left in the third quarter and a 42-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jordan Addison with 13:22 remaining in the game.

Mullens has had 5,662 passing yards in his 20 NFL starts. Only three NFL players have had more at that point in their careers – Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert and Kurt Warner.

Mullens was among the 39 players from Alabama high schools and colleges (excluding Alabama and Auburn) who got on the field on the final Sunday of the NFL’s 104th season.

Two other former state players were involved in the Minnesota-Detroit game:

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

· Lions defensive tackle Brodric Martin (Northridge, North Alabama) was designated as a game-day inactive.

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In the other Sunday games:

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 9, Carolina Panthers 0

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

· Panthers linebacker Tae Davis (Oxford) did not record any stats.

· Buccaneers cornerback Keenan Isaac (Midfield, Alabama State) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.

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

· Panthers wide Jordan Matthews (Madison Academy) 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.

Cincinnati Bengals 31, Cleveland Browns 14

· Bengals defensive tackle Travis Bell (Jeff Davis) was designated as a game-day inactive.

· Mohamoud Diabate (Auburn High) started at linebacker for the Browns. Diabate made one tackle in his first NFL start.

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

· Evan McPherson (Fort Payne) made his five kicks – a 45-yard field goal and four extra points.

· Browns defensive end Za’Darius Smith (Greenville) dressed for the game but did not play with Cleveland’s playoff position already set.

· Cam Taylor-Britt (Park Crossing) started at cornerback for the Bengals. Taylor-Britt made two tackles.

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

· Alex Wright (Elba, UAB) started at defensive end for the Browns. Wright made six tackles, recorded one sack, registered two tackles for loss and forced a fumble in his first start of the season. The Bengals recovered the fumble.

New York Jets 17, New England Patriots 3

· Jake Andrews (Stanhope Elmore, Troy) started at left guard for the Patriots. It was the first start of the rookie’s NFL career.

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

· Jets defensive end Bryce Huff (St. Paul’s Episcopal) made two sacks and registered four quarterback hits. Huff reached 10 sacks without starting a game for New York this season.

· Patriots cornerback Marcus Jones (Enterprise, Troy) is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.

· Quincy Williams (Wenonah) started at linebacker for the Jets. Williams led New York with eight tackles.

New Orleans Saints 48, Atlanta Falcons 17

· Saints linebacker Monty Rice (James Clemens) was designated as a game-day inactive.

· Saints quarterback Jameis Winston (Hueytown) took New Orleans’ final offensive snap. The Saints lined up in the victory formation at the Atlanta 1-yard line. But instead of kneeling down as directed by the New Orleans coaches, Winston handed off to running back Jamaal Williams, who scored his only touchdown of the season with 70 seconds to play. The touchdown prompted an angry reaction from Falcons coach Arthur Smith when he met Saints coach Dennis Allen on the field after the game.

Tennessee Titans 28, Jacksonville Jaguars 20

· Josh Allen (Abbeville) started at outside linebacker for the Jaguars. Allen made five tackles, recorded one sack and registered two quarterback hits. Allen finished the season with a career-high 17.5 sacks.

· Jaguars offensive lineman Chandler Brewer (Florence) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.

· Titans defensive tackle Shakel Brown (Troy) is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.

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

· Eric Garror (McGill-Toolen) started at defensive back for the Titans. Garror made two tackles.

· Titans offensive lineman Chris Hubbard (UAB) is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.

· Titans offensive lineman Lachavious Simmons (Selma) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.

· Darious Williams (UAB) started at cornerback for the Jaguars. Williams made two tackles.

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

Seattle Seahawks 21, Arizona Cardinals 20

· Mike Jackson (Spain Park) started at left cornerback for the Seahawks. Jackson made five tackles.

· Starling Thomas V (Ramsay, UAB) started at cornerback for the Cardinals. Thomas made five tackles and broke up one pass.

Green Bay Packers 17, Chicago Bears 9

· Khari Blasingame (Buckhorn) started at fullback for the Bears.

· Packers wide receiver Grant DuBose (Park Crossing, Miles) was designated as a game-day inactive. Green Bay had elevated DuBose from its practice squad to make him eligible to play, then did not use him.

· Packers cornerback Zyon Gilbert (Jeff Davis) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.

· Bears wide receiver Velus Jones Jr. (Saraland) returned four kickoffs for 113 yards.

· Bears cornerback Christian Matthew (Samford) did not record any stats. Chicago elevated Matthew from its practice squad to make him eligible to play.

· Bears wide receiver Darnell Mooney (Gadsden City) was designated as a game-day inactive. Mooney missed the final two games of the season because of a concussion.

· Packers offensive tackle Kadeem Telfort (UAB) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.

Kansas City Chiefs 13, Los Angeles Chargers 12

· Gerald Everett (UAB/South Alabama) started at tight end for the Chargers. Everett caught a 4-yard pass before leaving with a knee injury.

· Chiefs defensive end Neil Farrell Jr. (Murphy) recorded one tackle for loss and broke up a pass.

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

· Chiefs quarterback Chris Oladokun (Samford) dressed for the game but did not play. Kansas City elevated Oladokun from its practice squad to make him eligible to play.

· La’Mical Perine (Theodore) started at running back for the Chiefs. Perine ran for 76 yards on 21 carries and caught three passes for 33 yards. Perine reached career highs for rushing attempts, rushing yards, receptions and receiving yards. Nine of Perine’s rushing yards came on a fake in punt formation on fourth-and-5 at the 50-yard line and led to a field goal.

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

· Justyn Ross (Central-Phenix City) started at wide receiver for the Chiefs. Ross caught two passes for 17 yards.

· Chiefs wide receiver Kadarius Toney (Blount) was designated as a game-day inactive. Hip and ankle injuries kept Toney off the field for the third game in a row.

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

· Chargers defensive tackle Nick Williams (Minor, Samford) was designated as a game-day inactive. Williams missed the final two games of the season because of a shoulder injury.

Las Vegas Raiders 27, Denver Broncos 14

· Raiders running back Ameer Abdullah (Homewood) had a 7-yard reception.

· Raiders cornerback Jakorian Bennett (McGill-Toolen) did not record any stats.

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

New York Giants 27, Philadelphia Eagles 10

· Reed Blankenship (West Limestone) started at safety for the Eagles. Blankenship made five tackles and intercepted one pass. Blankenship got his third interception of the season in the end zone with 55 seconds left in the first half before leaving the game with a groin injury.

· James Bradberry (Pleasant Grove, Samford) started at cornerback for the Eagles. Bradberry made four tackles and broke up one pass.

· Eagles linebacker Zach Cunningham (Pinson Valley) made five tackles.

· Giants cornerback Cor’Dale Flott (Saraland) broke up one pass.

· Nicholas Morrow (Huntsville) started at middle linebacker for the Eagles. Morrow led the Philadelphia defense with 10 tackles, including one behind the line of scrimmage, and also made a tackle on special teams.

· Giants defensive lineman Rakeem Nunez-Roches (Central-Phenix City) made one tackle.

· Quez Watkins (Athens) started at wide receiver for the Eagles. Watkins had eight receptions for 93 yards and one touchdown. Watkins entered the game with seven receptions for 49 yards in the 2023 season. He scored on a 16-yard pass from Marcus Mariota with 10:15 left to play.

Los Angeles Rams 21, San Francisco 49ers 20

· Forty-Niners cornerback Darrell Luter Jr. (South Alabama) made four tackles.

Dallas Cowboys 38, Washington Commanders 10

· Commanders safety Jeremy Reaves (South Alabama) is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.

· Trent Scott (Lee-Huntsville) started at right offensive tackle for the Commanders.

· Jalen Tolbert (McGill-Toolen, South Alabama) started at wide receiver for the Cowboys. Tolbert had two receptions for 8 yards and one touchdown. Tolbert caught a 3-yard pass from quarterback Dak Prescott for the first points of the game with 6:26 remaining in the first quarter.

· Cowboys defensive end Sam Williams (Lee-Montgomery) made three tackles and shared a sack.

Buffalo Bills 21, Miami Dolphins 14

· Tyreek Hill (West Alabama) started at wide receiver for the Dolphins. Hill had seven receptions for 82 yards and one touchdown. Hill led the NFL in receiving yards during the 2023 season with 1,799 on 119 catches. His 13th TD reception came on a 3-yard thrown by quarterback Tua Tagovailoa as Miami took a 14-7 lead with 1:43 left in the first half.

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

Week 18 started on Saturday, when the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Baltimore Ravens 17-10 and the Houston Texans defeated the Indianapolis Colts 23-19.

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