49ers will go with Mullens at QB again

The San Francisco 49ers are sticking with Nick Mullens as their starting quarterback after his spectacular debut performance.

Mullens said coach Kyle Shanahan told him Tuesday that he will remain the starter for the upcoming game against the New York Giants.

“We discussed it. Obviously the situation is what it is,” Mullens said. “The team is ready to get to work and treat it like any other week.

“My preparation doesn’t change and this team’s preparation doesn’t change. We’re excited to keep things going.”

Mullens worked with the starters during a limited practice as the 49ers (2-7) prepare for the Monday night game against New York. C.J. Beathard remains in the backup role after losing the starting job because of an injured wrist.

Mullens was sharp in his debut after spending his first year-plus in the NFL on the practice squad as an undrafted free agent out of Southern Mississippi.

Mullens completed 16 of 22 passes for 262 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions for a 151.9 passer rating in a 34-3 victory over the Oakland Raiders. That’s the highest since the merger for a player in his debut with at least 20 attempts.

Mullens also joined Hall of Famers Jim Kelly (1986) and Fran Tarkenton (1961) as the only QBs to throw for at least 250 yards and three touchdowns without throwing an interception in their NFL debuts.

Roethlisberger misses practice: Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger sat out practice to give his broken left index finger a rest, but he is expected to play Thursday night when Carolina visits Heinz Field.

Roethlisberger said the finger was “fine” after he threw the ball 47 times in Sunday’s victory over Baltimore.

Giants rookie QB apologizes: New York Giants rookie quarterback Kyle Lauletta apologized a week after he was arrested for motor vehicle violations near his home in Weehawken, N.J.

According to Weehawken police accounts, Lauletta, the Giants’ fourth-round pick from Richmond, was driving his 2017 Jaguar on Oct. 30 when he was stopped for failing to obey a police officer’s order to continue driving straight.

The report said Lauletta almost hit a police officer while making an illegal turn. He was stopped by a second police officer and refused to produce a driver’s license or exit the car.

“The incident that happened is a terrible representation of who I am and what I stand for,” he said.