MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Kirk Cousins threw for 299 yards and three touchdowns, the last a go-ahead score to Adam Thielen in the fourth quarter to push the Minnesota Vikings past the New England Patriots 33-26. Justin Jefferson had 139 yards and one of the touchdown passes from Cousins in a clutch performance the Vikings needed against a formidable defense to bounce back from a blowout loss against Dallas. The Vikings are 9-2. The Patriots are 6-5. Rookie Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell got a win over Bill Belichick, who drafted him with the Patriots in 2008.

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COWBOYS-GIANTS

 

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Dak Prescott threw two touchdown passes to tight end Dalton Schultz, Ezekiel Elliott ran for a score and the Dallas Cowboys beat the New York Giants 28-20. The victory ended a three-game losing streak on the holiday for the Cowboys. Dallas moved a game ahead of the Giants in the NFC East while sweeping the season series. Rookie Peyton Hendershot ran for a 2-yard TD before directing all three of his fellow tight ends into a giant Salvation Army red kettle for a Whac-A-Mole celebration. The Giants have lost three of their past four games.

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BILLS-LIONS

 

DETROIT (AP) — Tyler Bass made a tiebreaking 45-yard field goal with 2 seconds left, lifting the Buffalo Bills to a 28-25 win over the Detroit Lions on Thursday for their second victory in five days at Ford Field. Josh Allen set up the game-winning kick by starting the drive with a 36-yard pass to Stefon Diggs and running twice for 12 yards. Buffalo has won two straight to move a half-game ahead of Miami in the AFC East. Buffalo was back in Detroit after the NFL shifted its previous home game against Cleveland to Ford Field because of a winter storm.

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WORLD CUP-UNITED STATES

 

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — The hastily assembled American squad was a ragtag group that included a mailman, a grave digger, a dishwasher and a school teacher the first time the United States faced England at the World Cup. The 1-0 upset in 1950 is often likened to the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” win over the Soviet Union at the Lake Placid Olympics as being among the biggest moments in American sports history. The disparity between the two national soccer teams isn’t nearly as wide 72 years later as England and the United States get set to play Friday in Group B. Wales plays Iran, Qatar faces Senegal and the Netherlands takes on Ecuador in other games. The tournament has already produced some shocking results, including Saudi Arabia’s win against Argentina and Japan’s upset over Germany. A win for the U.S. over England would not be on the scale of Saudi Arabia’s win, but Gregg Berhalter’s team is undoubtedly the underdog against one of the tournament favorites.