Only in Vegas.
The Vikings and Raiders played to the first 3-0 game in the NFL since 2007 and just the second such final score in the past 30 years as Minnesota left Sin City with a list of concerning injuries and one big win.
Justin Jefferson was sent to the hospital by a big hit in his first game back after missing two months with a hamstring injury, quarterback Josh Dobbs was benched for Nick Mullens and the Vikings and Raiders were scoreless until Greg Joseph gave Minnesota a 3-0 lead with a 36-yard field with 1:57 left in the game.
The Raiders had a chance but rookie linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. made a diving interception with 1:52 to play to ice the victory – the first game to finish 3-0 since the Steelers beat the Dolphins 3-0 in 2007.
It is the 60th 3-0 game NFL history and it was nearly the first game in NFL history to go to overtime tied 0-0.
After Dobbs was benched early in the fourth quarter, Mullens led Minnesota on the 13-play game-winning drive. Dobbs watched from the sideline after completing just 10-of-23 passes for 67 yards. He was sacked five times for negative 47 yards. Mullens, playing just two series, was 9-of-13 for 83 yards, including 3-for-3 for 38 yards on third downs on Minnesota’s drive to set up the only score of the game.
There were 17 punts between the two teams.
Already without starting right guard Ed Ingram, who was inactive with a hip injury, the Vikings lost right tackle Brian O’Neill in the second quarter to an ankle injury and left guard Dalton Risner limped off the field in the third quarter. Risner returned, but running back Alexander Mattison didn’t return from an injured ankle in the third quarter. Wide receiver Jalen Nailor also left the game with a suspected concussion.
The Raiders out-gained the Vikings 96 yards to 88 yards in the first half. Dobbs was 5-of-11 passing for 40 yards, but because he was sacked four times for a combined loss of 37 yards, the Vikings officially had three total passing yards in the first half.
There were nine possessions in the first half and it went like this…
- Raiders punt
- Vikings punt
- Raiders punt
- Vikings punt
- Raiders punt
- Vikings missed field goal
- Raiders punt
- Vikings punt
- End of first half
The second half was just as ugly…
- Vikings punt
- Raiders fumble
- Vikings punt
- Raiders punt
- Vikings punt
- Raiders punt
- Vikings punt
- Raiders punt
- Vikings punt
- Raiders punt
- Vikings field goal
- Raiders interception
- Vikings punt
- Raiders end of game
No team entered the red zone until the Raiders did so early in the third quarter after Aidan O’Connell hit Hunter Renfrow for a 38-yard catch and run to the 11-yard line. But a holding penalty two plays later put the Raiders in a 2nd-and-19 situation and on the next play Josh Metellus forced Renfrow to fumble and Vikings rookie Mekhi Blackmon recovered the ball.
We'll take it.
đź“ş: @NFLonFOX pic.twitter.com/ZRbTagjxpw
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) December 10, 2023
At 7-6, the Vikings maintain their grip of one of the three wild-card spots in the NFC playoff race. Detroit lost to the Bears so they’re within two games of the Lions with two head-to-head matchups remaining, meaning the NFC North is still up for grabs.
But the wild-card race is very tight. The Packers (6-6) play the Giants Monday night and currently sit in the final wild-card spot. The Saints, Buccaneers, Falcons, Seahawks and Rams are all 6-7, still in the fight with four weeks to go.
Up next: Vikings at Bengals, Saturday at 12 p.m. CT.
