It may be a little hard to believe, but the Vikings were a part of football history Sunday.
Minnesota joined a rare club during its 3-0 victory at Las Vegas, becoming the third team in the past 40 seasons and just the seventh in the Super Bowl Era to win a game by that score. The three-point shutout was the first in the NFL since 2007, when Pittsburgh edged Miami on Monday Night Football with a field goal with 17 seconds remaining in a game dubbed the "Mud Bowl."
Sunday's contest also was the lowest-scoring indoor game in NFL history and the Vikings 16th shutout as a team.
In a city where magic shows have been a mainstay to its entertainment scene for decades, the Vikings saved their best trick for last.
After quarterback Nick Mullens came off the bench to lead the offense midway through the fourth quarter, Minnesota broke the scoreless tie with a 36-yard field goal from Greg Joseph with 1:57 left.
A few seconds later, the ball was back in the arms of a Viking. Undrafted rookie linebacker Ivan Pace, Jr., accented his 13 tackles on the afternoon (tying a franchise record for a rookie) with his first career interception — and celebrated the pick with a Cirque du Soleil-style backflip in the end zone. Pace also added a sack in the Vikings defensive efforts that totaled four sacks and three takeaways.
Minnesota (7-6) was able to move up in a few lists but also fell back in others in this week's Power Rankings. Here's a look at where the Vikings rank heading into Week 15:
No. 17 (no change): Eric Edholm, NFL.com
[Head Coach] Kevin O'Connell did not pull the bye-week trigger on a quarterback change — but by the fourth quarter against the Raiders on Sunday, he'd seen enough, benching Joshua Dobbs for Nick Mullens. And it worked — kinda. Mullens was a more efficient thrower down the stretch, and a field goal was all Minnesota needed. … But boy, this Vikings defense is out to prove something. Ever since the Week 5 loss to the Chiefs, Brian Flores' group has been lights out. Shutouts are pretty darned rare; Minnesota's was just the fifth in the NFL this season, and there were only four in 2022. For that, the Vikings remain fascinating, warts and all.
No. 15 (down 3 spots): Pete Prisco, CBS Sports
The offense is so limited right now, but the defense got a shutout to beat the Raiders on Sunday. [The Vikings] can't count on that every week.
No. 18 (up 2 spots): Josh Kendall, The Athletic
[T.J. Hockenson] is on pace for a career season and is third among tight ends in fantasy points (111.9). He had five catches for 53 yards Sunday, which accounted for 22.9 percent of Minnesota's total yards. The Vikings, who became the second team this season to win a game in which they averaged 3.3 yards per play or fewer (joining the Falcons who beat the Jets averaging 3.0 yards per play in Week 13), are currently the NFC's No. 6 seed.
No. 19 (down 4 spots): NFL Staff, Bleacher Report
Without question, the most exciting game of Week 14 took place in Las Vegas, a thrilling back-and-forth affair between the Raiders and Minnesota Vikings.
Just kidding. The Vikings and Raiders actually played a "game" that was an affront to the sport of football — the lowest-scoring NFL game in 16 years.
It was a hideous affair, but Mullens … told reporters he'll take a win any way he can get one.
"You never know when your name is going to be called, but you prepare and work as hard as you can and trust that there's a plan out there for you," Mullens said. "I did that, stepped in. The guys did an incredible job. ... It doesn't matter what it looks like. A win is a win."
Bleacher Report NFL analyst Maurice Moton added the following:
"Based on perspective, you could say the Vikings pulled off a gritty 3-0 road win over the Raiders, but in reality, their offense has put together subpar performances going back to Week 11. Minnesota has failed to score more than 20 points in three consecutive outings. On Sunday, the Vikings benched quarterback Joshua Dobbs for Nick Mullens, who helped lead the offense into field-goal range for the game-winning kick. Because of the Vikings questions under center, they're not going to make much movement in the Power Rankings. They must address a quarterback controversy, which will significantly impact their push for a playoff spot."
No. 16 (up 2 spots): Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News
The Vikings got away with dismal offense and a QB change to Nick Mullens in Las Vegas. The ball just wasn't moving and there was a deflated feeling of losing Justin Jefferson to a new injury not long after finally getting him back. Minnesota is winning but its playoff position is precarious.
No. 19 (down 2 spots): Nate Davis, USA Today Sports
C'mon, Kevin O'Connell, free Nick Mullens – Southern Miss quarterbacks have a glorious history with the Vikes … at least for one season.
No. 14 (up 5 spots): Frank Schwab, Yahoo! Sports
It's shocking how fast the Joshua Dobbs story crashed to earth. Nick Mullens got the nod in the fourth quarter when Dobbs was benched in a 0-0 game and Mullens at least did enough to get a 3-0 win. That game was hideous but a huge win for Minnesota's playoff hopes.
