Jayden Daniels and the Commanders stun the top-seeded Lions 45-31 to reach NFC title game
DETROIT (AP) -- Jayden Daniels threw for two touchdowns in a flawless performance by Washington's dazzling rookie, and the Commanders stunned the Detroit Lions 45-31 to reach the NFC championship game for the first time since winning the Super Bowl 33 years ago. The sixth-seeded Commanders were nearly double-digit underdogs against the Super Bowl favorite Lions and overcame doubts as they did all season with a rookie quarterback, new coach and general manager. Detroit, the NFC's No. 1 seed for the first time, doomed its chances by turning it over five times. Washington rookie Mike Sainristil had two interceptions.
Mahomes and Kelce help Chiefs to a 23-14 win over Texans and another AFC title game trip
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Patrick Mahomes threw for 177 yards and a touchdown, Travis Kelce caught seven passes for 117 yards and the score and the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Houston Texans 23-14 to advance to the AFC championship game for the seventh straight season. The Chiefs will face Buffalo or Baltimore next weekend at Arrowhead Stadium as they try to become the first team to win three consecutive Super Bowl titles. Mahomes improved to 7-0 in the divisional round while Andy Reid became the fourth NFL coach with 300 career wins. The Texans still have never won in six trips to the divisional round.
Taylor Swift joined by Caitlin Clark as she watches Travis Kelce and the Chiefs' playoff win
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Pop superstar Taylor Swift returned to Arrowhead Stadium to cheer on her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, and the rest of the Kansas City Chiefs as they beat the Houston Texans 23-14 in the divisional round of the playoffs. Swift was dressed nearly head to toe in Chanel, including a black-and-white tweed jacket, a quarter-zip romper, a pearl strand belt and pendant earrings. She spent some of the game sitting in a suite alongside Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark, who is likewise a big Chiefs fan. Kelce had a huge game with seven receptions for 117 yards and a touchdown.
Lindsey Vonn falls while on pace for top-5 finish at super-G in Cortina but avoids injury again
CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) -- Lindsey Vonn has fallen while on pace for a top-5 finish at a World Cup super-G on the course that will host skiing at next year's Milan-Cortina Olympics. She went down on her left hip coming around a gate midway down but appeared to avoid injury. Then the American slid down the course and came to a stop far away from the safety netting. Vonn quickly got up and skied down to the finish area and waved to the crowd. It was her second fall in four days after also avoiding injury during a crash in downhill training on Thursday. Home favorite Federica Brignone was leading the race from Lara Gut-Behrami by 0.58 seconds, with Corinne Suter in third, 1.08 behind.
Turnovers and depleted defense contribute to top-seeded Lions' quick playoff exit
DETROIT (AP) -- The Detroit Lions worked all season to earn the NFC's top seed and ensure they wouldn't have to play anywhere but Ford Field until the Super Bowl. Their ambitions came to a quick halt when they self-destructed against the Washington Commanders in a 45-31 loss on Saturday night in the divisional round of the playoffs. This year's Lions team went 15-2 in the regular season but didn't advance as far in the playoff teams as they did last season, when they lost at San Francisco in the NFC title game. Detroit was undone by five turnovers and the stellar play of Washington rookie Jayden Daniels.
Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic will meet at the Australian Open. This time, it's a quarterfinal
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -- Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic have set up a quarterfinal showdown at the Australian Open. Tuesday's contest will be their eighth head-to-head matchup, but their first at Melbourne Park and their first that is neither a semifinal nor a final. Alcaraz reached his 10th career Grand Slam quarterfinal, tied for the most by a man before his 22nd birthday, when 15th-seeded Jack Draper stopped playing because of a hip injury on Sunday afternoon. Djokovic needed to do more work as he pursues a 25th major trophy, and 11th in Australia, and ended up beating Jiri Lehecka 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (4) on Sunday night.
Coco Gauff writes 'RIP TikTok USA' on a TV camera at the Australian Open
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -- Tennis star Coco Gauff has mourned the loss of TikTok's app back home. The 20-year-old from Florida wrote "RIP TikTok USA" on a TV camera lens and drew a broken heart right after winning a match at the Australian Open to reach the quarterfinals. Gauff's three-set victory in the Grand Slam tournament's main stadium finished about an hour after TikTok could no longer be found on prominent app stores in the U.S. on Saturday. When users opened the TikTok app, they encountered a pop-up message from the company that prevented them from scrolling on videos. Gauff frequently has posted on TikTok, often mimicking popular trends.
Islam Makhachev submits late-replacement Renato Moicano in 1st round at UFC 311
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) -- Lightweight champion Islam Makhachev submitted 10th-ranked Renato Moicano at 4:05 of the first round Saturday night at UFC 311 for his 15th straight victory. It didn't take long for Makhachev (27-1-0) after he took down Moicano (20-6-1), as he quickly administered a D'Arce choke. The 33-year-old Makhachev has the most title fight wins in the division with five, and accomplished what no other fighter in his division had ever done -- successfully defending his belt four times. It was his 13th win by submission. Moicano was a last-minute replacement for top-ranked challenger Arman Tsarukyan, who pulled out of the bout Friday because "of significant back pain" related to an injury.
Alexander Zverev returns to the Australian Open quarterfinals and faces Tommy Paul next
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -- Alexander Zverev has reached the Australian Open quarterfinals for the fourth time and will face Tommy Paul next. The No. 2-seeded Zverev beat No. 14 Ugo Humbert 6-1, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 with the help of 19 aces on Sunday night. Paul ended Alejandro Davidovich Fokina's run of comebacks at the Australian Open and reached his third Grand Slam quarterfinal with a 6-1, 6-1, 6-1 victory earlier. Paul is an American seeded 12th at Melbourne Park. He needed less than 1 1/2 hours on Sunday to finish off a diminished opponent. The 66th-ranked Davidovich Fokina had won his last two matches despite dropping the first two sets in both.
Tyrrell Hatton outduels Daniel Hillier to win Dubai Desert Classic by a stroke
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) -- Englishman Tyrrell Hatton has held off Daniel Hillier of New Zealand to win the Dubai Desert Classic by a stroke. Overnight leader Hillier birdied the last to put pressure on his playing partner but Hatton held his nerve to hole his par putt from seven feet and secure the win. Hatton shot a 3-under 69 in the final round to finish 15 under overall to edge Hillier (71) and fellow Englishman Laurie Canter (68) in third, another shot back. Rory McIlroy (66), who was seeking a third straight title at the tournament, finished joint fourth on 12 under with Niklas Norgaard (66) of Denmark.