With or without momentum, the NFL playoffs begin for 12 of the 14 postseason qualifiers during wild-card weekend. Games begin Saturday, when the Texans host the Browns and the Chiefs host the Dolphins.
Jake Browning threw three touchdown passes, Joe Mixon rushed for a season-high 111 yards and a score, and the Bengals got an easy 31-14 win over a Browns team resting most of its starters for the playoffs.
Jarrett Allen had 29 points and 16 rebounds for his seventh straight double-double, Caris LeVert scored 23 points off the bench and the Cavaliers beat the San Antonio Spurs 117-115.
Marco Rossi scored 3:05 into overtime and the Minnesota Wild rallied from three one-goal deficits to beat the Blue Jackets 4-3, giving Marc-Andre Fleury his 551st career win.
Malik Reneau made 10 of 16 from the field and scored 19 of his 23 points in the second half, Xavier Johnson added 18 points and Indiana beat Ohio State 71-65.
Jacy Sheldon scored 18 points, Celeste Taylor added 15 points and No. 20 Ohio State beat Northwestern 90-60 for its fourth straight win in the series.
Donovan Mitchell scored 26 points, Jarrett Allen had his sixth straight double-double and the Cavaliers rolled to their second easy win in three nights over Washington, beating the Wizards 114-90.
Former Kansas State quarterback Will Howard announced his intention to transfer to Ohio State on Thursday night, giving the Buckeyes a replacement for Kyle McCord after his own decision to transfer to Syracuse.
Johnny Gaudreau scored in the shootout, Damon Severson and Jake Bean netted goals in the third period and the Blue Jackets came back to defeat the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 on Thursday night.
Max Strus scored 24 points and the Cavaliers had their highest-scoring game and most-lopsided victory of the season, routing the Washington Wizards 140-101 to open a two-game set.
