Cousins, Vikings overtake Patriots for 33-26 victory

WASHINGTON, Nov. 25 (BNA): Kirk Cousins ​​drove for 299 yards and three touchdowns, Adam Thielen’s last go-ahead score in the fourth quarter as the Minnesota Vikings edge past the New England Patriots 33-26 Thursday night.

Justin Jefferson had 139 yards and one touchdown pass from Cousins, who delivered exactly the clutch performance against a formidable defense that the Vikings (9-2) needed to bounce back from a blowout loss.

Freshman coach Kevin O’Connell also got a win bonus over Bill Belichick, who drafted him with the Patriots in 2008, according to the Associated Press.

Mack Jones passed for a career-high 382 yards and two scores to knock out a Patriots (6-5) late offense, but they ran out of steam.

The fourth quarter included two punt threes, a touchdown turnover on the Minnesota 39 and three desperation passes on a final drive that never got New England close to scoring range.

Jones found Hunter Henry for a wide open pass from 37 yards to start the second half for a 23-16 lead. Kene Nwangwu scored on a 97-yard kickoff return to hit the Vikings’ right back.

Jones—who has a 77.2 completion percentage over the last two games—seemed to have reached his tight end for the second score in the third quarter by twisting at the goal line that was swept off the field.

A reversal of the replay—Henry’s lower hand appeared to be under the ball as it bobbed briefly and fell flat on his back—forced the Patriots to be content with Nick Faulk’s fourth goal of the game.

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Another vital call headed to the Vikings a few minutes later when Pierre Strong, Jr. was called out for running into punter Ryan Wright. With a fresh set of downs, Cousins ​​and the Vikings cruised down the field for the go-ahead.

The Patriots allowed just three points in each of their last two games and brought NFL leader Matt Gooddon onto the field as the Dallas Vikings decimated him just four days earlier while Cousins ​​picked up seven sacks.

With standout left tackle Christian Darisot sidelined with a concussion, the Vikings provided plenty of extra help for Blake Brundle and put Cousins ​​in much more favorable situations with shorter drops and faster throws.

The Vikings had 231 yards in the first half, more than the Patriots had allowed in the previous two games combined.

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