MINNEAPOLIS -- Carson Palmer, still in full pads and uniform, sat motionless in front of his cubicle deep inside Minnesotas stadium long after another disheartening defeat.The Arizona Cardinals, coming off an NFC runner-up finish with all kinds of star power on both sides of the ball, have stunned themselves with their underperformance in this steadily spoiling season.Xavier Rhodes took back one of his two interceptions 100 yards for a touchdown and Cordarrelle Patterson returned the second-half kickoff 104 yards for a score for the Vikings in a 30-24 victory over the Cardinals on Sunday that stopped their four-game losing streak.We have some situations where we made it a lot tougher on ourselves, said Larry Fitzgerald, the Minneapolis native who fell to 0-5 in his hometown. The mindset is not going to change. Were still in the thick of it.The schedule isnt going to get easier. The Cardinals (4-5-1) have four road games remaining.Palmer, who passed for 198 yards and two scores, was off the mark for much of the afternoon and had no time to find anyone on the final two possessions. The Vikings sacked him four times and the Cardinals netted only 27 yards after halftime.Youre on the road in a tough environment, Palmer said, and this one we really wanted, really needed.The Vikings (6-4) faced the same urgency, though. They held onto their first-place tie with Detroit in the NFC North, with a rematch against the Lions looming in four days. After scoring twice each on defense and special teams during their NFL-best 5-0 start, the Vikings failed to produce a return touchdown over their last four games until this breakthrough.The Cardinals climbed within six with David Johnsons third-down catch with 7:24 remaining. The Vikings revved up their pass rush, though, and sealed the critical victory.I dont know if its an exhale. It definitely gives you a little bit of confidence, gets things back feeling normal a little bit, defensive end Brian Robison said. We needed that one.Takeaways from the game:DUAL-THREAT DAVID: The Vikings have been vulnerable against versatile running backs, and Johnson is as good as they get. He rushed for 103 yards and a score and tacked on 57 yards and a touchdown receiving, giving him 10 straight games with 100-plus yards from scrimmage.Johnson was resting on the sideline in favor of Andre Ellington during the drive late in the second quarter that ended with the end-zone interception by Rhodes.He had just had two long drives, coach Bruce Arians said. Andre needs to play too.ABOUT THAT INTERCEPTION: The Cardinals argued to no avail that John Brown was being held by Captain Munnerlyn before Rhodes picked off Palmer . Brown said Palmer made a great throw that he wouldve caught without the contact, but he had barely turned around when the ball was in the air.Im sure well turn that into the league, Palmer said, and Im sure theyll come back and say it was holding.While Arians was not in the mood to discuss the officiating at all after the game, his son Jake -- who kicked for the Buffalo Bills in 2001 -- sent out a tweet with an obscenity directed at the NFL and its officials.SPECIAL PERFORMANCE: In addition to the touchdown from Patterson , the fifth of his career to match Percy Harvin for most in team history, the Vikings also benefited from a 72-yard punt from Jeff Locke that pinned the Cardinals at their 13 with 2:20 left, a 23-yard punt return by Marcus Sherels that set up their first touchdown and three extra points and a 27-yard field goal from new kicker Kai Forbath.That was enough to render moot a blocked extra point.Pattersons celebration wasnt quite as smooth as his return. He accidentally knocked a fans drink over in the process of jumping into the seats.Im going have to owe that person, Patterson said. So if he finds me, just let me know. Two beers next time I see him.The Vikings are the first team since the 1962 Dallas Cowboys to have a 100-yard interception return touchdown and a 100-plus yard kickoff return touchdown in the same game. The Cowboys Amos Marsh had a 101-yard kickoff return touchdown and Mike Gaechter had a 100-yard interception return touchdown in Dallas 41-19 win over Philadelphia.MORE THAN A THIELEN: Sam Bradford went 20 for 28 for 169 yards and no interceptions for the Vikings, with a touchdown pass on their first drive to Adam Thielen that was originally ruled incomplete but overturned when the Vikings successfully challenged that he landed both feet in bounds.With Patrick Peterson following Stefon Diggs, holding him to 35 yards on five catches, Thielen and Patterson became the go-to targets for Bradford. Thielen, who went undrafted out of NCAA Division II Minnesota State, has become a sure-handed safety blanket in Bradfords first season with the Vikings with 518 yards and three scores. Asked if hed heard of Thielen before arriving in Minnesota, Bradford blushed.Can I choose not to answer that one? he said, smiling.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL---Follow Dave Campbell on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/DaveCampbellAP Nike Vapormax Canada . "Thank you for the warm welcome," Beckham said on an 80-degree February morning. In this case, it was soccer weather. The sport moved a step closer to returning to South Florida on Wednesday, when Beckham confirmed he has exercised his option to purchase a Major League Soccer expansion franchise in Miami. Cheap Nike Vapormax Canada . After Gasquet beat fifth-seeded Ivan Dodig of Croatia 7-5, 6-3, Tsonga followed up with a 6-7 (3), 6-2, 6-2 win against sixth-seeded Edouard Roger-Vasselin in an all-French match. http://www.vapormaxcanada.com/ . What general manager Dave Nonis called "short and productive" negotiations ended with Kessel signing a US$64-million, eight-year contract on Tuesday. Nike Vapormax Clearance . -- Matt Kuchar and Harris English ran away with the Franklin Templeton Shootout, shooting a 14-under 58 on Sunday in the final-round scramble to break the tournament course record. Nike Vapormax Sale Canada .5 million, one-year contract on Friday. Hawkins, who turns 41 in December, will compete with Rex Brothers for the closers role at spring training. FLORHAM PARK. N.J. -- Breno Giacomini insists hell be back on the football field at some point. The New York Jets right tackle just isnt sure when that will be.Giacomini is still dealing with a lower-back injury that will likely keep him out of the teams regular-season opener -- and perhaps longer.Right now, Im considered day-to-day, Giacomini said Thursday, the first time he spoke to reporters since being injured during minicamp in June. I dont know when Ill be back, but Im progressing.Giacomini, entering his third season with the Jets, has not practiced during training camp because of a strain and muscle spasms. He is on the physically unable to perform list and doesnt appear to be on track to be ready to play in the season opener against Cincinnati on Sept. 11.I honestly have no idea, coach Todd Bowles said when asked if he thought Giacomini would be ready to start the season. Its getting close and hes not practicing yet, so well see.Ben Ijalana and Brent Qvale have been splitting snaps at right tackle with the starting offense, but neither has started an NFL game. Bowles acknowledged that the Jets could also explore outside options.Wed consider it, he said. Weve talked about it and well continue to talk about it. Well see how they (Ijalana and Qvale) come along, and see who we want to add, if we want to add anybody.Giacomini says hes at aboout 80 percent speed and insists he will play this season, but is uncertain when hell be completely healthy.dddddddddddd He said he was able to get into a three-point stance and do some basic blocking techniques against air during practice Wednesday. He said he did some more things on Thursday.Its not where I need to be to be on the field, Giacomini said.The 30-year-old lineman said he expected his back to feel better a week or two after he injured it, but the pain increased during the July 4 weekend. Giacomini acknowledged that he has dealt with a similar back issue during his career, but it wasnt as intense as his current ailment.He didnt go into details about how it has been treated, declining to say whether he has received any injections. Giacomini did acknowledge that the injury is not a disk-related issue.Every day were taking a step forward, he said. No steps back, so thats a good thing.When asked if he could start the season on PUP, meaning he would have to miss at least the first six games of the season, Giacomini shrugged.Is it a possibility? he said. Probably. 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