Super Bowl LX Runs Through the NFC West - But Don’t Count Out the AFC Just Yet
If there’s one thing that’s become clear heading into Championship Weekend, it’s this: the road to Super Bowl LX is paved through the NFC West. The Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams - two teams that know each other all too well - are the last NFC squads standing, and they’ve been trading blows both on the field and in the betting markets for weeks now.
Seattle enters the weekend with the shortest Super Bowl odds at +150, followed closely by the Rams at +220. It’s a reflection of what we’ve seen since midseason - two teams peaking at the right time, each with a legitimate case to hoist the Lombardi Trophy. And now, after splitting their regular season matchups, it all comes down to one final showdown: a rubber match with a Super Bowl berth on the line.
Seahawks Surging Behind Darnold, Defense, and a Star Rookie
Let’s start with Seattle. This team began the season buried in the odds sheet at +6000 - dead last in the NFC West and tied for 19th overall with Dallas after the Micah Parsons trade.
But fast forward a few months, and they’re the hottest team in football. An eight-game win streak launched them into contender status, and after dismantling San Francisco in the Divisional Round, the Seahawks have clearly earned their spot atop the board.
The turnaround has been fueled by a trio of unexpected stars. First, there’s Sam Darnold, the free-agent quarterback who’s found new life in Seattle, managing the offense with poise and confidence.
Then there’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who’s blossomed into a true No. 1 receiver and a matchup nightmare for opposing secondaries. And let’s not forget the "Dark Side" defense - a unit that’s flown under the radar but has quietly become one of the most dominant forces in the league.
This is a team that looks complete on both sides of the ball, and their combination of momentum, talent, and swagger makes them a tough out for anyone - even a divisional rival that knows them inside and out.
Rams Still a Threat With Stafford Playing MVP-Caliber Football
That said, don’t sleep on the Rams. Los Angeles nearly swept the regular-season series with Seattle, blowing a 16-point second-half lead in a wild Thursday night overtime loss in Week 16. That game could’ve gone either way, and it’s a reminder that the Rams are more than capable of flipping the script in the NFC title game.
Matthew Stafford is playing some of the best football of his career, and after leading a gritty overtime win in the snow against Chicago, he’s got a chance to cap off an MVP-level season with a Super Bowl appearance. The Rams entered the season at +2000 - tied for eighth-best odds with San Francisco and Cincinnati - and they’re the only one of those preseason top-ten teams still standing.
This is a battle-tested group with high-end talent on both sides of the ball. And with Sean McVay pulling the strings, they’ve got the coaching edge to match their roster strength. If anyone’s built to crash Seattle’s storybook run, it’s L.A.
AFC Picture: Patriots Rising, Broncos Reeling
While the NFC West dominates the top of the odds board, the AFC is still very much in play - and it’s the New England Patriots who’ve emerged as the conference favorite at +250. That’s a sentence few expected to write this season.
New England opened the year as a 125-to-1 longshot to win it all. Even by late August, they were still sitting at +8000 - tied with Miami, Atlanta, and Jacksonville near the bottom of the contender pile.
But none of that matters now. The Patriots forced five turnovers in a snow-covered win over Houston and are suddenly one win away from the Super Bowl.
Drake Maye has been the breakout star of the postseason. The second-year quarterback has elevated his game to an MVP level, and with a rock-solid defense behind him, New England is peaking at just the right time.
On the flip side, the Denver Broncos are trying to regroup after a major blow. Quarterback Bo Nix suffered a season-ending ankle injury on one of the final plays of their overtime win against Buffalo, and it’s a brutal blow for a team that had climbed to +700 odds before the injury.
Now at +1300, Denver still holds the AFC’s top seed, but the pressure falls squarely on backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham. The former Patriots draft pick has bounced around the league and now finds himself in a high-stakes showdown against his old team. With Denver’s defense still playing at an elite level, Stidham doesn’t need to be a hero - just steady enough to give them a shot.
What’s Next
So here we are: two NFC West heavyweights set to collide with everything on the line, and two AFC teams trying to navigate very different paths to the Super Bowl. Seattle and Los Angeles bring the firepower, the familiarity, and the stakes. New England and Denver bring the drama, the adversity, and the unpredictability.
Super Bowl LX is still up for grabs. But one thing’s for sure - the road to get there is anything but ordinary.