The Super Bowl is set. The NFL playoffs have led to this. In two weeks, the New England Patriots or Seattle Seahawks will be the new world champions. This is a rematch of a Super Bowl several years ago, but these are two entirely different organizations than they were then.
NFL Playoffs inch forward with another brilliant round
AFC
The NFL Playoffs have been brilliant. The Wild Card Round was outstanding, with all but two games coming down to the final possession or two. The Divisional Round had some absolute thrillers, too, including two game-winning kicks in overtime.
It was only right, then, that the NFC and AFC Championship Games came down to the final possessions as well. First up, the New England Patriots advanced after an ugly, snow-drowned contest against the Denver Broncos.
Jarrett Stidham made his first start for the team, and he had to throw his first pass since the 2023 season. He got the Broncos off to a good start, but a fumble inside his own 20 let the Pats tie it. They would eventually kick a field goal, while missing two others, to take a late lead.
The Broncos had chances, but their own tying field goal was blocked. Then, Stidham was intercepted on a deep pass by Christian Gonzalez. The Broncos never got the ball back after a brilliant run by Drake Maye sealed it.
NFC
Then, the true fireworks arrived in Seattle. The Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams had a third incredible duel. The Seahawks got out to an early lead and managed to hold the Rams at arm’s length, but they were anything but assured of a win at any point.
Even after the Rams muffed a punt (special teams has killed this team all year and is why they’re at home) and the very next play went for a touchdown, the Rams marched back to score and keep it a one-possession game.
They had the ball inside the 10-yard line with a chance to take the lead, but the Seahawks’ defense clamped down. On fourth down, Stafford had nearly four seconds to throw, which is an eternity in the NFL, but the pass was knocked away.
They got the ball back at their own seven-yard line with no timeouts and 25 seconds, which meant there was no chance of winning by then.
Super Bowl rematch set
There was a high chance of a recent Super Bowl being replayed this year after the Divisional Round. The Patriots played the Seahawks in 2015. The Broncos played the Seahawks in 2014. Fittingly, the most recent Super Bowl rematch option is being played.
However, those teams have nothing to do with the versions that will duke it out now. The coaches are new. Mike Vrabel is in for Bill Belichick. Mike Macdonald is in for Pete Carroll. Tom Brady’s gone, and Drake Maye is here. Russell Wilson is also gone, and Sam Darnold’s in his place.
From top to bottom, these two franchises are wholly different from the teams that met over a decade ago. Their history has no bearing on the matchup. Maye is great, but he’s not Brady. The Seahawks defense is incredible, but they’re not quite the Legion of Boom.
In two weeks, one of these teams will be crowned champion. The odds favor the Seahawks early on, which isn’t surprising. They’ve now won nine in a row, including beating the Rams and San Francisco 49ers twice and the Carolina Panthers, another playoff squad, once.
The Patriots and Seahawks had the same regular-season record of 14-3. The Patriots played one extra game because they didn’t get the bye week, so they’ve had three playoff games to Seattle’s two so far.
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