Championship Sunday Preview: Two Heavyweight Showdowns, One Ticket to Super Bowl LX
And then there were four. Championship Sunday is here, and with it comes a pair of matchups that feel like they were written for prime time.
Two No. 1 seeds defending their turf. Two rematches packed with history.
Four quarterbacks taking very different paths to the biggest games of their careers. Let’s break down the AFC and NFC Championship matchups-what to watch, who’s hot, and how each team got here.
AFC Championship Game
**New England Patriots (16-3, No. 2) at Denver Broncos (15-3, No.
1)**
📍 Empower Field at Mile High
🕒 Sunday, Jan. 25 - 3:00 PM ET
👨⚖️ Referee: Alex Kemp
The AFC title game returns to the altitude of Denver for the first time since the Broncos’ 2015 Super Bowl run, and fittingly, it’s the Patriots who come knocking again. History leans Denver’s way-they’re 4-1 against New England in the playoffs, and undefeated when hosting them in the postseason.
But this isn’t the same Patriots team we’ve seen in recent years. This group is young, confident, and riding a serious wave of momentum.
Patriots: A New Era Under Center
Drake Maye has arrived. The second-year quarterback has been nothing short of electric this season, and his 14th game with a passer rating over 100 came in last week’s 28-16 win over Houston.
Maye led the league with a 113.5 rating and tossed 31 touchdowns during the regular season, showing poise well beyond his years. He’s not just managing games-he’s taking them over.
New England’s offense has found its rhythm through balance. Rookie TreVeyon Henderson has emerged as a home-run threat, while Rhamondre Stevenson continues to be the steady engine in the ground game. That one-two punch has kept defenses honest-and opened up lanes for Maye to work.
On the defensive side, the Patriots are coming off one of their most disruptive performances of the year. Marcus Jones housed a pick-six, Carlton Davis was everywhere with four pass breakups and two interceptions, and rookie safety Craig Woodson added both a pick and a fumble recovery. Add in Milton Williams, who’s heating up at the right time with multiple sacks in two of his last three playoff games, and you’ve got a defense that’s peaking when it matters most.
Broncos: A Familiar Spot, But a New Face at QB
Denver needed overtime to outlast Buffalo 33-30, and now they’ll turn to Jarrett Stidham for his first career postseason start. It’s a big moment for the veteran, but he won’t be asked to do it alone.
Sean Payton’s offense is loaded with weapons. Courtland Sutton posted his third 1,000-yard season, rookie RJ Harvey found the end zone 12 times, and Marvin Mims broke out last week with 93 yards and a touchdown. This is a group that can hurt you in a lot of ways-and Payton knows how to scheme them open.
Defensively, the Broncos have been the backbone of this No. 1 seed campaign. Nik Bonitto racked up 14 sacks during the regular season and forced two fumbles last week.
Zach Allen and Pat Surtain II continue to anchor a unit that gave up just 18.3 points per game. And the secondary?
Loaded. Ja’Quan McMillian and Riley Moss both tied for the league lead with 19 pass breakups, giving Denver one of the most aggressive ball-hawking units in the league.
The Broncos have made the Super Bowl in six of their last eight seasons as a top seed. The Patriots are back in the AFC title game for the first time since their dominant stretch from 2011 to 2018. Something’s got to give.
NFC Championship Game
**Los Angeles Rams (14-5, No. 5) at Seattle Seahawks (15-3, No.
1)**
📍 Lumen Field
🕡 Sunday, Jan. 25 - 6:30 PM ET
👨⚖️ Referee: Clay Martin
Get ready for fireworks in the Pacific Northwest. The Rams and Seahawks meet for the third time this season, and if their last clash-a 38-37 overtime thriller-is any indication, we’re in for a wild one. Seattle may have the edge in regular-season history, but the Rams have taken both playoff meetings, including a Wild Card win back in 2021.
Rams: Air It Out, Light It Up
Matthew Stafford is playing some of the best football of his career, and he’s doing it on the biggest stage. The veteran led the NFL with 4,707 passing yards and a career-high 46 touchdowns this season. He’s also had Seattle’s number lately, with three straight games of multiple touchdown passes against them.
Puka Nacua has been a revelation. After a 1,715-yard regular season, the second-year receiver has already piled up 489 yards in just five playoff games.
He’s not just productive-he’s rewriting early-career records. Add in Kyren Williams, who put up 117 scrimmage yards and two scores last week, and you’ve got an offense that can hit you from every angle.
Defensively, the Rams have been opportunistic. Cobie Durant has interceptions in back-to-back playoff games, Emmanuel Forbes finished the season with 18 pass breakups, and Byron Young posted a 12-sack Pro Bowl campaign. Safety Kam Curl is the glue, coming off a 13-tackle performance in the Divisional Round that showed just how much ground he can cover.
Seahawks: Balanced, Explosive, and Built for This Moment
Seattle is coming off a 41-6 demolition of San Francisco, a performance that showcased exactly why they’re the NFC’s top seed. Sam Darnold has found his groove, throwing for over 4,000 yards with 25 touchdowns in one of the most efficient seasons of his career. He’s helped guide the Seahawks to back-to-back 13-win seasons-on two different teams.
Kenneth Walker is the hammer in the run game, and he’s been punishing defenses lately. He racked up 145 scrimmage yards and three touchdowns last week and has topped 100 yards in three straight games against the Rams.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba has become the go-to guy in the passing game, posting 1,793 yards-making him just the third player under 24 to top 1,700 in a season. And don’t forget Rashid Shaheed, who added a 95-yard kickoff return touchdown last week, one of the rarest and most electrifying plays you’ll see in the postseason.
On defense, Seattle is stacked with playmakers. Ernest Jones added to his five-interception season with another pick last week.
Demarcus Lawrence turned in a playoff performance for the ages: a sack, two forced fumbles, two tackles for loss, and a pass breakup. Devon Witherspoon and Leonard Williams round out a unit that allowed just 17.2 points per game.
The Seahawks are chasing their first Super Bowl appearance since their back-to-back runs in the 2013 and 2014 seasons. The Rams are looking to get back for the third time since 2018. With two explosive offenses and defenses that know how to flip momentum, this NFC title game has all the makings of a classic.
Bottom Line
Two games. Four teams.
One shot at immortality. Whether it’s the Patriots’ new-look offense trying to conquer the altitude in Denver, or two NFC West rivals writing the next chapter of their rivalry in Seattle, Championship Sunday is set to deliver drama, star power, and maybe a few surprises.
Strap in-Super Bowl LX is almost here.