Vikings beat Raiders 3-0 in lowest-scoring NFL game in 16 years
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Minnesota and Las Vegas played the lowest-scoring NFL game in 16 years, with Greg Joseph’s 36-yard field goal with 1:57 left giving the Vikings a 3-0 victory over the Raiders on Sunday.
It was the first 3-0 game since Pittsburgh beat Miami on Nov. 26, 2007, the third in the past 40 years and the seventh in the Super Bowl era.
Joseph’s kick ensured the game wouldn’t end regulation scoreless for the first time since the New York Giants played the host Detroit Lions to a 0-0 tie on Nov. 7, 1943.
The Vikings (7-6) had just 230 total yards, and the Raiders (5-8) — losers of three in a row — were limited to 201 yards and nine first downs. Minnesota beat an AFC West opponent for the first time this season after going 0-3.
It was Minnesota’s first shutout since defeating the Packers 16-0 on Dec. 23, 2017 and the first blanking of Las Vegas since its 24-0 loss to New Orleans on Oct. 30, 2022.
Nick Mullens relieved a struggling Joshua Dobbs at quarterback and led the Vikings on their lone scoring drive. His 22-yard completion to Jordan Addison to the Raiders 20 set up Joseph’s kick.
Ivan Pace intercepted Raiders quarterback Aidan O’Connell on the next drive. The Raiders managed to get the ball back with 7 seconds remaining, but couldn’t pull off a desperation final play.
The Vikings lost wide receiver Justin Jefferson, the 2022 AP Offensive Player of the Year, in the second quarter to a chest injury. He was taken to a hospital, Fox Sports reported on its telecast. This was Jefferson’s first game back after missing the previous seven because of a hamstring injury.
Las Vegas lost running back Josh Jacobs to a knee injury in the fourth quarter. Jacobs led the NFL in rushing last season with 1,653 yards. He had rushed for more than 100 yards in two of the prior three games.
Neither team scored in the first half, the second time that happened Sunday. The Texans-Jets game also was 0-0 at intermission. According to Fox, it was the first time since October of 1998 that two games were scoreless at halftime on the same day.
Minnesota came closest to scoring, but Joseph missed a 49-yard field goal with 5:32 remaining in the half. That was the Vikings’ only first-half drive into Las Vegas territory, matching the number by the Raiders.
Las Vegas looked as if would finally break the deadlock early in the second half when Hunter Renfrow picked up 38 yards on a catch-and-run to the Vikings 11. However, Renfrow fumbled three players later, and Mekhi Blackmon recovered for Minnesota. The Vikings entered the game with a league-high 18 forced fumbles.
The game remained scoreless entering the fourth quarter, the first time that has happened since Week 17 of the 2017 season when the Cowboys and Eagles faced each other. It’s the first time the Raiders have ever been involved in such a game and the second for the Vikings — Nov. 14, 1971 against the Packers was the other.
MILESTONE SACK
Maxx Crosby became the fifth Raider to record 50 career sacks when he got to Dobbs in the second quarter. He is the first player in franchise history to get there in his first five seasons.
Crosby timed the snap perfectly to get a strong jump, forcing Vikings right tackle Brian O’Neill to hold him. Crosby fought through the hold to bring down Dobbs.
TRIBUTE TO VICTIMS
Crosby led the team onto the field carrying flags representing UNLV and law enforcement. The team had a moment of silence before kickoff to honors the three UNLV professors who were fatally shot Wednesday and two Nevada Highway Patrol officers who died after being struck by a car on Nov. 30.
INJURIES
Vikings: RB Alexander Mattison (ankle) was injured in the third quarter. ... RT Brian O’Neill (ankle) was hurt in the second quarter.
Raiders: DT Adam Butler (foot) and LB Kana’i Mauga (knee) were injured in the second quarter. Mauga had just been activated off injured reserve on Saturday. He was on IR because of a knee injury. ... C Andre James (ankle) was injured in the third quarter.
UP NEXT
Vikings: At Cincinnati on Saturday.
Raiders: Host the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday night.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl