play from scrimmage and then found Thielen for a 41-yard gain on Minnesotas second possession. Both set up field goals. He also found Diggs for a diving, 45-yarder in the first half.We created some explosive plays, and anytime you do that, it just makes it easier for the offense, Bradford said.LEE SH

Following their unexpected Champions League exit at the hands of Atletico Madrid, we examine Barcelona’s slump. Is an over-reliance on that famous forward line to blame? Adam Bate reports from the Vicente Calderon...Sergio Busquets lingered to clap the away fans in the top tier. Andres Iniesta and Jordi Alba joined him. But most of their team-mates shuffled down the tunnel. Barcelona, the defending European champions, had been vanquished by Atletico Madrid.It will have been a huge blow. For while Barcelona remain favourites to complete a domestic double, such are the expectations placed on this group of players that the season is likely to be laced with disappointment whatever happens now. Atletico eliminate Barcelona Antoine Griezmann scored twice to knock the reigning champions out of Europe. Thats the nature of it when Lionel Messi is in your side. When you have Neymar, a man whod joined him on the Ballon dOr shortlist in January. Luis Suarez didnt receive that honour but hes more than made up for it with his scoring feats this season.And yet, for all the brilliance of that formidable forward line, its Luis Enriques reliance on it thats played a part in his sides downfall. Maybe that was in the Barca coachs mind when he insisted on taking 100 per cent of the responsibility for the defeat afterwards. Luis Enrique took full responsibility for Barcelonas Champions League defeat Its funny how defeat can shift the tone. While once the goalscoring heroics of that celebrated front three were a source of wonder, the statistics now feel like a note of caution. A warning that was left unheeded.Messi, Suarez and Neymar have scored 44 of Barcelonas 53 Champions League goals since the start of last season. Thats 83 per cent. Individually spectacular but when the dip came it came collectively and Barca have suffered as a result. After a 20-game sequence in which they won 19 - the other was the drawn second leg of a Copa del Rey tie in which they were already 7-0 up - theyve now won only once in their last five. Even that was against a 10-man Atletico, a game they were losing prior to the red card. What the papers said How the Spanish press reacted to Barcas defeat Neymar looks like a man who has played too much football - no wonder he is set to skip the Copa America - and Messis goal drought has now passed the seven-hour mark. The Argentine is coming deeper and deeper in search of the ball and it has left Suarez isolated. Lionel Messi stands dejected after Atleticos second goal of the night Its now tempting to conclude that overplaying them all was folly. Barca have endured 27 games in 106 days. Thats a match every fourth day since a winter break that was barely worthy of the name given the clubs trip to Japan to contest the Club World Cup.Luis Enrique was unwilling to use that as an excuse but hell have noted too the recent international break that took all three of his forwards to South America to play a further five matches of football between them. The team hasnt looked the same since their return. Barcelona have played 12 more games than any other La Liga rival, with a front three that have not rotated, and all of a sudden they have hit a bit of a wall. Guillem Balague Barcelona have played 12 more games than any other La Liga rival, with a front three that have not rotated, and all of a sudden they have hit a bit of a wall, said Sky Sports Spanish correspondent Guillem Balague ahead of the game.The front three find themselves now having played far too many minutes when that extra gear is needed. Neymar, you can see it in his face, is struggling to find the extra gear. Lionel Messi has found in the past few weeks that physically, perhaps, he is not at his sharpest. Why are Barca struggling? A look at their recent defeat to Real Sociedad That certainly appeared to be the case on Wednesday night as Messi was content to probe and pass away without ever looking likely to provide the moment of incision himself.He has been averaging more than six dribbles per game in the Champions League over the past two seasons, but managed only three against Atletico and none of them in positions where he could hurt his opponent. Europes toughest team? Atletico Madrid were too strong for Barcelona. Maybe theyre too strong for everyone… Maybe Messi was hoping to ride this spring-time lull without too much damage being done. But when the going got tough, and thats precisely what it is against Atletico, the solutions could not be found. More worryingly, Barca didnt even come up with too many ideas.Its a natural step in the life of a team when you have a front three that wins every game for you, added Balague. You stop working on things that made you so good when that front three was not performing, or when you needed to find collective answers to problems. Of course, when it gets to this stage of a season, teams hardly train. Its all about recuperation and there is less and less work on organised attack. What that means is that the team depends more and more on the front three as the season progresses.What they have discovered is that even the best individuals can be stopped. It will have come as shock. This is only the second time in nine years that Barcelona find themselves dumped out of the Champions League at this stage. Atletico Madrid ended a run of seven consecutive defeats to Barcelona Even on the night, a claustrophobic affair in a boisterous Calderon, the elimination might still have felt abrupt. After all, Atletico had taken the lead in all three of their previous encounters this season and each time Barca had turned it around for 2-1 victories.But the omen was merely ominous. The identity of the scorers of those six goals? Three by Suarez, two by Messi and the other by Neymar. The lesson? Barca may still have the better players but somewhere along the way they forgot about the need to be the better team too. Win a t-lab Peloton t-shirt We have teamed up with original British mens t-shirt label t-lab in our new giveawayAlso See:Enrique: Im to blame for exitSimeone: We never give upHow Spanish press reactedGriezmann knocks Barca outBuy Vapormax Shoes Online Ireland . Tevez, who has had conflicts with coaches in the past, has not been called up since Sabella was named coach in 2011. Argentina boasts Lionel Messi, Gonzalo Higuain, Sergio Aguero, Ezequiel Lavezzi and Angel Di Maria. Vapormax Outlet Ireland . But what about the officials? Every sport has officials and they also have stories about hard work and sacrifice but their accomplishments are seldom recognized by anyone outside their inner circle. http://www.vapormaxcheapireland.com/ . They reached the 100-point plateau for the fourth time in five games, bested the visiting Trail Blazers by 34 in the paint and scored 19 of the final 25 points in regulation. Vapormax Shoes Online Ireland . -- Arizona raced out to a big lead and did not back off, hitting the accelerator instead. Discount Air Vapormax Ireland . - Connor McDavid scored 53 seconds into overtime as the Erie Otters came from behind to defeat the visiting Guelph Storm 4-3 on Saturday in Ontario Hockey League action.JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Minnesota Vikings feel as if theyre back in the playoff picture.The Jacksonville Jaguars seem to be counting down the days until the season is over.Although both teams looked mostly lost the past two months, the Vikings used a trip to Jacksonville to gain some much-needed confidence and maybe even turn around a season that went awry after a 5-0 start.We needed this one, receiver Adam Thielen said. Our backs were against the wall.Matt Asiata scored on a short touchdown run, Kai Forbath kicked four field goals and the Vikings beat the hapless Jacksonville Jaguars 25-16 on Sunday, winning for just the second time in nine weeks.Sam Bradford completed 24 of 34 passes for 292 yards and a touchdown. He wasnt sacked and scrambled four times for 17 yards. His 3-yard TD toss to tight end Kyle Rudolph with 2:13 remaining sealed the victory.Minnesota (7-6) hadnt won on the road since Sept. 25 at Carolina and needed a victory to keep pace in the NFC playoff race. With games against Indianapolis, Green Bay and Chicago remaining, the Vikings believe they can win out and slide in.I wouldnt say we were desperate, but definitely there was a sense of urgency, receiver Stefon Diggs said. When you get desperate or get in shambles and dont stay calm, cool and collective, thats when things dont go your way.Little went Minnesotas way Sunday, but it didnt matter.The Vikings lost the turnover battle, failed to score twice inside the 1-yard line , allowed a fourth-down conversion on a fake punt and missed an extra point.Those kinds of mistakes normally would result in a loss, especially on the road. Not against the Jaguars (2-11), who dropped their record-tying eighth consecutive game and fell to 0-6 at EverBank Field this season.Jacksonville now needs to win at Houston next week to avoid setting the single-season franchise record with nine straight losses. The club mark is 13 consecutive losses over two seasons.Its tough anytime you lose, quarterback Blake Bortles said. I know for me personally, I cant wait to play on Sunday the following week and get another opportunity and hopefully to try to erase some of this stuff thats going on and maybe wake up from this nightmare.With these last tthree weeks left and then having to live six months until you get another opportunity, I think is more fearful than counting down the days until its over.dddddddddddd I dont want to have to go through those six months.Here are some other things we learned from Minnesotas fourth straight win against Jacksonville:DEEP SHOTS: Known more for short passes than deep shots, the Vikings changed things up against the Jaguars. Bradford connected with Rudolph for 44 yards on the first play from scrimmage and then found Thielen for a 41-yard gain on Minnesotas second possession. Both set up field goals. He also found Diggs for a diving, 45-yarder in the first half.We created some explosive plays, and anytime you do that, it just makes it easier for the offense, Bradford said.LEE SHINES: Marqise Lee caught five passes for a career-high 113 yards, further establishing himself as Jacksonvilles go-to guy down the stretch. Allen Robinson finished with one reception for 17 yards, giving him nine catches for 90 yards in the past four games. Robinson, Bortles and offensive coordinator Nate Hackett held a private meeting this week in hopes of getting on the same page, but it was another dismal day for the 2015 Pro Bowl receiver. Lee, meanwhile, had another strong showing .Theyre all competing, but hes really standing out, said Jaguars coach Gus Bradley, who fell to 14-47 in four seasons. I like where hes at right now. I think hes playing with great competitive spirt and hes competing in his routes, hes competing in catching, hes competing in blocking.ZIMMER RETURNS: Vikings coach Mike Zimmer had no real issues in his first game back following eye surgery. Zimmer missed last weeks game against Dallas because of a detached retina and was unsure earlier in the week whether he would be on the field or in an upstairs box. Zimmer, who needed a doctors clearance to fly to Jacksonville, wore a patch over his right eye and had no limitations.I couldnt see to my right, but other than that, not really, he said.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '