AP Sports SummaryBrief at 12:29 a.m. EST

Houston Texans fire coach Lovie Smith after just one season

HOUSTON (AP) — Lovie Smith has been fired as coach of the Houston Texans on Sunday night after just one season where the team went 3-13-1. It’s the second straight season in which the Texans have fired a coach after just one year. They parted ways with David Culley last January after he went 4-13 in his only season.

Rodgers, Packers lose 20-16 to Lions, miss playoffs

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers threw a late interception on the final pass of what might be his last game, and the Green Bay Packers lost 20-16 to the Detroit Lions to miss the playoffs. After winning four straight games and receiving plenty of help from other teams, the Packers had control of their postseason fate heading into the final game of the NFL regular season. But they fell short against the Lions, who had been eliminated from the playoffs earlier Sunday. Seattle instead earned the NFC’s final playoff spot and will play at San Francisco in the opening round. The Packers missed the playoffs for the first time in Matt LaFleur’s four seasons as coach.

Hamlin in their hearts, the NFL pays tribute to No. 3

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Players and fans across the NFL paid tribute to Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin on Sunday, the first time most across the league resumed playing since his terrifying cardiac arrest during a game last week. Hamlin’s number “3” was on display everywhere across the league, outlined on 30-yard lines on fields, worn on special patches on the Bills uniforms and featured on jackets and sweatshirts and even on red hearts dangling from the tailgate tents outside the Bills home stadium.

NFL playoffs: Seahawks are in field after Lions stun Packers

The NFL’s Week 18 saved its best drama for the final game of the weekend. The Detroit Lions rallied to beat Green Bay 20-16 on Sunday night to deny quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the Packers a spot in the postseason. The Lions were eliminated from playoff contention earlier Sunday when the Seahawks beat the Rams, but played the role of the spoiler. Instead of the Packers, it’s the Seahawks who will be the No. 7 seed in the NFC. They’ll travel to face division rival San Francisco in next weekend’s wild-card round.

Bills win for Hamlin and eliminate Patriots from playoffs

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Nyheim Hines ignited an emotionally charged atmosphere celebrating injured Bills safety Damar Hamlin by returning two kickoffs for touchdowns, and Buffalo clinched the AFC’s No. 2 playoff seed with a 35-23 win over the New England Patriots. The loss, coupled with Miami beating the New York Jets, eliminated the Patriots from the playoffs for the second time in three years, and just the fourth time in 23 seasons during Bill Belichick’s coaching tenure. Buffalo will now host their division rival Dolphins in the wild-card round next weekend. With the game in hand, Bills players held up three fingers in honor of Hamlin’s number with the crowd chanting “Hamlin! Hamlin!” in honor of the safety who is recovering in a Cincinnati hospital after going into cardiac arrest on Monday.

Bengals’ Mixon celebrates TD with coin flip

CINCINNATI (AP) — Joe Mixon and the Cincinnati Bengals are still flipping out over the NFL’s plan to determine home-field advantage in the playoffs. Mixon referenced the NFL’s decision to use a coin flip as a tiebreaker Sunday by celebrating a 1-yard touchdown run against the Baltimore Ravens by taking a coin out of his glove and flicking it. He and several teammates then kicked it on the ground. The league decided to add a coin flip to settle some potential playoff scenarios after Monday night’s game between the Bengals and Buffalo Bills was declared a no-contest after Bills safety Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest on the field.

Bucs’ Brady breaks own record but suffers 1st losing season

ATLANTA (AP) — Tom Brady broke his own NFL mark for most completions in a season, quickly gaining the needed nine connections in Tampa Bay’s 30-17 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. He played into the second quarter and then was taken out to avoid injury with the playoffs next week. The loss dropped the NFC South champion Buccaneers to 8-9, the first time a team quarterbacked by Brady has finished a season below .500. Brady had a record 485 completions with the Buccaneers in 2021, and the 45-year-old began the day only nine away from a new mark.

White Sox closer Hendriks says he has non-Hodgkin lymphoma

CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago White Sox closer Liam Hendriks says he has non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Hendriks announced Sunday on Instagram that he was diagnosed in recent days. The three-time All-Star was scheduled to begin treatment on Monday. Hendriks says he is “confident” he will “make a full recovery and be back on the mound as soon as possible.” The five-year survival rate for non-Hodgkin lymphoma is 73.8%, according to the National Cancer Institute. Some forms are aggressive while others are slow growing. General manager Rick Hahn says in a statement the White Sox don’t expect to have an update on Hendriks’ status prior to opening day.

Nets top Heat 102-101, lose Durant to right knee injury

MIAMI (AP) — Royce O’Neale’s putback with 3.2 seconds left put Brooklyn to stay, and the Nets defeated the Miami Heat 102-101 on Sunday night in a game where Kevin Durant left early with a right knee injury. Kyrie Irving scored 29 to lead the Nets, who have now won 18 of their last 20 — after winning only nine of their first 20 games. Durant had 17 before departing and Seth Curry scored 14 for Brooklyn. Nic Claxton had 13 points and 11 rebounds for the Nets. Jimmy Butler scored 26 for Miami, which got 24 from Tyler Herro. Butler missed a contested shot at the rim on the game’s final play.

Seahawks top Rams 19-16 in OT, in playoffs after Lions win

SEATTLE (AP) — The Seattle Seahawks are in the playoffs after beating the Los Angeles Rams 19-16 in overtime and the Detroit Lions beating the Green Bay Packers. Jason Myers kicked a 32-yard field goal midway through overtime to give Seattle the victory over the Rams. Hours later, Seattle qualified for the postseason after the Lions beat the Packers in Green Bay. Myers missed from 46 yards when he hit the upright on the final play of regulation. In overtime, the Pro Bowler connected on his fourth field goal of the game and the Seahawks’ postseason chances stayed alive for a few more hours. The Seahawks will be the No. 7 seed in the NFC playoffs and play at San Francisco.