Key Takeaways
- New england’s young quarterback and new leadership have reignited the Patriots’ playoff hopes.
- The Rams and Seahawks are set for a third clash, with both previous games decided by two points or less.
- With Patrick Mahomes and Joe Burrow absent, the 2026 Super Bowl LX matchups signal a shift in the NFL’s power structure.
The 2025-2026 NFL season has been full of surprises, and the playoffs have only continued that trend. With the Conference Championship round coming up this weekend (Sunday, Jan. 25), its time to take a look at how we got here.Just four teams remain, and before the season kicked off, few predicted these squads would be Super Bowl contenders. This year’s playoff field is missing some familiar faces, but the teams that remain are playing at a high level.
New England Patriots: They’re baaaaack!
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The New England Patriots are likely at the top of everyone’s list of surprise teams. Coming off a terrible 2024 season with a record of 4 and 13, they fired the previous coaching staff and brought in a new coach, Mike Vrabel, who was also a player on their championship teams in the 2000s. They also signed several new players, including star wide receiver Stefon Diggs. This year looked like a rebuild, yet here they are, one win away from playing in the Super Bowl. With wins over the Los Angeles Chargers and Houston Texans, the New England Patriots, led by MVP candidate Drake Maye, are poised to make believers out of us all.
Denver Broncos: down but not OUT
The Denver Broncos will host the aforementioned Patriots on Sunday, but it will be without their young quarterback, Bo Nix. In their win against the Buffalo Bills, Nix suffered a broken ankle, requiring surgery and ending his season. broncos coach Sean Payton, though, doesn’t seem worried. He said in a press conference, “We will be ready” when asked about playing this Sunday without Nix. Broncos fans will have to hope their team has some magic left in the tank. After winning a duel against one of the best players in the NFL, Josh Allen, Denver will try to continue their season and get one more win that will send them to the Super Bowl.
Seattle Seahawks: Flying high
The seattle Seahawks finished the regular season tied with Denver for the best 2025-’26 record in football. They are one of the league’s best defensive teams and have a dynamic one-two punch on offense with Sam Darnold and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. The Seahawks being in the Final Four doesn’t come as a surprise to most avid NFL fans because they were trending upward. The Seahawks dominated the San Francisco 49ers this past weekend, beating them 41-6 and setting up what should be an epic battle with the Los Angeles Rams.
Los Angeles Rams: Offense leads the way
The Los Angeles Rams were a preseason pick to win the Super Bowl. Led by Matthew stafford, who will likely be this year’s MVP, this team is clicking on all cylinders. With the league’s best offensive attack, the Rams can put points up quickly. They also shook off any remaining doubters this past weekend (jan. 18) with a win over the Chicago Bears in Chi-Town. It has long been thought that West Coast teams do not travel well,especially in the winter,but despite the freezing temperature,the Rams were able to come out with a win. The Rams and Seahawks will face off for the third time this season, with both of the previous games being decided by 2 points or less. This third meeting will pit the NFL’s best offense (Rams) against one of the NFL’s best defenses (Seahawks), setting the game up to be an intense one.
All roads lead to Santa Clara, where Super Bowl LX will be held on Feb. 8. The Final Four here might not include some of the household names we are used to,but the games this weekend are shaping up to be great. The betting odds show Seattle as the favourite, which most of the country likely agrees with. But a preseason prediction remains: the Rams to win it all.It will be exciting to see how it all plays out.
