We’re down to four. The NFL’s version of the Final Four is set, and if the Divisional Round taught us anything, it’s that the postseason doesn’t follow anyone’s expectations-except maybe its own script.
Let’s start in the AFC, where the New England Patriots punched their ticket to Championship Sunday with a win over the Houston Texans at Gillette Stadium. It wasn’t flashy, but it was effective-classic Patriots football in January.
Now, they’ll head into a showdown with the Denver Broncos, a team that’s been riding momentum and physicality all season long. But Denver took a major hit: rookie quarterback Bo Nix suffered a fractured ankle and is out for the remainder of the season.
That’s a brutal blow for a team that’s leaned heavily on his poise and playmaking ability down the stretch.
With Nix sidelined, the Broncos’ path to Super Bowl LX just got a lot steeper. The Patriots, meanwhile, are looking more and more like the kind of team that can grind their way through January.
The defense is clicking, the offense is doing just enough, and the coaching staff knows how to win this time of year. The AFC Championship is set to be a battle of resilience and adjustments.
Flip over to the NFC, and things got wild. The Chicago Bears nearly pulled off a miracle behind Caleb Williams, who delivered a clutch, last-second play to force overtime.
But the Rams responded with a walk-off field goal in the extra period to seal the win. It was a heartbreaker for the Bears, but a testament to how dangerous the Rams can be when it counts.
Matthew Stafford continues to show that when the game’s on the line, he still has ice in his veins.
Now, the Rams head to the Pacific Northwest for an NFC West rematch with the Seattle Seahawks. And if their last outing is any indication, the Seahawks are not messing around.
Seattle dismantled the San Francisco 49ers in the Divisional Round, turning what many expected to be a close game into a statement win. It was so dominant that players on the sideline were jokingly using a belt to describe the beatdown-like they were handing out championship belts mid-game.
Seattle’s defense swarmed, the offense clicked, and the energy in that building was electric. They’ve got swagger, they’ve got balance, and right now, they’ve got the edge in the NFC.
As we gear up for Championship Sunday, one viral image from earlier in the playoffs is making the rounds again-a graphic the NFL released featuring all eight remaining quarterbacks at the time. In hindsight, it’s eerie.
The QBs positioned toward the front of the image-Sam Darnold, Bo Nix, Drake Maye, and Matthew Stafford-are the ones whose teams advanced. The rest?
Eliminated. It’s the kind of coincidence that fuels the ever-popular “NFL script” jokes, but it also speaks to how quickly narratives can shift in January.
So here we are: Seahawks vs. Rams.
Patriots vs. Broncos.
Four teams, two tickets to Levi’s Stadium for Super Bowl LX.
According to oddsmakers, the Seahawks are the current favorites to win it all, and it’s easy to see why. They’re playing with confidence, they’ve already handled a high-powered 49ers team, and they’ve got the kind of depth that wins in January.
Behind them are the Rams, who’ve proven they can win tight games and have a quarterback who’s been there before. Then come the Patriots, the perennial postseason grinders.
And finally, the Broncos-banged up, but still standing.
No matter how you slice it, Championship Sunday is set to deliver. The script may have been in front of us all along, but now it’s time to see who writes the final chapter.