The 1990 Saints won their last two games - over NFC West Division rivals San Fran­cisco (with QB Joe Montana sitting out the game) and Los Angeles by a combined six points - to finish 8-8 and claim the conference's last wild card spot in the playoffs.

As in the Saints' previous playoff season, 1987, the defense outdid the offense.

Mike Ditka's Chicago Bears won the NFC Central Division with an 11-5 record to make the playoffs for the sixth time in seven years.

The Saints had some momentum going into the playoffs, having won six of their last nine games.

The Saints' defensive game plan was to rush Tomczak and keep the ball away from Anderson.

60,767 endured the frigid conditions for the late afternoon kickoff. The temperature was 30° at Soldier Field on the shore of Lake Michigan with a wind chill factor of 4° - tough conditions for a dome team.

First Quarter
From the beginning, the Saints O-line had difficulty blocking the Bears' 4-3 front. The Saints received the kickoff. After two runs gained 8y, the first score of the game was set up when QB Steve Walsh thew too high for WR Lonzell Hill and the ball deflected into the hands of rookie nickel back John Mangum. He returned it to the NO 33. To no one's surprise, the Chicago offense started by handing the ball to workhorse HB Neal Anderson, who gained 3y. Surprisingly, the Bears decided to pass on second down. But it wasn't "beleagured" QB Mike Thomczak who threw it but Anderson. A southpaw, Neal took a handoff and ran left. He got rid of the ball downfield just before LB Rickey Jackson smashed him. What TV commentator John Madden called "one of the ugliest passes ever in the NFL" landed in the hands of WR Ron Morris at the 10 to make it first-and-goal. FB Brad Muster ran twice to put the ball on the three. Anderson then swept left end and headed for the pylon. But LB Pat Swilling grabbed him just before CB Vince Buck blasted him out of bounds at the one. In a preview of what would happen often for both offenses, the Bears settled for a 19y Kevin Butler field goal. Bears 3 Saints 0 (10:06)
The Saints ran New Orleans native Gill Fenerty twice for 3y. Then Walsh hit WR Brett Perriman, who was tackled a yard short of the first down. Tommy Barnhardt punted, but the Saints were able to retain possession when the ball bounded into the rear end of Bears blocker Vestee Jackson in the rear end, and C Joel Hilgenberg fell on the ball at the Chicago 44.
But the Saints were unable to take advantage of the turnover. Walsh threw incomplete into triple coverage to Turner before hitting Perriman on a slant-in for a first down at the 34. After two Fenerty carries gained only 2y, Walsh threw over the middle to Turner, who dropped the ball. Eschewing a field goal try into the strong wind, the Saints went for it on fourth down, but Walsh overthrew WR Eric Martin just before DE Richard Dent smashed into the quarterback.
The Bears tried a double reverse, but WR Ron Morris fumbled the second handoff and was tackled for a 16y loss to the 17. Anderson got 12 on a draw play before Tomczak finally threw a pass - a quick square out to the left to Anderson. Buck hit the receiver almost simultaneously with the reception to force an incompletion. The crowd booed, and Madden in the TV booth wondered whether they were protesting the lack of an interference call or another Tomczak incompletion. So Maury Buford got off a low, short punt. Buck ran up and fielded it on a bounce and was clobbered immediately by two Bears, causing a fumble. Somehow Saints LB Brian Forde got the ball away from a half dozen Bears on the NO 37.
11-year veteran DT Dan Hampton, who had announced that he would retire after the season, wreaked havoc on the Saints offense on the next series. First, he stuffed Hayward after a 1y gain. After an incompletion to TE Greg Scales, Hampton flattened Walsh right after Steve threw another incompletion. The result was a separated shoulder that would keep the starting quarterback on the sidelines the rest of the game. Barnhardt got off a weak 25y punt into the strong wind to give the Bears good field position at their 37.
After a 5y flat pass to Anderson, Tomczak sent Neal straight up the left seam and hit him in stride at the NO 40 for a gain of 31y to the 28 to end the quarter.
The Saints finished the period with only 8y rushing in six attempts.
End Q1: Bears 3 Saints 0

Second Quarter
The Chicago drive continued to the end zone. Anderson zoomed up the gut for 12y to the 16. Muster gained three before an illegal motion penalty put the ball back to the 18. WR Wendell Davis lined up wide to the right and cut toward the middle of the field. As three Saints defenders followed him, TE James Thornton ran into the area vacated by Davis. He caught the short pass and continued down the sideline untouched to the end zone. Bears 10 Saints 0 (13:08)
Hayward returned the squib kick 14y to the 34. Walsh followed an incompletion with a pass similar to the one Tomczak had thrown at the end of the first period. WR Eric Martin caught the ball on the run and zoomed 36y to the 31. After Fenerty's 1y gain, Walsh's flare pass was batted down by the rush. He then hit Gill who was stopped 2y short of the line to gain. So Morten Andersen came in for a 40y field goal try with the wind. But a high snap threw off the timing, and the ball sailed wide left.
On 2nd-and-7, Tomczak threw a short pass to Thornton who zipped 21y to the NO 48. Anderson gained 9 1/2 on two runs. Mills slammed Muster in the right tackle hole for a gain of inches, but that was enough for the first down. Following an incompletion, Renaldo Turnbull smashed through two blockers for a 7y sack. But an offside call on the next play gave back five of those yards. Under heavy pressure, Tomczak tossed a lateral to Anderson to the 35. On 4th-and-7, Mike threw to Morris who was hit immediately a yard short at the 29.
When the Saints went three and out again, Johnny Bailey returned the punt 14y to the 39. The Bears couldn't overcame a false start penalty. So Buford grabbed a high snap and got off the punt, but CB Robert Massey got a hand on the ball. So the Saints took possession 3y across midfield.
It took them eight plays and a change at quarterback, but they finally got on the board. On 2nd-and-8, Martin took a slant pass to the 35 for a first down. On the next snap, DTs William "Refrigerator" Perry (315lb) and Steve McMichael (270) stormed into the backfield. Walsh tried to get away and succeeding in throwing a left-handed pass to avoid the sack just before both Bears buried him under their combined bulk on the frozen tundra. Steve left the game with a shoulder injury, never to return. He was 6-for-16 for 74y and one interception.
During the two-minute warning timeout, John Fourcade doffed his baseball cap, put on his helmet, and took over at quarterback. After an incomplete shovel pass, the Archbishop Shaw grad showed his ability to run by escaping the collapsing pocket to avoid a loss and gain a yard. Mora left the offense on the field, but S Mark Carrier broke up the pass to Turner. However, an offside penalty negated the play and gave the Saints five precious yards. So Mora sent out Andersen to boom a 47y field goal. Bears 10 Saints 3 (1:38)
A 38y kickoff return and 10y draw play gave the hometown fans hope that their heroes could at least give back the three points they just gave up. But two incompletions and a short run sabotaged that plan.
End Q2: Bears 10 Saints 3 Using a simple offense of Anderson left, Anderson right, Anderson up the middle with a pass or two thrown in for variety, the Bears took the kickoff and used up exactly half the period on a drive that led to a field goal. Along the way, a play that could have turned the game around for the Saints was negated by a penalty. Two Anderson runs for 11y got a first down at the 46. After throwing his fifth straight incompletion, Tomczak ran out of the pocket to move the chains to the NO 43. Then he handed to Neal twice for another first down. But two runs and an incompletions made 4th-and-4 and brought out K Kevin Butler.
Outstanding rookie DE Renaldo Turnbull came in from the left side and blocked the kick. The ball ricocheted to another rookie, DB Vince Buck, who ran 61y for a touchdown with 9:18 left. Kick the point and tie the game. But not so fast, my friend. The head linesman had thrown his flag because CB Robert Massey, lined up on the right side of the line, was in the neutral zone. The penalty gave the Bears a first down at the 23. Three plays later, Tomczak hit Muster over the middle for a first down at the 11. But a 3rd-and- 6 flare pass to Anderson gained only 2y to the 5. So Butler kicked a 22y field goal. Bears 13 Saints 3 (7:29)
Dalton Hilliard made his first appearance since Game 6 and sparked the offense. After he returned the kickoff to the 29 and Fourcade threw an incompletion, Dalton zipped around the left side for 9y. On 3rd-and-1, Fourcade rolled right and, just before being hit head on, threw the ball up for grabs down the right sideline. TE Greg Scales's head swiveled from side to side as he looked up and back for the wounded duck throw descending over his left shoulder and into his arms right next to a defender for a first down at the Bear 31. It was the Saints' first third-down conversion of the game. Hilliard ran twice for 7y, but on 3rd-and-3 Fourcade threw incomplete. So Andersen tried a 42y field goal into the 15 mph wind that was blocked by DE Trace Armstrong to give Chicago possession at the 25.
With the temperature descending to 20°, the Bears moved into Saints territory again. Muster took another pass over the middle for 10y. On 3rd-and-11, Tomzcak fumbled the low snap but picked up the ball and threw to WR Wendell Davis for 13y to midfield. Two plays later, the gun sounded with the ball on the NO 39.
With 99y, Anderson had personally gained more yardage than the 97.4 per game the Saints had given up on the ground for the season.
End Q3: Bears 13 Saints 3