NFL Conference Championship Recap

The New England Patriots have made a stunning return to the Super Bowl, reaching the big game after defeating the Denver Broncos and backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham 10-7 at Mile High Stadium. After posting a 4-13 record just a season ago, second-year quarterback Drake Maye had a stunning season, which has him in contention to win the NFL MVP award. The 14-3 Patriots are heading back to the Super Bowl for the first time since the Tom Brady era in 2018.

In the NFC Championship game, the Seattle Seahawks topped the Los Angeles Rams in a 31-27 thriller, a game that many dubbed the true Super Bowl. Sam Darnold topped a sensational first season with Seattle with a 346-yard, three-touchdown performance to take the Seahawks to their first Super Bowl since 2014. That season lives long in the memory, as that was the famous game they failed to hand the ball off to Marshawn Lynch at the one-yard line, with New England Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler coming up with an interception to clinch Super Bowl XLIX.

AFC Championship Game: New England Patriots 10 Denver Broncos 7

The New England Patriots came into the game as three-and-a-half-point favorites, with the betting public believing in Jarrett Stidham more and more throughout the week. In addition, potential whiteout conditions were driving the line and the total down throughout the week.

While Stidham and the snowfall would raise eyebrows quite early, throwing a touchdown pass on his second drive to put the Broncos up 7-0, that's all the production that Denver would get out of him. Stidham would finish the game 17-for-31 passing for 133 yards, one touchdown, and a game-ending interception.

On the other side of the ball, Drake Maye was just tortured by the incredible Broncos defense from start to finish, leading many to wonder how he'll handle the Seahawks in the Super Bowl. In fact, the Broncos sacked Maye five times, as both the Texans and Chargers did in his first two playoff games.

In the end, the weather and Stidham's inexperience proved to be the two biggest deciding factors. A questionable failed fourth-and-one as well as a pair of missed field goals in the snow were too much for the Broncos to come back from. Despite Denver limiting the Patriots and Drake Maye to just 86 passing yards and 206 yards of total offense, the Broncos couldn't muster another score, and the Patriots escaped with a game-ending Christian Gonzalez interception.

NFC Championship Game: Seattle Seahawks 31 Los Angeles Rams 27

After these two teams split the season series, with both games decided by two points or less, this NFC West rivalry game was extremely anticipated, with both teams coming into the weekend as the two favorites to win the Super Bowl.

Sure enough, this game lived up to the hype, with the two teams going back-and-forth, combining for 875 total yards of offense with Sam Darnold and Matthew Stafford each throwing for over 300 yards and three touchdowns. Superstar wide receivers Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Puka Nakua both had over 150 yards and a touchdown, showcasing their abilities on the biggest stage.

The two teams combined for 58 points in the first three quarters alone, yet somehow both defenses came up huge in a scoreless fourth quarter, with Seattle coming up big multiple times. The Rams went for it on 4th and 4 from the six-yard line with five minutes remaining to go out in front but Devon Witherspoon came up with the defensive play of the game to keep the Seahawks in front.

The Rams were undone by critical errors, including a muffed punt by Xavier Smith in the third quarter. One play later, the Seahawks took the only two-score lead of the game and never looked back.

Early Super Bowl Thoughts

Going into the Super Bowl, the combination of Sam Darnold's elite postseason numbers and Seattle's top-ranked defense has us predicting a Seahawks rout over the Patriots. Against teams not named the Los Angeles Rams, the Seahawks have allowed just 7.3 points per game over their last six contests.

With New England struggling heavily against the pass rush, allowing five sacks in each game this postseason, we wonder how they will come up with an answer. We just think that they won't, and the Seahawks should run away with Super Bowl LX, winning by at least three scores.