LANDOVER, Md. -- Preston Smith kept wondering if Sam Bradford was going to throw the ball, and then he just wanted to make sure he held on.Smith grabbed a crucial interception and dropped Bradford with two sacks, helping the Washington Redskins beat the Minnesota Vikings 26-20 on Sunday for their first victory in almost a month.After allowing 20 consecutive points in 5:39 to close out the second quarter, Smith and the Redskins (5-3-1) shut out the Vikings (5-4) in the second half of Minnesotas fourth consecutive loss.We played lockdown defense, cornerback Josh Norman said. We got the shutout in the second half, didnt give up any more points (and got) three-and-outs.Smith was a big part of the resurgence. Amid a quiet season, he was the big-play component the Redskins needed, delivering the type of production coach Jay Gruden wanted to see from the second-year linebacker.Jay has been riding me like one of those horses, said Smith, who secured the victory by sacking Bradford in the final seconds. I feel like Jay is a jockey, and Im the horse trying to win the race and hes just been riding me so hard and not giving me (any) break.Bradford finished 31 of 40 for 307 yards, two touchdowns and the interception . Kyle Rudolph and Adam Thielen each had a touchdown reception during the burst in the second quarter, and Stefon Diggs finished with 13 catches for 164 yards.Stefs going to make plays, said Redskins cornerback Kendall Fuller, a high school teammate of Diggs. You just have to find a way to limit him and make a play when it counts. Any game he plays hes going to get his.Washington quarterback Kirk Cousins was 22 of 33 for 262 yards and touchdown passes to Vernon Davis and Jamison Crowder. Undrafted rookie running back Robert Kelley had 22 carries for 97 yards in his second game as the starter.It was a well-timed win for the Redskins, who were coming off their bye week and had tied the Cincinnati Bengals in London and lost in the final minute to the Detroit Lions. Dustin Hopkins had all 12 of Washingtons second-half points, including a 50-yard field goal.IRATE COUSINSWhen officials didnt call a pass interference penalty on Minnesotas Trae Waynes when he was defending Ryan Grant in the second quarter, Cousins was so mad he sprinted down the field and had his hands on his head in disbelief. There was some contact, but it also looked like Grant, who was starting in place of injured receiver DeSean Jackson, slipped.It was a big play in the game, Cousins said. I just wanted to voice my opinion.WORTH NOTINGSix of Smiths 11 1/2 career sacks have been of Bradford.FUMBLES FOLLOWEven with former No. 1 running back Matt Jones demoted and made inactive in part because of fumbles, the Redskins butterfingers continued. Change-of-pace back Chris Thompson fumbled at his own 32-yard line with a minute left in the second quarter, setting up the Vikings third touchdown.GUTSY VIKINGSWith 5 seconds left before halftime, the Vikings opted to run a play from the Washington 3 instead of kicking a field goal. The gamble worked, with Bradford connecting with Thielen on a touchdown pass that put Minnesota ahead.WALSH MISSES AGAINAfter Thielens touchdown, Blair Walsh shanked his extra-point attempt wide right. Walsh, who kept his job after Minnesota brought in six free-agent kickers for workouts, fell to 15 of 19 on the season (79 percent) on extra points.Honestly, I didnt even see the kick, so I dont know what happened on it, other than he missed, Zimmer said.BLACK AND PURPLEThe Vikings lost left tackle Jake Long with a potentially season-ending Achilles tendon injury, linebacker Eric Kendricks with a hip injury and cornerback Xavier Rhodes, who was evaluated for a concussion.QUOTABLEBradford on the interception: Just didnt see him.Redskins linebacker Sua Cravens on Smith: I wont be able to talk to that man for three, next four days after the game he had. Hes my ride home too, so Ill just turn my music up.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFLAir Max 97 Sale . Gerald Green and Miles Plumlee? Green had bounced around the NBA when he wasnt playing overseas. The Pacers gave up on Plumlee after just one season. Now Green and Plumlee are key cogs in the Suns surprising breakout season. Air Max 270 Sale . -- The goal posts lying flat on the field, Arizonas fans lingered on the field, congregating around the locker room entrance nearly 30 minutes after rushing out of the stands. https://www.wholesaleshoesforcheap.com/balenciaga-shoes-sale/ . The move comes after the Canadiens were approached by the Buffalo Sabres for permission to speak to Dudley - a former Sabres player and head coach. "The Sabres called for permission and I appreciate that, Im flattered, Dudley told TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun of ESPN. Air Force 1 Sale .J. -- Seven games into a disappointing season, New York Giants defensive catalyst Jason Pierre-Paul is getting the feeling hes back. Wholesale Shoes Website . Here are his mid-season NBA awards. MVP: (KEVIN DURANT-Thunder) - Has been sensational this season and more importantly, the most consistent player in the league. Considering that his team has been without star guard Russell Westbrook and with the free agent departure of sharpshooter Kevin Martin, hes had to carry the majority of the load to not only keep his team afloat but more importantly, at an elite level. NEW YORK -- Four games, all Mets. Same story, summer or fall.Wilmer Flores went 6 for 6 with two of New Yorks five home runs, and the Mets romped to another four-game sweep of the Chicago Cubs by battering Jon Lester in a 14-3 blowout Sunday.Curtis Granderson homered immediately in his return to the starting lineup, and New York also got long balls from Rene Rivera and pinch-hitter Kelly Johnson while setting season highs for runs and hits (22) in support of Noah Syndergaard (9-3).Coming into these four games, I think the guys knew that they had a huge challenge ahead of them, and I think they picked up their game, Mets manager Terry Collins said.Before Friday night, the Mets had never hit five home runs in a game at Citi Field, which opened in 2009. They did it twice in 45 hours against a Cubs pitching staff that began the day with a 2.97 ERA -- lowest in the majors by a considerable margin.After sweeping four games against Chicago in the NL Championship Series last October, the Mets outscored the Cubs 32-11 in winning their first four matchups this year. Chicago took all seven regular-season meetings in 2015.It was just a rough weekend. Give the Mets credit, Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. They got us this time. They got us last year. This is a really easy game for me to forget about.Maddon began pulling starters in the sixth as his major league-best squad (51-30) lost for the 10th time in 14 games and finished 4-7 on its longest road trip of the season.By the seventh, catcher Miguel Montero was on the mound to save the bullpen, throwing pitches that mostly ranged from 79-84 mph. He yielded one run and four hits in 1 1/3 innings.Flores drove in four runs, scored three and raised his batting average from .224 to .255. The fan favorite received a pair of standing ovations, and the crowd of 36,137 chanted his name.The huge game couldnt have come at a better time for Flores, with Jose Reyes playing third base in the minors and getting ready to rejoin the Mets. When he does, Reyes is expected to take a sizable chunk of Flores playing time.I dont think players are naive, Collins said.Filling in at the hot corner since captain David Wright was injured in late May, Flores entered Sunday in an 0-for-14 slump before joining Edgardo Alfonzo as the only Mets players with six hits in a game.Alfonzo, who accomplished the feat in August 1999 at Houston, reached out to Flores through the team to congratulate him, club spokesman Jay Horwitz said.Pretty good feeling, Flores said. I never thought I was going to get six hits, ever.New Yorks previous four-game sweep of the Cubs during the regular season came in June 1985 at Shea Stadium.Granderson homered in the first and had an RBI single an inning later. Flores hit a leadoff homer and an RBI single in the seccond, part of a seven-run outburst that spelled the end of a miserable day for Lester (9-4), the NL pitcher of the month in June.ddddddddddddThe left-hander gave up eight runs and nine hits in 1 1/3 innings, the shortest of his 301 career starts over 11 major league seasons. He was 5-0 in his previous seven outings and entered with a 2.03 ERA that ranked second in the majors to injured Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw (1.78).I feel like they didnt miss a mistake the whole series, Lester said.Rivera knocked in three runs, and every Mets starter had a hit by the sixth -- including Syndergaard. Eight players finished with at least two hits, and New York clocked 12 home runs in the series.PITCH AND CATCHWith the game well in hand, Mets pitcher Jacob deGrom was sent up as a pinch hitter in the eighth and flied out against Montero. I thought it was equal at that point, Maddon said. I have to believe that is somewhat of a first.HIT PARADENew York tied the team record for hits in a home game set against St. Louis on Sept. 20, 1981.NICE AND EASYAfter allowing his only run in the first, Syndergaard enjoyed an easy afternoon in a pitching matchup of potential All-Stars. Showing no ill effects from a bone spur in his elbow that he called pretty insignificant, the big right-hander bounced back nicely from his worst start of the season last week in Washington, where the Mets lost all three games to the NL East leaders just before heading home to play Chicago. He threw 84 pitches in seven innings, striking out eight and walking none. A lot of fun to watch our offense really come alive, Syndergaard said. I just felt really calm out there. I wasnt trying to do too much.TRAINERS ROOMCubs: OF Chris Coghlan went on the 15-day disabled list with a right ribcage strain and expects to have an MRI on Tuesday in Chicago. INF Jeimer Candelario was recalled from Triple-A Iowa and played third base in his major league debut. He struck out three times but singled in the seventh off Syndergaard for his first career hit.Mets: Granderson made his first start since last Tuesday. He had not played since Wednesday because of a strained right calf. ... CF Juan Lagares (sprained left thumb) started for the first time since June 4 at Miami. ... SS Asdrubal Cabrera was rested with a sore knee but is expected to play Monday, Collins said.UP NEXTCubs: RHP Kyle Hendricks (6-6, 2.76 ERA) pitches Monday afternoon at Wrigley Field against Cincinnati LHP Cody Reed (0-2, 9.00).Mets: RHP Matt Harvey (4-10, 4.55 ERA) starts Monday afternoon against Miami RHP Tom Koehler (6-7, 4.45). Harveys 10 losses are a career high and the second-most among major league pitchers. ' ' '