Sam Darnold connected with a well-covered Justin Jefferson with 3:51 left for his third TD pass of the game, and the Minnesota Vikings outlasted Geno Smith and the Seattle Seahawks 27-24 to keep pace with Detroit for the top spot in the NFC.

Justin Jefferson raced across the back of the end zone, leaped to catch the pass from Sam Darnold and launched into his latest touchdown celebration after an early score for the Minnesota Vikings.

Aaron Jones and Cam Akers had touchdown runs in the second half to complement a smothering performance by the Minnesota defense, and the Vikings moved into a tie for first place in the NFC North by beating the Chicago Bears 30-12 for their seventh consecutive victory.

Sam Darnold threw for 347 yards and five touchdowns, both career highs, and the Minnesota Vikings pulled away from Kirk Cousins and the Atlanta Falcons 42-21 for their sixth straight victory.

Six division matchups and Kirk Cousins' return to Minnesota highlight a lighter Week 14 schedule.

Sam Darnold’s second touchdown pass of the second half went to Aaron Jones for Minnesota’s first lead with 1:13 left, and the Vikings rallied from 13 points down to beat the Arizona Cardinals 23-22 for their fifth straight victory.

Sam Darnold overcame four sacks and three turnovers by throwing three second-half touchdown passes, and the Minnesota defense made Indianapolis quarterback Joe Flacco’s return to the starting role a rough one as the Vikings beat the Colts 21-13.

Jake Bates kicked a 44-yard field goal with 15 seconds left to lift the Detroit Lions to a 31-29 victory that handed the Minnesota Vikings their first loss in a back-and-forth game befitting of the NFL’s strongest division.

Justin Jefferson played soccer with Vinícius Júnior in Brazil and walked the runway with pal Joe Burrow in Paris.

Sam Darnold threw three touchdown passes and Jordan Addison scored twice as the Minnesota Vikings built an early 28-point lead and hung on down the stretch to beat the Green Bay Packers 31-29.

Sam Darnold passed for 268 yards and two touchdowns against his former team, including a 97-yard strike in the second quarter to Justin Jefferson, and an attacking defense again fueled the Minnesota Vikings in a 23-17 victory over the San Francisco 49ers.

Wisconsin's Luke Fickell says he doesn't believe targeting penalties should result in automatic ejections.

Ja’Marr Chase says he and the Cincinnati Bengals are close to an agreement on a contract extension.

Some of the 18 NFL teams that missed the playoffs last year have reason to hope for much greater success this season.

Three people familiar with the deal say All-Pro wide receiver CeeDee Lamb has ended his holdout with the Dallas Cowboys by agreeing to a $136 million, four-year contract.

Contract disputes are playing a prominent role across the NFL this summer.

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones says the team remains in contact with receiver CeeDee Lamb, who is holding out while seeking a new contract.

Jordan Addison relished the start of training camp as much as anyone with the Minnesota Vikings.

Five-time All-Pro Tyreek Hill was voted the NFL’s No. 1 wide receiver by The Associated Press in a preseason survey.

CeeDee Lamb is not reporting to training camp while he waits for a new contract, a person familiar with the All-Pro wide receiver’s decision told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

Justin Jefferson earned the richest non-quarterback contract in NFL history for all his accomplishments on the field over four seasons with Minnesota.

The Minnesota Vikings and wide receiver Justin Jefferson agreed to a four-year extension that's the richest contract in the NFL for a non-quarterback.

Minnesota Vikings star wide receiver Justin Jefferson was absent on Monday when the Vikings held their first of 10 allowable organized team activities, according to a person with knowledge of the situation.

Sam LaPorta had a 2-yard touchdown catch midway through the first quarter but later limped off the field with a knee injury in the Detroit Lions' 30-20 win over the Minnesota Vikings.

Several wide receivers had milestone performances this past week, but no one could do what Amari Cooper did for the Cleveland Browns.

The Detroit Lions have clinched their first division title in 30 years.

Tee Higgins made a savvy goal-line move to score a touchdown and force overtime and Evan McPherson made a 29-yard field goal to seal a 27-24 victory for Cincinnati over the Minnesota Vikings, keeping the Bengals’ playoff hopes alive even with star quarterback Joe Burrow out for the season.

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson said he'll play this week at Cincinnati without restriction.

Minnesota and Las Vegas played the lowest-scoring NFL game in 16 years, with Greg Joseph’s 36-yard field goal with 1:57 left giving the Vikings a 3-0 victory over the Raiders.

Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson was taken to a hospital after being hit in the chest during Minnesota’s 3-0 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, but he returned to Allegiant Stadium and then flew home with the team.

Cairo Santos made a 30-yard field goal for Chicago with 10 seconds left for his fourth of the game after a miss on the opening drive, and the Bears had four interceptions of Joshua Dobbs in a defense-dominated 12-10 victory over the Minnesota Vikings.

The Minnesota Vikings have designated wide receiver Justin Jefferson for return from injured reserve.

Kirk Cousins connected with rookie Jordan Addison for two first-half touchdowns, Camryn Bynum intercepted San Francisco’s Brock Purdy twice in the fourth quarter, and the Minnesota Vikings beat the 49ers 22-17.

The Minnesota Vikings will place wide receiver Justin Jefferson on injured reserve according to a person with knowledge of the decision speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the move had not been finalized.

Patrick Mahomes threw two touchdown passes in the third quarter, one to Travis Kelce after the All-Pro tight end briefly left the game with an ankle injury, and the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Minnesota Vikings 27-20.

Minnesota Vikings star wide receiver Justin Jefferson was forced out of the game in the fourth quarter due to a right hamstring injury.

Baker Mayfield recovered from a rough start to throw two touchdown passes without a turnover in his Tampa Bay debut, and the Buccaneers beat Minnesota 20-17 after three first-half turnovers by the Vikings.

Justin Jefferson has been setting records and terrifying defenses since the Minnesota Vikings selected him in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft.

Jalen Hurts, Justin Jefferson and Patrick Mahomes are finalists for The Associated Press 2022 NFL Most Valuable Player and Offensive Player of the Year awards.

2022 NFL All-Pro Team Roster.

Travis Kelce and Justin Jefferson are unanimous choices for The Associated Press 2022 NFL All-Pro Team, and Sauce Gardner is the first rookie cornerback selected in 41 years.

Malik Nabers threw for a touchdown, caught one and had 163 yards receiving in No. 16 LSU’s 63-7 rout of Purdue in the Citrus Bowl.

Aaron Rodgers threw a touchdown pass and ran for a score, and the Green Bay Packers continued their improbable playoff push by shutting down Justin Jefferson and the Minnesota Vikings in a 41-17 blowout.

Greg Joseph kicked a career-long 61-yard field goal as time expired to give the Minnesota Vikings a 27-24 victory that prevented the New York Giants from clinching a playoff spot.

The Minnesota Vikings completed the biggest comeback in NFL history by erasing a 33-point deficit to beat the Indianapolis Colts 39-36 in overtime.

Jared Goff threw for 330 yards and three touchdowns, leading the surging Detroit Lions to a 34-23 win over the NFC North-leading Minnesota Vikings.

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.

Ron Rivera and Washington are making a habit of shocking undefeated teams.

Patrick Peterson intercepted Josh Allen with 1:12 left in overtime to finally end a sloppy, yet thrilling back-and-forth game between two of the NFL’s best teams, and the Minnesota Vikings completed their rally from a 17-point second-half deficit to beat the Buffalo Bills 33-30.

Greg Joseph kicked a 47-yard field goal with 24 seconds left and the Minnesota Vikings hung on for a 28-25 win over New Orleans at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium when the Saints’ Wil Lutz’s 61-yard tying attempt hit the left upright and then the crossbar as time expired.

Jalen Hurts threw for 333 yards and a touchdown and he ran for 57 yards and two more scores to lead the Philadelphia Eagles to a 24-7 win over the Minnesota Vikings.

Patrick Mahomes loses sleep preparing for Thursday night games.

Evan McPherson kicked a 20-yard field goal as time ran out, and the Cincinnati Bengals earned their first AFC North title and postseason appearance in six years with a wild 34-31 win over the Kansas City Chiefs.

Minnesota beat Green Bay by making sure Aaron Rodgers didn't get to touch the ball last.

(AP Photo/Butch Dill)MINNEAPOLIS – Running back Dalvin Cook is not practicing with the Minnesota Vikings this week, due to the death of his father. Cook has a younger brother, James Cook, who is a running back for Georgia. He was picked for a second straight Pro Bowl, with 1,557 rushing yards, 361 receiving yards and 17 total touchdowns in 14 games. Cook’s absence will clinch a second consecutive rushing title for Tennessee’s Derrick Henry, who has a 220-yard lead on Cook. Cook has a slim lead on Henry atop the NFL with 1,918 total yards.

They do have a sack in an NFL-record 71 straight games and have sacked Philip Rivers 15 times during seven games while he played for the Chargers. Rivers has had two or more TD passes in five straight games. He had career bests of 10 catches for 163 yards last week, and Ridley's seven 100-yard games lead the NFL. The 19 straight seasons without losing both games to a divisional opponent is an NFL record. The Jaguars have allowed at least 24 points in each of those 13 games, an NFL record.

Minnesota Vikings place kicker Dan Bailey (5) celebrates with teammates after kicking a 23-yard field goal during overtime in an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2020, in Minneapolis. The Cowboys, Panthers and Jaguars (1-11), who lost their 11th straight game, are a combined 8-27. Chase McLaughlin even had a chance to win it with a 62-yard field goal at the end of the fourth quarter that fell short. FOUR FIGURESJefferson joined Pro Football Hall of Fame member Randy Moss (1998) as the only rookies in Vikings history to reach 1,000 receiving yards. Vikings: CB Jeff Gladney (calf) and TE Brandon Dillon (ankle) each left the game.

For typical Saturday football games, that means Wednesday would be the soonest athletes would be tested. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File)Plans for the 2020 college football season if it is played should start coming into focus this week. That still needs to be worked out and other models are still being considered, including one with eight conference games and one nonconference. GROUP OF FIVEIt is not entirely fair to lump the American Athletic Conference, Mountain West, Mid-American Conference, Conference USA and Sun Belt together, but the fact is all are at the mercy of the Power Five in some way. ___Follow Ralph D. Russo at https://twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP and listen at http://www.westwoodonepodcasts.com/pods/ap-top-25-college-football-podcast/___More AP college football: https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

FILE - In this Jan. 13, 2020, file photo, LSU wide receiver Justin Jefferson (2) is tackled by Clemson during the first half of an NCAA College Football Playoff national championship game in New Orleans. The NCAA's latest guidance for playing college sports during the COVID-19 pandemic recommends testing players once a week within 72 hours of competition. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File)The NCAA football oversight committee is asking the associations Board of Governors to avoid making a decision later this week on whether to conduct fall championships as college sports tries to find a path to play through the pandemic. The board could decide to call off NCAA championship events in fall sports such as soccer, womens volleyball and lower-division football. The NCAA has no authority to postpone or cancel specific seasons, a decision that would be up to individual schools or their conferences.

LSU fans celebrate at Varsity Theatre, in Baton Rouge, La., after LSU defeated Clemson 42-25 in the NCAA College Football Playoff championship game, Monday, Jan. 13, 2020. (AP Photo/Brett Duke)NEW ORLEANS, LA – LSU coach Ed Orgeron is already thinking about what comes next for his national champions. Biltenikoff Award winner Ja'Marr Chase, who finished with a College Football Playoff record eight receptions for 218 yards and two touchdowns, is just a sophomore. For now, Orgeron wants his coaches, players and fans to celebrate LSU's first national championship in 12 years. “But it's a recruiting weekend this weekend, we'll start recruiting and get on to next year.”___More AP college football: https://apnews.com/APTop25CollegeFootballPoll and https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

There will be several erasers on the field during the College Football Playoff championship game between No. The increased emphasis on the passing game has given rise to a Golden Age of wide receivers. “You get open with your route running,” LSU receivers coach Mickey Joseph said. And with players such as Chase, Ross and Marshall returning for next season there are plenty more erasers ready to fill any void. ___Follow Ralph D. Russo at https://twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP and listen http://www.westwoodonepodcasts.com/pods/ap-top-25-college-football-podcast/___More AP college football: https://apnews.com/APTop25CollegeFootballPoll and https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

“But LSU has been good at either picking it up or Burrow identifying it and getting the ball out quickly. Mellor said Burrow was the top-graded quarterback in the country this season when facing pressure. WHEN CLEMSON HAS THE BALLOver his last seven games, Lawrence has been the highest-graded quarterback in college football by Pro Football Focus. “Avoiding those three (in coverage) is the biggest win for Clemson,” Mellor said. The LSU defensive line is huge, with three 300-pounders usually on the field at once.