Month: January 2026

The Seattle Seahawks are headed back to the Super Bowl after surviving a dramatic 31-27 victory over the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday night, setting up a highly anticipated clash with the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX on Feb. 8 in Santa Clara.

Behind a poised performance from quarterback Sam Darnold, Seattle captured its fourth Super Bowl berth and secured a rematch of Super Bowl XLIX. Darnold threw for 346 yards and three touchdowns without a turnover, outdueling Rams star Matthew Stafford, who passed for 374 yards and three scores in a thrilling back-and-forth battle.

Seattle struck first after forcing a quick three-and-out, marching downfield for a Kenneth Walker touchdown run to take an early 7-0 lead. The Rams responded with a pair of Harrison Mevis field goals before briefly grabbing a 13-10 edge when Stafford connected with Kyren Williams for a short touchdown late in the second quarter. Darnold answered immediately, guiding a crisp drive capped by a 14-yard scoring pass to Jaxon Smith-Njigba, sending the Seahawks into halftime ahead 17-13.

The momentum swung sharply early in the second half when Los Angeles muffed a punt deep in its own territory, allowing Seattle to recover and score on the next play — a touchdown strike from Darnold to Jake Bobo. Stafford countered with a quick touchdown toss to Davante Adams, but the Seahawks kept pushing, as Darnold found Cooper Kupp for a 13-yard score, stretching the lead to 31-20.

The Rams refused to fade. A costly unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Seattle’s Riq Woolen extended a Los Angeles drive late in the third quarter, setting up Stafford’s 34-yard touchdown to Puka Nacua, pulling the Rams within four. With the game hanging in the balance, Seattle’s defense delivered its biggest stand, stopping Los Angeles on fourth-and-goal from the 6-yard line early in the fourth quarter.  Seattle then burned nearly five minutes off the clock with a composed, methodical drive, pinning the Rams deep and leaving them just 25 seconds and no timeouts for a final attempt. The Seahawks closed out the victory moments later.

With the win, the Seahawks advance to Super Bowl LX, where they’ll face the Patriots, who earlier secured their spot with a 10-7 triumph over Denver. The championship matchup will mark a long-awaited rematch between the two franchises, this time with the Lombardi Trophy on the line in Santa Clara.

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In a frigid, snow-swept battle at Empower Field at Mile High, the New England Patriots edged the Denver Broncos 10-7 in the AFC Championship Game, clinching a trip to Super Bowl LX and continuing the franchise’s return to championship form.

Patriots’ QB Drake Maye, making his first AFC Championship appearance, delivered a poised performance in brutal weather. He completed 10 of 21 passes for 86 yards, added 65 rushing yards on 10 carries, and scored the Patriots’ lone touchdown on a 6-yard keeper late in the second quarter.

The Broncos struck first, with Stidham — starting in place of the injured Bo Nix — engineering a crisp opening drive that ended in a touchdown for a 7-0 lead. But as snowfall intensified, both offenses sputtered. Each team missed two long field goal attempts before halftime, and ball movement became increasingly difficult once whiteout conditions set in.

Playing through worsening conditions, New England scored the only points of the second half on a 23-yard field goal by rookie kicker Andy Borregales midway through the third quarter. That kick proved decisive in a contest dominated by defense, field position, and timely plays.

New England leaned heavily on Rhamondre Stevenson, who carried 25 times for 71 yards, helping control possession and keep Denver’s offense off balance. The Patriots did not commit a turnover, while the Broncos made two costly mistakes, including a late interception that sealed their fate.

With just over two minutes remaining, cornerback Christian Gonzalez intercepted Stidham near midfield, halting Denver’s final push. Maye followed with a clutch 7-yard scramble on third down to move the chains and run out the clock, securing New England’s 12th Super Bowl appearance and its first playoff victory in Denver.

Stidham finished with 133 passing yards, one touchdown, and one interception, while Denver fell one step short of head coach Sean Payton’s preseason goal of reaching Super Bowl 60.

Under head coach Mike Vrabel, the Patriots have embraced a tough, disciplined identity, and Sunday’s win reflected that approach. And at just 23 years old, Maye is now the second-youngest quarterback to start a Super Bowl, trailing only Dan Marino. He enters the game undefeated in the postseason at 3-0.

The Patriots now head to Santa Clara for Super Bowl LX on Feb. 8 where they’ll face the Seattle Seahawks, who defeated the LA Rams with a 31-27 win in the NFC Championship Game.  The matchup will mark a long-awaited rematch between the two franchises, with the Lombardi Trophy on the line.

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