The Bears roller-coaster season is over following a 21-9 Wild Card loss to the Saints in New Orleans. Mitchell Trubisky finished 19-of-29 for 199 yards and a TD to Jimmy Graham on the final play of the game for Chicago. The Bears’ Javon Wims dropped a sure touchdown pass in the endzone late in the first quarter and Anthony Miller was ejected in the third after shoving a Saints’ defensive player.
On a positive note for the Bears, the game was also broadcasted in a fun way for children on the Nickelodeon channel and the kids voted for Mitch Trubisky as the MVP.
The future is uncertain for Trubisky who is a free agent this offseason after the Bears didn’t pick up his fifth-year option before the season.
Other Wild Card results
The Bills beat the Colts 27-24 in Buffalo to win their first NFL playoff game in more than a quarter-century.
The Los Angeles Rams beat the Seahawks 30-20 in Seattle.
Tom Brady and Buccaneers held on to beat Washington 31-23 on the road. Tampa Bay won its first playoff game since winning the Super Bowl in 2003.
The Baltimore Ravens beat the Titans 20-13 in Nashville.
And the Cleveland Browns are celebrating their first playoff win since January 1995. The Browns jumped out to a 28-0 lead in the first quarter and held on to a 48-37 win over the Steelers in Pittsburgh. Ben Roethlisberger passed for 501 yards and four touchdowns for Pittsburgh but was also intercepted four times in the Steelers defeat.
The NFL Divisional Round is set. In the AFC, the Ravens will visit the Bills Saturday. The defending Super Bowl Champion Chiefs will host the Browns on Sunday. In the NFC, the Rams will meet the Packers on Saturday and The Saints will host the Buccaneers on Sunday.
Top-ranked Alabama takes on Ohio State in the College Football National Championship game tonight at The Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
Over the weekend in college basketball.
Number-12 Illinois fell to Maryland 66-63 in Champaign. The Illini were led by Ayo Dosunmu’s 23 points in the loss.
NIU lost on the road to Miami-Ohio 70-58. The Huskies are now 1-9.
Illinois State lost two in a row this weekend to Evansville. The Redbirds lost Saturday 90-60 and 86-55 on Sunday and are 3-7 so far this season.
The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame lost on the road to 19th ranked Virginia Tech 77-63.
In the NBA, Zach LaVine poured in a game-high 45 points, but it wasn’t enough as the Chicago Bulls lost to the Clippers 130-127 in Los Angeles. The bulls fall to 4-and-7 and will host the Celtics tomorrow night.
Over in the PGA, Harris English won the Sentry Tournament of Champions on Sunday at the Kapalua Plantation Course in Hawaii.
Former Cubs slugger Kyle Schwarber has agreed to a one-year deal with the Washington Nationals.