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sports Wednesday 18 november 2020

Cousins, Vikings overcome Patterson return, beat Bears 19-13

By ANDREW SELIGMAN we're starting to figure it out
AP Sports Writer a little bit."
CHICAGO (AP) — Kirk Cous- STRUGGLING OFFENSE
ins will take a victory any With offensive coordina-
day of the week. That he fi- tor Bill Lazor calling the
nally got one on a Monday plays after Nagy handed
night didn't seem to matter. off those duties in an effort
Cousins threw for 292 yards to lift a unit that ranks near
and two touchdowns, and the bottom of the NFL, the
the Minnesota Vikings over- Bears managed 149 yards.
came a 104-yard kickoff re- It was their lowest total
turn by Chicago's Cordar- since they had 147 against
relle Patterson to beat the San Francisco on Dec. 3,
Bears 19-13. 2017.
Cousins won for the first time "We need to make sure
in 10 career Monday night that we're really honestly
starts. He hit Adam Thielen going back now and say-
with a 6-yard touchdown ing OK, what's going on,
early in the fourth quarter where are we at now that
to put Minnesota ahead by we have some time to re-
the final margin, and the Vi- ally see," Nagy said.
kings (4-5) held on for their Foles threw for 106 yards
third straight win. They also and an interception. It was
snapped a four-game los- Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins throws during the first half of an NFL football game a far cry from his previous
ing streak against Chicago against the Chicago Bears Monday, Nov. 16, 2020, in Chicago. Associated Press start against the Vikings,
(5-5). when he led Philadelphia
"Great to get a win," Cous- Cribbs and Leon Wash- the time," Patterson said. club rookie record with his past them in the NFC cham-
ins said. "We'll try to keep ington as the only players The record return was the fourth 100-yard receiving pionship game on the way
building on it now, and it'll with eight kick returns for lone bright spot for the game. to a Super Bowl title in 2018.
be so important to keep touchdowns when he ran Bears as they lost their fourth The defense did not allow Khalil Mack had his first in-
stringing these together if back the opening kickoff in a row and matched their an offensive touchdown for terception since 2018. But
we can. That's really what of the second half to give longest skid since Nagy was the first time in 20 games, the fading Bears came out
the rest of the season will Chicago a 13-7 lead. It was hired in 2018. including the playoffs, and flat again on a Monday
be all about." the longest kickoff return in Cousins completed 25 of the Vikings won for just the night; they were dominat-
Bears quarterback Nick franchise history, surpass- 36 passes with two touch- fourth time in 18 games ed by the Rams in Los An-
Foles got taken from the ing Gale Sayers' 103-yarder downs to Thielen, who has at Soldier Field since it re- geles last month. And to
field on a cart in the game's against Pittsburgh on Sept. nine on the season. His one- opened in 2003 following left tackle Charles Leno Jr.,
final minute. Coach Matt 17, 1967. handed TD grab in the first renovations. that makes it even worse.
Nagy said Foles' leg and Patterson had all the room quarter was particularly im- "It's a goofy year for every- "Disappointment," he said.
hip were being evaluated he needed as he sprinted pressive. body," said Harrison Smith, "A lot of emotions, negative
after he got slammed on up the sideline and raised Minnesota's Dalvin Cook who had an interception. emotions right now. We've
his right side by Minneso- two fingers as he closed in ran for 96 yards on 30 at- "We're starting to have a lit- got to process. We know
ta's Ifeadi Odenigbo as he on the end zone. tempts. Justin Jefferson tle bit of a feeling of how to it's two Monday Nights we
threw the ball away. "I don't know what I did, caught eight passes for 135 make our own energy and didn't perform well. It's just
Patterson joined Josh man. I was blacked out at yards and tied Randy Moss' our own confidence. I think frustrating."q

Thiem masters tiebreakers again to beat Nadal in ATP Finals

LONDON (AP) — Dominic tory over defending cham- little bit better at some key
Thiem mastered the tie- pion Stefanos Tsitsipas on moments," Nadal said.
breakers again to get the Sunday, and will be guar- "I am much more confident
better of Rafael Nadal, anteed qualification for the now with the level of ten-
beating the 20-time Grand semifinals if Tsitsipas beats nis that I am playing than a
Slam champion in straight tournament newcomer An- couple of days ago."
sets on Tuesday for a sec- drey Rublev in the evening Thiem, who described his
ond win at the ATP Finals. match. performance as one of the
Thiem clinched a 7-6 (7), Nadal, who beat Rublev in best of his career, won the
7-6 (4) win on his fifth match straight sets in their opener, first set after coming from
point in their first meeting missed a chance to qualify 5-2 down in the tiebreak-
since the Australian Open with a match to spare and er, saving two set points
quarterfinals in January, next will play Tsitsipas on in the process. There was
when the Austrian player Thursday with a semifinal high-quality shot-making
prevailed after winning place at stake. Nadal has throughout the match, but
three tiebreakers in a tight never won the ATP Finals, not least when Thiem pro- Dominic Thiem of Austria plays a return to Rafael Nadal of Spain
four-set match. which remains the biggest duced two inside-out fore- during their singles tennis match at the ATP World Finals tennis
"If I want to look for mistakes gap on his resume. hand winners in a three- tournament at the O2 arena in London, Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020.
or for things I didn't do right, Nadal credited Thiem but point span to close the Associated Press
I think I wouldn't find many," described the match as tiebreaker — the first on set ond set, Nadal saved three ing a lob from a 'tweener
Thiem said. The U.S. Open "very equal." point for Nadal at 6-7 and match points when serving that Thiem just managed
champion opened group "Both of us played at a very then to clinch the set. Af- at 5-4 and 40-0 down. He to get back before Nad-
play in the season-ending high level. He deserved to ter both players had their won five straight points in al powered a backhand
event with a three-set vic- win because he played a service broken in the sec- that game, with one includ- down the line.q