AP Sports SummaryBrief at 4:28 p.m. EST

Hamlin in mind, Bills return to action with first-play TD

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — The Buffalo Bills scored a touchdown on their very first play since safety Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest during a game in Cincinnati on Monday. Return man Nyheim Hines ran the opening kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown against the New England Patriots on Sunday. The uplifting score was an early highlight to a cathartic day in Buffalo. A weeklong outpouring of support continued as the Bills returned to the field for the first time since Hamlin had to be resuscitated after making a tackle during the first quarter at Cincinnati. Hamlin has since made what doctors call a remarkable recovery.

AFC title game will be at neutral site if Bills vs. Chiefs

The AFC championship game will be played on a neutral site if the Chiefs and Bills reach that point. Buffalo’s 35-23 win over New England on Sunday coupled with Kansas City’s 31-13 victory at Las Vegas on Saturday means the No. 1 seed Chiefs can’t host the conference title game against the Bills because the teams played an unequal number of games. NFL owners approved a resolution Friday that implemented new rules for this postseason in response to the cancellation of the Bills-Bengals game after Buffalo safety Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field Monday night.

Bucs’ Brady breaks own NFL mark for completions in a season

ATLANTA (AP) — Tom Brady has broken his own NFL record for most completions in a season. Brady quickly gained the needed nine connections in the first half of Tampa Bay’s game against the Atlanta Falcons. Brady had a record 485 completions with the Buccaneers in 2021. The 45-year-old Brady entered the game against the Falcons with 477 completions, leaving him only nine away from a new record. Brady set the mark on a 5-yard completion to Russell Gage early in the second quarter. Brady had 13 completions, giving him 490 for the season. He left the game late in the first half.

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.

Steelers beat Browns 28-14 but miss out on playoffs

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Najee Harris ran for 84 yards and a touchdown and the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Cleveland Browns 28-14 but were eliminated from the playoffs when Miami edged the New York Jets. The Steelers will have to settle for a 16th straight non-losing season under coach Mike Tomlin, fueled by a 7-2 finish. Pittsburgh’s ugly 2-6 start included an injury to star linebacker T.J. Watt and rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett’s ascension to the starting job. The Browns finished 7-10, including 3-3 with quarterback Deshaun Watson. This is the 17th time since Cleveland re-joined the NFL in 1999 that the Browns have lost at least 10 games.

Shiffrin shows her emotions after matching Vonn’s record

KRANJSKA GORA, Slovenia (AP) — Mikaela Shiffrin has matched Lindsey Vonn’s women’s World Cup skiing record with her 82nd win. Shiffrin led from start to finish to win a giant slalom and can now break Vonn’s mark in a night slalom scheduled for Flachau, Austria, on Tuesday. Already with eight wins this season, Shiffrin is also quickly approaching Ingemar Stenmark’s overall record between men and women of 86 victories. Vonn retired four years ago when injuries ended her pursuit of Stenmark.

Shiffrin vs Vonn: Different strengths but similar approach

KRANJSKA GORA, Slovenia (AP) — Mikaela Shiffrin is the perfect technical skier. Lindsey Vonn was the ultimate speed demon. Shiffrin is rarely slowed by physical ailments. Vonn was constantly hurtling herself into the safety nets and breaking bones. Shiffrin is introverted and sometimes doesn’t even display a fist pump when she wins. Vonn is outgoing and relished celebrating her many victories. The Americans who now share the record of 82 World Cup wins couldn’t be more different in many ways. But they are remarkably similar in others. Both excelled in every discipline of Alpine skiing over various points of their careers and both spent parts of their childhoods in Colorado.

Lindsey Vonn: Shiffrin’s record-breaking is sign of progress

Lindsey Vonn was keeping track from afar when Mikaela Shiffrin matched her women’s World Cup record with 82 wins. Shiffrin drew even with Vonn by winning a giant slalom on Sunday in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia. While Vonn retired four years ago when injuries cut her career short, the 27-year-old Shiffrin is still going strong. Vonn says in an AP diary that “if anyone is to break my record, I’m really happy that it’s an American.” She adds that “I knew from the very beginning that she would be the one to break all the records. But to be able to do it at such a young age is really impressive.”

Surging Northwestern upends No. 15 Indiana, 84-83

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) — Boo Buie scored 26 points and Northwestern beat No. 15 Indiana 84-83 for its second road victory against a ranked opponent this season. The Wildcats knocked off then-No. 20 Michigan State 70-63 on Dec. 4 and have won seven of eight games. The Hoosiers have lost four of six. Chase Audige had 19 points and eight assists for the Wildcats and Robbie Beran and Ty Berry each added 13 points. Freshman Jalen Hood-Schifino led the Hoosiers with a career-best 33 points, including five 3s. Trayce Jackson-Davis had 18 points, a career-high 24 rebounds and eight assists.