PRO FOOTBALL
CHICAGO (AP) - Nick Foles hit Golden Tate with a 2-yard touchdown pass on fourth down with 56 seconds remaining against the NFL’s stingiest defense, lifting the Philadelphia Eagles over the Chicago Bears 16-15 in the final wild-card game Sunday.
Former Eagles kicker Cody Parkey hit the left upright and then the crossbar with a field-goal attempt from 43 yards with 10 seconds remaining, silencing the raucous crowd.
The defending champion Eagles (10-7) squeezed into the playoffs by beating Washington and having the Bears (12-5) help them by knocking off Minnesota in the season finale. Philadelphia thanked its benefactor with a 12-play, 60-yard drive on which Foles, the Super Bowl MVP last February, hit six passes. Philly plays at New Orleans (13-3) next Sunday.
CHARGERS 23, RAVENS 17
BALTIMORE (AP) - Los Angeles kept Lamar Jackson grounded, and by the time the rookie got the passing game going it was too late for Baltimore.
Michael Badgley kicked five field goals, and Los Angeles harassed and hounded Jackson during a victory in the opening round of the NFL playoffs.
The Chargers (13-4) will next face the second-seeded New England Patriots (11-5) on the road Sunday. The Chargers last won two games during a single postseason in 2007, when the franchise was in San Diego.
Badgley set a franchise record for field goals in a playoff game. He connected from 21, 53, 40, 34 and 47 yards.
COWBOYS 24, SEAHAWKS 22
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) - Ezekiel Elliott rushed for 137 yards and the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter, and Dallas hung on for a wild-card win over Seattle on Saturday night.
The playoff win by the Cowboys (11-6) was the first for Elliott and quarterback Dak Prescott on their second try after losing a divisional game as rookies two years ago. Dallas will play the Los Angeles Rams in the divisional round next weekend.
The loss ended a run of nine straight victories in playoff openers for the Seahawks (10-7). The Elias Sports Bureau said it was the longest streak in NFL history.
COLTS 21, TEXANS 7
HOUSTON (AP) - Andrew Luck threw for 222 yards and two touchdowns as Indianapolis raced out to a big lead and cruised past Houston.
Luck put on a show in his hometown before halftime to help the Colts (11-6) build a 21-0 cushion. Marlon Mack had 148 yards rushing and a TD for the Colts, who advanced to face top-seeded Kansas City next weekend.
Houston (11-6), which overcame an 0-3 start to win the AFC South, gave up too many big plays and couldn’t get anything going on offense in the first half. Deshaun Watson was sacked three times in a disappointing playoff debut.
PRO BASKETBALL
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - The Minnesota Timberwolves fired coach Tom Thibodeau halfway into his third year with the team, a season that began with turmoil surrounding the eventual trade of All-Star Jimmy Butler.
Thibodeau was dismissed about an hour after a 108-86 victory over the LeBron James-less Los Angeles Lakers .
Scott Layden will remain the general manager overseeing basketball operations and assistant coach Ryan Saunders will be the interim head coach for the remainder of the season. Saunders is the son of the late Flip Saunders, the winningest coach in club history.
Thibodeau finished 97-107 with the Timberwolves, who returned to the NBA playoffs last spring after a 13-year absence.
GOLF
KAPALUA, Hawaii (AP) - Xander Schauffele tied the Plantation course record at Kapalua with an 11-under 62, and he needed every shot to beat Gary Woodland by one shot and win the Sentry Tournament of Champions.
Schauffele started the final round five shots out of the lead and opened with a bogey.
His fortunes turned quickly, and it got better with every hole. He took his first lead with back-to-back birdies on the 14th and 15th holes, both times coming close to chipping in for more eagles. Tied with Woodland over the closing holes, Schauffele finished birdie-birdie to match four players for the record.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) - Fifth-ranked Kansas will be without center Udoka Azubuike for the remainder of the season after an MRI exam revealed the 7-footer tore ligaments in his right hand during practice.
Surgery is expected to be scheduled this week. The injury is a significant blow to the Jayhawks’ interior depth, not to mention their national title aspirations. Kansas (12-2) lost 77-60 to Iowa State on Saturday in its first game without the bruising center from Nigeria.
HOCKEY
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) - Kaapo Kakko beat goalie Cayden Primeau on a backhand off a rebound with 1:26 left to give Finland its fifth world junior hockey title, 3-2 over the United States.
Kakko broke a tie after the United States rallied on goals by Alexander Chmelevski and Josh Norris in a 1:46 span midway through the third period. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 26 saves for Finland.
SOCCER
Soccer star Wayne Rooney was arrested last month on a public intoxication charge and taken to jail to sober up after he triggered a door alarm at a Washington-area airport, authorities said.
Rooney was arrested Dec. 16 by police at Dulles International Airport in Virginia after he caused the alarm to go off at an international arrivals gate, according to a statement from the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. Authorities said he didn’t breach airport security.
TENNIS
BRISBANE, Australia (AP) - Kei Nishikori won his first ATP title since Memphis in 2016 with a dominating final set to beat Daniil Medvedev 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 in the Brisbane International final. The 2014 U.S. Open finalist had lost nine consecutive ATP finals over 52 tournaments in nearly three years. Earlier, Karolina Pliskova won her second Brisbane title, beating Lesia Tsurenko 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 after coming within just two points of defeat.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) - University at Buffalo quarterback Tyree Jackson is forgoing his senior season to enter the NFL draft.
Jackson is a redshirt junior who already has graduated. He had a career-high 3,131 yards passing and 28 touchdowns this season, and also scored seven touchdowns rushing. He helped the Mid-American Conference Bulls (10-4) set a single-season record for victories and earn the fourth bowl berth in school history.
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