MINNEAPOLIS -- Minnesotas defense delivered an overpowering performance. Mitch Leidner provided the finishing touch.Leidner threw his first touchdown pass in seven weeks and Blake Cashman and Steven Richardson each had two of Minnesotas season-high seven sacks , leading the Gophers to a 29-12 victory over Northwestern on Saturday.Playing at home for the final time, Leidner found Drew Wolitarsky from 9 yards out with 6:46 left to give the Gophers (8-3, 5-3) a 22-6 lead and then ran in a 12-yard score with 2:31 remaining. The fifth-year senior, who was intercepted once, ended a five-game streak without a touchdown pass.Its been long overdue, Wolitarsky said, smiling.Emmit Carpenter made three field goals and Shannon Brooks totaled 110 yards from scrimmage for the Gophers, whose offense sputtered through most of the afternoon after an 80-yard game-opening march into the end zone and before the late Leidner-led push.Hey, find a way to win this thing, coach Tracy Claeys said. Who cares how anybody has played?Clayton Thorson threw for 276 yards and a late score, but the Wildcats (5-6, 4-4) were denied on fourth-and-1 at the Minnesota 16 in the second quarter and fourth-and-1 at the Gophers 13 in the third quarter. They lost two fumbles and failed on both 2-point conversion tries.Weve just got to learn how to finish, wide receiver Andrew Scanlan said.CARR CRASHAustin Carr, the Big Tens leading receiver, had five catches for 68 yards for the Wildcats before leaving the field a bit woozy from a helmet-to-helmet hit by Minnesota safety Duke McGhee. The targeting penalty, the seventh time this season a Gophers player has received the automatic ejection including two for McGhee, helped set up Northwesterns first score.He knows better than that, Claeys said.Fitzgerald declined to discuss Carrs condition, beyond he seemed to be doing well after the game. The 4-yard touchdown run by Justin Jackson with 2:17 left in the third quarter finished the drive and cut the lead to 15-6, but the Gophers werent deterred.Emotions were pretty high at that point, but were a level-headed team and we didnt let that affect us, said linebacker Jack Lynn, who had 1 1/2 of Minnesotas 12 tackles for loss.TAKE THATRichardson recalled a recruiting visit that Fitzgerald once made to his high school, Chicagos Mount Carmel, that left him feeling snubbed. Richardson, listed at 6 feet and 300 pounds, said Fitzgerald was immediately turned off by his lack of height.I saw that guy come into my high school coachs office and just look me up and down and just look at me like Im way too short to play the game, Richardson said. It was really nice to play one of these types of game in front of him, just because he doubted you.EMPTY SEATSWith a kickoff temperature of 30 degrees, including an 18-degree wind chill factor, the Gophers played in front of their smallest crowd (38,162) in eight seasons at TCF Bank Stadium. Less than half of those fans were still in the seats by the fourth quarter. Minnesotas average attendance this year was 43,814, the lowest since 2002 when the team played at the Metrodome.THE TAKEAWAYNorthwestern: With the Thorson-to-Carr connection quiet even before the star pass-catcher departed the game, the Wildcats were uncharacteristically unproductive on offense until they entered catch-up mode late and padded their statistics.Minnesota: Eliminated earlier in the day from Big Ten championship game contention, the Gophers can still tie for first place in the West Division by upsetting Wisconsin and having Iowa beat Nebraska. They reached the eight-win mark for the third time in four seasons, a feat not accomplished by the program since 1905.UP NEXTNorthwestern: Hosting in-state rival Illinois on Saturday, the Wildcats need a win for bowl eligibility. Theyve beaten the Illini in three of the last four meetings.Minnesota: Seeking their first victory over Wisconsin since 2003 on Saturday, the Gophers have not won at Camp Randall Stadium since 1994.Itd be a great way to top off the year, no question, Leidner said. I know its really important to a lot of guys on this team.---For more college football coverage: http://www.collegefootball.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-Top25 Cheap Tampa Bay Buccaneers Jerseys .com) - Following a late-game loss to the reigning NBA champs, the Toronto Raptors will look to sustain their recent high-level play as they travel to Indiana to take on the Pacers. Cheap New York Jets Jerseys . 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ATLANTA -- The Atlanta Falcons proved in back-to-back weeks they can maintain focus when playing struggling teams from outside their division.Now Atlanta can lock in on their goal of winning the NFC South.Devonta Freeman ran for 139 yards and three touchdowns and Atlanta overwhelmed San Francisco 41-13 on Sunday, extending the 49ers franchise-record losing streak to 13 games.The Falcons (9-5) were never challenged. They took a 21-0 first-quarter lead and shut out the 49ers (1-13) in the second half.The lopsided win came one week after last weeks similarly impressive 42-14 win at the Los Angeles Rams.Every game is the Super Bowl, said Falcons safety Ricardo Allen. ... We go out there and take every game like a championship week and we go out there and play hard. It doesnt matter what the record is.The Falcons began the day tied with Tampa Bay for the division lead, but hold the tiebreaker advantage over the Buccaneers. Atlanta plays at Carolina on Saturday and closes the regular season at home against the Saints.Now the focus goes right back to the division, Falcons coach Dan Quinn said.The 49ers, who play at the Rams on Saturday, need to win one of their last two games to avoid finishing with the worst record in franchise history.I guess were in the rebuilding stage now, 49ers linebacker Ahmad Brooks said.The rout began when Freeman was barely touched on his 5-yard scoring run less than 5 minutes into the game. He ran through cornerback Rashard Robinsons attempted tackle on a 9-yard scoring run in the second quarter and capped his big day with a 34-yarder late in the third quarter.WOEFUL DEFENSEThe 49ers, who rank last in the league in points, yards and yards rushing allowed, gave up 550 yards, including 248 on the ground.Its tough, safety Antoine Bethea said. No one likes this type of losing. Were just not getting the job done. Thats all there is to it.FIRST FUMBLESFreemans day could have been even more productive if not for his lost fumble -- his fiirst of the season -- from the 49ers 1 in the second quarter.ddddddddddddMichael Wilhoite recovered for San Francisco.Asked what hell remember from the game, Freeman said The one fumble. Its crazy, but at the end of the night Im going to say `Dang! I had a fumble.Tevin Coleman, who had 58 yards rushing, also had his first fumble, recovered by the Falcons.WARM MEMORIES, COLD REALITYThe 49ers made their first visit to the Georgia Dome since winning the NFC championship game following the 2012 regular season. Quarterback Colin Kaepernick said he and left tackle Joe Staley had their same lockers.So there was that little bit of a nostalgic moment, Kaepernick said.Kaepernick completed 20 of 33 passes for 183 yards and two touchdowns.The contrast between a Super Bowl appearance and a franchise-record losing streak was obvious and painful.We have to create a culture of winning, and winning by any means, Kaepernick said. Right now our culture isnt that, and we have to be able to improve and create that.KELLYS CRITIQUEThe Falcons, who lead the NFL in scoring, set a franchise record for points in a season with 469. The old mark was 442 set by the 1998 Super Bowl team.49ers coach Chip Kelly was impressed by the Atlanta attack.Thats a really good offensive football team, Kelly said. ... Its a team that could make some hay in the playoffs.INJURY REPORTThe 49ers lost wide receiver Quinton Patton (foot), linebacker Nick Bellore (elbow), tight end Blake Bell (shoulder) and cornerback Jimmie Ward (shoulder) with injuries.Falcons linebacker DeVondre Campbell suffered a concussion. With less than 5 minutes remaining, tight end Austin Hooper was carted off with a left knee injury. Hooper moved up as a starter after Jacob Tammes season-ending shoulder injury.---For more NFL coverage: AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '
