New England Patriots, Seattle Seahawks advance to Super Bowl 60

The Rams tried to pull off a miracle. On the final play of the game, Matthew Stafford connected with Puka Nacua for a 21-yard pass play that brought them close to midfield. Nacua caught the ball as he fell down, near the sideline. If he got out of bounds, it would've stopped the clock. But the officials ruled him down inbounds, ending the game.

For the first time since the 2014 season, the Seahawks are back in the Super Bowl. They will play the Patriots in a rematch of Super Bowl 49.

After the Seahawks drained lots of time off the clock, the Rams' defense finally got a stop. Now Los Angeles will have 25 seconds to go 93 yards to win the game.

Late in the fourth quarter, trying to run out the clock with a four-point lead, Seattle might be expected to just run the ball. Instead, the Seahawks picked up two first downs on called pass plays.

On the first, quarterback Sam Darnold rolled out and found Jaxon Smith-Njigba for 14 yards. On another pass play, receiver Cooper Kupp drew a holding penalty, giving the Seahawks another key first down.

The Rams scored on each of their first two drives of the second and looked destined to do it on a third straight, too, after Matthew Stafford picked up an improbable fourth-down conversion before the Rams marched into the red zone.

Instead, Seattle's blanket coverage led to an incompletion and its first defensive stop since the second quarter. The stakes of this kind of upcoming drive for Seattle, leading 31-27 with a chance to pull closer to a Super Bowl berth, are what led to so many questions surrounding their offseason signing of Sam Darnold. Can he really take a team to a Super Bowl? Here's his chance.

Will that be the deciding play of the night?

The Rams went for it on fourth and 4 from the Seattle 6-yard line, but Matthew Stafford threw incomplete into the back of the end zone, ending the drive with no points. Stafford maybe had room to run on both third and fourth down, but he elected not to scramble after doing so earlier in the drive.

The Seahawks take over leading 31-27 with four minutes and 54 seconds to go.

After a drop on third and 1, the Rams went for it on fourth down, and the normally reluctant-to-run Matthew Stafford took off for a huge first down to keep the drive alive.

The Rams last led with a minute remaining in the first half, but after falling behind as many as 11 points, twice, they can take the lead with 12:18 to go in the fourth quarter following Seattle's punt.

After muffing a punt that led to a Seahawks touchdown, Xavier Smith did not field Seattle’s latest punt. Instead, running back Kyren Williams was sent out by Sean McVay, who cannot afford any more special teams miscues tonight.

Credit to Rams coach and play caller Sean McVay for continually finding holes inside the NFL's best passing defense.

During the regular season, the Seahawks allowed an NFL-best 6.0 yards per pass attempt. Tonight, they've given up 11.6 yards on every Matthew Stafford pass. It's an incredible number made even more impressive given the defense he is doing it against.

Folks, we have a classic in the making tonight.

After being separated by only one point across two regular season games, the Rams and the Seahawks are separated by only four points as we head to the fourth quarter. The teams traded touchdowns on four straight possessions in an explosive third quarter as both offenses got in a groove. (Do you love the number four yet?)

Will Seattle hold on? Can Matthew Stafford lead a fourth-quarter comeback? Lock in for what should be a great finish.

Seattle had the Rams ready to punt when Matthew Stafford's pass on third and 12 fell incomplete, only for defensive back Tariq Woolen to be penalized for taunting, earning an automatic first down.

One play later, Woolen was several steps behind Rams wideout Puka Nacua when Nacua hauled in a touchdown catch. What a damaging sequence for Seattle's defense to believe it had won, only to allow seven points.

What a turn of events!

Matthew Stafford threw incomplete on third and 12 from the Seahawks’ 49, but an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Tariq Woolen kept the Rams’ drive alive. One play later, Stafford threw a dime to Puka Nacua for a 34-yard score.

Stafford has thrown some absolute dots this half.

It’s a 31-27 Seattle lead.

On the same drive that ex-Rams great Cooper Kupp caught his first catch of the night, the ninth-year receiver dives into the end zone after a 13-yard reception that has given Seattle a 31-20 lead with 4:52 to play in the third quarter.

Wow.

The Rams wasted no time cutting into the Seahawks’ lead, traveling 75 yards in only four plays for a score. Matthew Stafford is heating up — he threw two perfect passes on the possession, a 40-yarder to Colby Parkinson and a 29-yarder to Davante Adams that set up an Adams score from 2 yards out.

It’s now a 24-20 Seattle lead.

When Seattle's possession to begin the second half went nowhere, leading to a punt, it was a lost moment for the Seahawks to add to the lead they grabbed before halftime.

But then, in a huge break, the Rams muffed the ensuing punt, losing a fumble that Seattle recovered. Just one play later, Sam Darnold threw a 17-yard touchdown to Jake Bobo for a 24-13 lead.

The Rams forced a punt on the Seahawks’ opening drive, but Xavier Smith muffed the boot, and now Seattle has the ball on the edge of the red zone.

This season, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Puka Nacua finished Nos. 1 and 2 in receiving yards. (They both cleared the third-place receiver by more than 200 yards.) They’re both finalists for the offensive player of the year award. Now, they’re dueling in the NFC championship game for a spot in the Super Bowl.

In the first half, Seattle’s Smith-Njigba caught seven passes for 115 yards and a touchdown. He made a nifty one-handed catch along the sideline and, later on, ran a route that worked him wide open for that score. Nacua, the Rams’ top target, has caught four passes for 75 yards, most of which came on a 44-yard catch. Most of the game’s highlights have involved one of these two.

A very fun first half between two great teams.

The Seahawks raced out to a 10-3 lead before the Rams scored the next 10 points. But a late score from Seattle put it ahead at halftime, and now the Seahawks will have the chance to extend their advantage when they receive to start the third.

After starting 2-of-6, Matthew Stafford finished the half 8-of-15 for 125 yards and a touchdown through the air. Los Angeles has also been running well, gaining 87 yards on 16 carries.

Seattle QB Sam Darnold has been dealing, completing 12 of 18 passes for 209 yards and a touchdown, outplaying Stafford, the MVP finalist.

Neither side has a turnover, and the penalties have been minimal. Should be an exciting finish!

In recent years, Seattle has been powered by a dynamic duo at running back — Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet. But last week, the Seahawks lost Charbonnet to a torn ACL. In the NFC championship game then, Seattle has leaned heavily on Walker.

In the first half, Walker has rushed nine times for 37 yards and a touchdown. He has also caught two passes for 24 more yards. His backup, George Holani, has carried the ball twice for 1 yard and added a 13-yard reception.

Late in the half, a pass appeared to bounce off Holani’s arm, leading to a Seattle punt. Charbonnet had been particularly adept at catching passes out of the backfield. Watch how Holani plays the rest of the way.

How does a defense lose the NFL's leading receiver? Jaxon Smith-Njigba got loose in the back left corner of the end zone and Sam Darnold threw a brilliant pass, off his back foot while being hit, to complete the touchdown.

It's Seattle 17, Rams 13 right before halftime after a drive that lasted only 34 seconds. Smith-Njigba already has 115 receiving yards.

Sam Darnold found his favorite receiver, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, for a 42-yard gain to put Seattle right in position for a go-ahead score before halftime.

Seattle was forced to punt after a three-and-out drive, and it will give the ball back to the Rams with 93 seconds remaining before halftime and two timeouts for Los Angeles, too. Academics and football fans are split over the concept of momentum being real in sports, but it sure feels like the Rams have it right now.

After a defensive stop, the Rams’ offense couldn’t get a drive going. A 5-yard run was followed by two incompletions, and now the Seahawks will have a chance to score before halftime. Seattle has all three of its timeouts and 54 seconds on the clock.

The Rams marched 87 yards in 12 plays to take their first lead of the game.

Matthew Stafford found Kyren Williams on a 9-yard pass for the score, though Los Angeles did most of its damage on the ground during the possession. That’s a huge score for the Rams, who have looked much more comfortable on offense since the end of the first quarter.

It’s 13-10 Los Angeles.

Testing Seattle's rush defense would seem on its face like a fool's errand; the Seahawks led the league by allowing only 3.7 yards per rush this season. Yet, here late in the second quarter, the Rams have averaged 5.2 yards per carry, including a key third-down conversion on this latest drive. Sean McVay has found a way to attack Seattle using Blake Corum (38 yards) and Kyren Williams (26 yards).

Seattle didn't have a chance of adding to its 10-6 lead here in the second quarter after losing 14 yards on the drive, largely thanks to Sam Darnold's recovery of his own fumble.

The Seahawks got away with a face mask on third down, ending the Rams’ latest drive. Instead of a first down, Matthew Stafford was sacked, bringing on Harrison Mevis for a 50-yard field goal. Mevis nailed the kick, but we have our first controversy of the game.

It’s now a 10-6 Seattle lead.

Davante Adams just made his first catch of the game, a 23-yard reception on a slant.

Adams may be more motivated than any other player today, as he’s played in four conference championship games but has never made the Super Bowl in his impressive career.

The Seahawks outgained the Rams 147 yards to 69 in the opening frame and have a one-touchdown lead as a result. Seattle is moving without much resistance offensively.

Los Angeles, meanwhile, needs to find a rhythm. Matthew Stafford is only 2-of-6 for 47 yards. The Rams will have a first down with the ball at midfield when the second quarter begins.

A 27-yard kick by Seattle's Jason Myers pushes the Seahawks to a 10-3 lead with 54 seconds remaining in the first quarter and ends a 12-play drive that took 7:21 off the clock.

Sam Darnold already has 114 passing yards. For context, Denver's Jarrett Stidham threw for 133 yards and New England's Drake Maye had 86 in the NFC championship earlier today.

Seattle's running game has been weakened by the injury to starter Zach Charbonnet, and the absence hurts a rushing attack that had spent much of the season entirely complementary to Seattle's passing game. Through Week 12, Seattle ranked 25th in expected points added per rush. However, over the last five weeks of the regular season, it improved to 12th as the offense became more balanced. This game today isn't entirely on the shoulders of quarterback Sam Darnold, then.

After hitting Puka Nacua for a 44-yarder, Matthew Stafford threw three straight incompletions and the Rams settled a 44-yard field goal. Harrison Mevis knocked it through to get Los Angeles on the board.

Stafford is only 2-of-6 through two drives. He’s 1-of-5 for 3 yards outside of the deep pass to Nacua.

It’s 7-3 Seattle.

The Rams are deep into Seattle territory after a 44-yard shot from Matthew Stafford to Puka Nacua.

Midway through the 2025 season, the Seahawks traded two draft picks to the Saints for Rashid Shaheed, a speedy wideout capable of stretching the field. In nine games down the stretch in Seattle, though, Shaheed only caught 15 passes for 188 yards — an average of fewer than two catches a game. None of those catches went for more than 33 yards.

Well, in the first quarter of the NFC championship game, Seattle quarterback Sam Darnold found Shaheed behind the defense for a 51-yard catch. That’s what the Seahawks were hoping for when they traded for him. His speed can change the game in an instant.

Kenneth Walker III bounces his rush outside and wins a sprint against Rams linebacker Byron Young to the pylon for Seattle's first touchdown.

It's 7-0, Seattle, early in the opening quarter.

The Rams go three and out on the game’s opening possession. Los Angeles picked up 7 yards, but Matthew Stafford threw incomplete to Puka Nacua on third and short.

... And the NFC championship game is underway! Who will win the rubber match between NFC West rivals? And who will ultimately face the Patriots in the Super Bowl? All questions will be answered soon!

The Rams have become road warriors in their run to the NFC championship game.

Today’s game in Seattle will be the seventh the Rams have played on the road in the last nine weeks.

The Rams’ run of road games started Week 13 at Carolina and continued Week 14 at Arizona, Week 16 at Seattle and Week 17 at Atlanta. They were then at Carolina again in the wild-card round and at Chicago in the divisional round, and they are at Seattle again in the NFC championship game.

The Rams have been at home just twice in the last nine weeks, beating the Lions in Los Angeles in Week 15 and beating the Cardinals in Los Angeles in Week 18.

Read the full article here.

With New England going to an NFL record 12th Super Bowl, the only question is which opponent will join it in Santa Clara, California, in two weeks.

Each time the Seattle Seahawks and the Los Angeles Rams played this season, it was a thrilling game, with each team winning once. The combined margin of victory in those two games was just three points.

New England has played both of these teams in the Super Bowl previously. The Patriots beat the Seahawks in Super Bowl 59, known for Malcolm Butler's late interception, and they beat the Rams in Super Bowl 53, which was the first appearance for Rams coach Sean McVay. The Patriots also beat the Rams 20-17 in Super Bowl 36, Tom Brady's first appearance in the title game.

New England's win today was its first in Denver during the postseason. The Patriots had been 0-4 in the playoffs in the Mile High City. They snap that streak today despite gaining just 206 yards, thanks to Denver's own offensive problems and its decision, by coach Sean Payton, not to kick a field goal during the first quarter and instead failing on fourth down.

Drake Maye ran for a first down on 3rd and 6, then kneeled out the clock to send the Patriots to the Super Bowl.

New England is back in the Big Game for the first time since the departure of Tom Brady. The Broncos, meanwhile, fell short with backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham piloting the AFC’s top seed.

New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel speaks with quarterback Drake Maye after the AFC Championship game. Ashley Landis / AP

New England's offense has gained just 10 yards combined in the fourth quarter on three drives, yet that has not hurt its path to the Super Bowl. The Patriots' defense, aided by brutal weather, has encountered little resistance by Denver's offense, and after Christian Gonzalez intercepted Jarrett Stidham, the Broncos are only two minutes from returning to the Super Bowl for the first time since Tom Brady left the franchise.

Jarrett Stidham threw up a prayer to the right sideline for Marvin Mims, except it was answered by Christian Gonzalez in the form of an interception. Not sure it was time for Stidham to take a shot. And that may have ended any hopes for the Broncos.

New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez intercepts a pass late in the fourth quarter. John Locher / AP

New England's eighth punt comes after a three-and-out in which it gained just 1 yard. The Patriots looked content to run as much time off the clock as possible before punting back to Denver, not believing Jarrett Stidham will be able to move the Broncos back downfield close enough for a game-tying field goal or a go-ahead touchdown.

The Broncos had six fourth-quarter comebacks and won 11 one-score games this season. Can they do it one more time?

Jarrett Stidham has 3:05 and one timeout to lead Denver to a score in the middle of a blizzard.

No points for the Broncos.

Will Lutz kicked a knuckleball (that appeared to be tipped) from 45 yards that missed wide left. In these conditions, it simply may not be possible to make a field goal of any considerable distance.

The Patriots' offense punts for the seventh time today after taking about 90 seconds off the clock. Just under seven minutes remain in the fourth quarter, and Denver has fantastic field position.

Denver is starting this drive inside New England territory at the 33-yard line. If the Broncos are going to score this quarter, it feels like it has to happen on this drive. Denver’s first play lost 3 yards, however.

New England started this half with a possession that lasted more than nine minutes. It gets the ball back with 8:21 left in the fourth quarter, clinging to a 10-7 lead and trying to run the clock out on this victory.

The Broncos’ offensive renaissance was short lived. After picking up their first first down of the second half, Denver punted three plays later. The punt pinned the Patriots deep, but time is starting to become a factor for the Broncos.

There’s 8:21 left in regulation.

Tyler Badie picked up a first down on third and short, and the Broncos converted their first third down of the second half. Denver desperately needs some points here. The Broncos are driving close to midfield.

Drake Maye dropped back to pass and was sacked when he didn't see anyone open — because between the swirling snow and the swarming Broncos coverage, it was impossible to find a Patriots receiver with any daylight.

The Patriots punt, still holding on to a narrow 10-7 lead.

Honestly, an interesting point from the CBS broadcaster as the fourth quarter continues in a blizzard. Will we see a key play come down to someone not knowing where a Patriot is located because of their all-white uniforms? The Broncos, meanwhile, are in a bright orange. It’s not the craziest theory!

A drop on third and 5 ended Denver’s latest drive, and the subsequent punt went through the end zone for a touchback. The Broncos have run only six plays in the second half.

Meanwhile, the conditions are growing increasingly unforgiving.

The Patriots started the third quarter with a long drive that ended in a field goal, and that score looms large as we head to the fourth. Denver’s offense has cratered after outgaining New England in the first half. Now Jarrett Stidham will have to lead a fourth-quarter comeback in swirling snow that will make this game much more difficult for both teams.

Not wanting to feel left out from the major winter storm on the East Coast, the snow is falling fast and furious in Denver right now. With the Patriots leading and the Broncos’ offense struggling, this weather seems to favor New England. Even if Denver can get into field-goal range in the fourth quarter, can Will Lutz kick in these conditions?

New England kicker Andy Borregales pushes his 46-yard field goal wide and to the right to keep this a 10-7 Patriots lead late in the third quarter. Borregales is 1-for-3 today, with another miss from 63 yards.

The conditions on the kick were absolutely brutal, with snow swirling in an unpredictable wind.

Drake Maye's flea-flicker completion for 31 yards in driving snow has put New England inside field-goal territory. That completion accounted for more than half of Maye's passing yardage all game up to that point.

The Broncos’ pass defense on Drake Maye has been spectacular, holding him to only 86 yards passing so far.

On the ground, however, Maye has run for 64 yards on only five carries, including a touchdown.

Maye is averaging 4.5 yards per passing attempt ... and 12.8 yards per rush. That’s been a major difference-maker in this game.

When the CBS broadcast cut to a shot of the Broncos' ownership suite in Empower Field, the Walton-Penner families were seen sitting next to former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Confused? Rice has actually been a minority owner of the Broncos since the team was sold in 2022. And her fit with the Broncos is more natural than you might think; she graduated with a bachelor's degree and a Ph.D. from the University of Denver and also once served on the College Football Playoff selection committee.

After a drop on second down, Jarrett Stidham threw short of the sticks on third down and Denver couldn’t convert, so the Broncos punted.

The snow is starting to fall faster and stick on the field. It’s going to be a tall order for Denver to get back in the end zone with how the offense is playing.

The Patriots got the ball to begin the second half and didn't give it back for 9:31. That monster drive ends, after 16 plays and 64 yards, with a short field goal that gives New England a 10-7 lead.

Eight yards away from the end zone New England didn't kick a field goal, instead sending Drake Maye on a quarterback sneak. Referees initially said he got the yard he needed, but the spot looked dubious at best, and Denver challenged the call, but the challenge was unsuccessful.

New England has the ball first to begin the second half in Denver as snow is falling for really the first time of the game. Will this influence play calling with both quarterbacks looking shaky so far?

After running only 22 times against Buffalo in the divisional round, the Broncos ran 17 times in the first half of today’s game. Denver still favored the pass in the first half, but Sean Payton did his best to get Jarrett Stidham some relief on the ground. Those runs weren’t always effective, however, as the Broncos are averaging only 3.4 yards per carry so far.

If you love defense and clean play, that was a first half for you. The Broncos and Patriots both drew one penalty apiece.

A low scoring yet entertaining first half.

The Broncos are dominating on the stat sheet, outgaining the Patriots 149 to 72. Jarrett Stidham has also gone toe-to-toe with MVP finalist Drake Maye so far, throwing for 123 yards compared to only 41 for Maye.

But Stidham has also made the game’s biggest mistake, a fumble that set up New England’s only touchdown of the first half. Combine the turnover with a failed fourth down, and Denver has little to show for playing considerably better on offense.

The Patriots will receive the ball to start the third quarter, and they’ll have a chance to take their first lead of the game. The Broncos’ defense has been stout, though, holding New England to only 2.8 yards per play.

Denver was conservative on a 3rd and 4 and it didn’t pay off, as one play later Will Lutz missed a 54-yard field goal. With the Patriots in soft coverage on third down, the Broncos may have had a chance to pick up some extra yards. That could really come back to hurt Denver.

The Patriots are stuffed close to their own goal line, leading to a fifth punt of the first half. Denver will get the ball at midfield with 48 seconds to work with before halftime.

New England's averaging an anemic 2.4 yards per play thus far. For context, in their worst offensive game of the season, the Patriots averaged 4.87 yards per play.

After their lone touchdown, the Broncos have gone punt, turnover on downs, fumble, and now punt again on their last four drives. Jarrett Stidham is 10 of 18 for 106 yards and a costly fumble.

The Patriots have the ball on their own 10, with one timeout and 1:35 left to score before halftime.

Given a short field after Jarrett Stidham's fumble was recovered by New England's defense, the Patriots immediately score to tie this game, 7-7.

Facing pressure from New England, Jarrett Stidham was backpedaling on third down and tried to throw a chest pass. But his throw was ruled a backwards pass and now the Patriots have the ball just outside the 10-yard line. The Patriots initially picked up the ball and ran it in for a touchdown, but an early whistle took the score off the board.

That’s a huge mistake for Stidham, who was playing a clean game up until that point.

After four drives, the Patriots have twice as many punts (four) as first downs (two). An average of 2.0 yards per play tells the tale of how well-prepared Denver's defense has been for New England. For as much was made of Broncos backup Jarrett Stidham being thrust into a big moment today, MVP candidate Drake Maye, also making his championship-game debut, hasn't looked comfortable so far.

Patriots activated starting wide receiver Mack Hollins from injured reserve Saturday and he's already had an impact today. Though they didn't get the first down and was forced to punt, Hollins caught a 20-yard pass from Drake Maye.

Hollins was placed on IR on Dec. 27 with an abdomen injury. Going into today's game, he had 550 yards receiving on 46 catches on the season.

The Patriots' defense broke through Denver's offensive line easily to hurry Jarrett Stidham and force an incompletion on fourth and short. If that didn't look like a defense anxious about fourth down, there's a reason for that. Of the 32 defenses in the NFL this season, the Patriots allowed opponents the second-lowest percentage of fourth-down conversions, 33.3% (10 of 33). Only the Chiefs allowed a lower percentage.

A swing play in the second quarter.

Facing a 4th and 1 from the New England 14, the Broncos went for it and Jarrett Stidham threw incomplete on a short pass.

An aggressive call from Sean Payton — will it be one he regrets?

The Broncos have a lead after 15 minutes of play.

Both offenses have struggled so far, though Jarrett Stidham has the play of the game so far: A 54-yard pass that set up the game’s only score in the first quarter.

Denver will have a first down in New England territory when the second quarter begins.

The Broncos are getting the performance they need from their defense so far.

Through one quarter of play, the Patriots have only 12 yards on 12 plays. Drake Maye has completed 3 of 6 passes for only 6 yards, and he was sacked once for a loss of nine. New England is also only 1 of 4 on third down.

This is how Denver can win with a backup quarterback leading the offense.

Three drive, three punts so far for New England with less than a minute left in the first quarter. The farthest the Patriots have advanced downfield is their own 44-yard line, but two of the drives didn't even get past their own 15. Credit Denver's swarming defense.

Denver picked up a couple first downs on its latest drive, which even included a nifty quarterback keeper for Jarrett Stidham. The possession stalled when Courtland Sutton couldn’t reel in a pass on third down, though, and the Broncos punted.

On its second drive, New England picked up one first down and then stalled, leading to a punt. Drake Maye is 3-for-5 passing so far for a grand total of seven yards.

Denver's touchdown on its second drive of the game was the first time it had allowed a first-quarter touchdown in five games -- since Dec. 21, to be exact.

The Broncos are on the board first!

Two plays after his bomb to Marvin Mims, Jarrett Stidham rolled to his right and found Courtland Sutton in the corner of the end zone for a score.

That’s a huge touchdown for a Denver team that can’t afford to leave any points on the board in the red zone and goal-to-go situations today.

It’s now 7-0 Broncos.

Our first completed pass of the day was a beauty. After a shaky start to his second drive, Jarrett Stidham threw a perfect deep shot to Marvin Mims and now the Broncos are inside the Patriots’ 10.

Deja vu all over again on New England’s first drive, as the Pats matched the Broncos with two runs before throwing incomplete on third down. Denver almost picked off Drake Maye’s only pass — expect the Broncos’ defense to be aggressive going after the ball today.

Denver’s back up.

Very slow start for the Denver offense. After two runs picked up only one yard, Jarrett Stidham tried to scramble under pressure on third down and ultimately chucked the ball in the dirt.

A great punt put the Patriots inside their own 10 for their first drive.

And the AFC championship game is underway! It’s a gray, cool day in Denver — just as the football gods intended for January football.

Dan Patrick and the Danettes unpack Sean Payton's belief in the Broncos despite having to start Jarrett Stidham in the AFC Championship and discuss if that will end up being motivation for a red-hot Patriots squad.

The Broncos and Patriots have released their inactive lists for Sunday afternoon’s AFC Championship Game.

Wide receiver Troy Franklin is on Denver’s list. Franklin, who was listed as questionable with a hamstring injury, had 65 catches for 709 yards and six touchdowns in the regular season.

Center Alex Forsyth (ankle) is also out after being listed as questionable. Forsyth started the last three games for the Broncos, but they activated Luke Wattenberg from injured reserve this week.

Safety JL Skinner, linebacker Karene Reid, wide receiver Michael Bandy, defensive lineman Jordan Jackson, and defensive end Sai’vion Jones are also inactive for Denver.

Patriots linebacker Marte Mapu is active after being listed as questionable with a hip injury. Edge rusher Harold Landry was ruled out on Friday and is inactive along with cornerback Kobee Minor, tackle Marcus Bryant, guard Caedan Wallace, tight end C.J. Dippre, wide receiver Efton Chism, and quarterback Tommy DeVito.

Jac Collinsworth and Tony Dungy preview the AFC Championship between the New England Patriots and the Denver Broncos, touching on the main storylines in the game.

In 2020, Jarrett Stidham was a young QB on the Patriots’ roster, battling with Brian Hoyer and Cam Newton for playing time. His QB coach that season was Jedd Fisch.

Fisch told NBC News this week that Stidham was “constantly in the building, constantly watching film, taking incredible notes, asking great questions.” The way Stidham behaved, Fisch said, “he prepared every single week to be the starting quarterback.”

Fisch liked Stidham’s attributes, too. “He’s an exceptional passer — the ball comes out of his hands extremely well,” Fisch said. “I never felt like there was a throw he couldn’t make, physically.” But Stidham didn’t end up starting any games that season. The Patriots instead decided to start Newton, the former MVP.

Michael Holley and Mike Florio discuss Jarrett Stidham starting in place of Bo Nix for the Broncos against the Patriots, explaining why they expect a close AFC Championship game in Denver.

The 37-year-old Rams quarterback is widely considered one of the front-runners for the NFL's Most Valuable Player award, along with New England quarterback Drake Maye, after one of the most prolific seasons ever by an older quarterback.

In NFL history, there have been 143 quarterbacks age 37 or older who have attempted at least 100 passes in a season. Among that list, Stafford's passer rating this season of 109.2 ranks seventh-best all-time, according to Stathead. And only Peyton Manning (55 touchdowns at 37 in 2013) and Aaron Rodgers (48 touchdowns at 37, in 2020) have thrown more touchdowns than the 46 Stafford tossed this season.

Seattle's sensational season with Darnold in his first year as starting quarterback earned the Seahawks a first-round by in the postseason. It was during that bye week during the Wild Card round that Darnold injured his oblique. and effectively did not throw passes until facing San Francisco in last week's divisional-round win.

Darnold is again cutting back his throwing regimen before the matchup with Los Angeles out of caution, Seattle coach Mike Macdonald told reporters this week.

Darnold was "not going to be a full-go the whole week" Macdonald said Wednesday. For his part, Darnold described himself as "feeling really good."

Jac Collinsworth and Tony Dungy preview the NFC Championship between the Seahawks and Rams, discussing why this game will come down to the execution of Sam Darnold and Matthew Stafford.

When the Seattle Seahawks and the Los Angeles Rams meet for the NFC championship Sunday night, it will be — by at least one measure — the best NFL showdown of nearly the last five decades.

“By DVOA, the NFC Championship Game is essentially the best NFL matchup of the last 47 years, and by a lot,” Aaron Schatz, the chief analytics officer of FTN Fantasy, posted on X in the lead-up to the game.

DVOA, for those unfamiliar, stands for “Defense-adjusted Value Over Average.” What is measures is a “team’s efficiency by comparing success on every single play to a league average based on situation and opponent.” More simply put, it’s a measure of how good a team is, weighted for situation and opposing team.

And the Rams and the Seahawks have the highest combined DVOA of any two playoff teams of the last 47 years.

Pro Football Focus examines the players that can make the biggest impact in the NFC Championship matchup featuring division rivals.

...Or at the very least, it can be a ticket to the conference championship game. The final four teams standing all ranked among this season's six best defenses in the percentage of drives allowed that ended with an opponent score. Seattle (28.7%) was second, followed by the Patriots in fourth (32.2%), the Rams in sixth (34.3%) and the Broncos seventh (34.6%).

Three of the four teams were also among the league leaders in rattling opposing quarterbacks, shortening how often they had to make decisions. Denver ranked second in the percentage of pressures created per dropback, with the Rams fourth and the Seahawks sixth. The only outlier was New England, which ranked 24th.

Mike Florio and Chris Simms give their picks for Patriots vs. Broncos and Rams vs. Seahawks on NFL Championship Sunday, discussing who they like in each game and why.

This is a big football weekend for the Mikes and Seans of the world.

In the AFC title game, the coaches are Mike Vrabel and Sean Payton. In the NFC, it's another Mike (Macdonald) and Sean (McVay) pairing.

Broncos quarterback Bo Nix will be ready to go in about 12 weeks after the injury he sustained at the end of the playoff win over the Bills.

Nix had surgery last week on his broken right ankle and can return to activity in 12 weeks, according to ESPN.

That would put Nix on track to be ready when the offseason program starts, which is typically in late April.

Read the full article here.

In the recesses of the stadium, a doctor examined the right ankle of Bo Nix, the Broncos’ starting quarterback. Nix had just led Denver to an overtime win over the Buffalo Bills in the NFL playoffs, but he’d left the field limping and in pain.

Jarrett Stidham, Nix’s backup, was there with him. During the season, Stidham said, “I see Bo more than I see my kids.” But even he couldn’t tell how injured Nix was. As Nix went for X-rays, Stidham went to the shower and get changed. By the time he returned to the training room, the results had come in. Nix had fractured a bone in his ankle. His season was done.

Suddenly, Stidham was the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos, the No. 1 seed in the AFC. He had about a week to prepare for the AFC championship game, which will take place this Sunday. Stidham and the Broncos will play the Patriots for a spot in the Super Bowl.

Quarterbacks Matthew Stafford of Los Angeles and Drake Maye of New England among the finalists for the league's Most Valuable Player award who were announced Thursday.

The award, which is formally the AP Most Valuable Player honor, also includes finalists Christian McCaffrey, Josh Allen and Trevor Lawrence.

Maye also was named a finalist for offensive player of the year.

Seattle's Mike Macdonald and New England's Mike Vrabel each were named finalists for coach of the year, along with Jacksonville's Liam Coen, Chicago's Ben Johnson and San Francisco's Kyle Shanahan.

Pro Football Focus looks at the players who can make some noise in the AFC Championship Game.

Jarrett Stidham, the Broncos’ backup QB thrust into the starting lineup, actually started his career with the Patriots. New England drafted him in the fourth round in 2019. That season, Stidham served as a backup to Tom Brady, arguably the greatest quarterback of all time.

Some of Brady’s backups have gone on to have success elsewhere. Jimmy Garoppolo, Jacoby Brissett, Brian Hoyer — they all carved out long NFL careers as serviceable starters, capable of playing in a pinch and winning games. Kevin O’Connell, another former Brady backup, is now the head coach of the Vikings and is considered a leading offensive mind in the league.

“Look, none of these guys are Tom Brady,” David Andrews, the former Patriots center, told NBC News this week. “But being in the New England system and being around Tom, that has some kind of impact on you.”

New England Patriots linebacker Harold Landry III has been ruled out for Sunday’s AFC championship game against the host Denver Broncos, head coach Mike Vrabel announced Friday.

Landry has missed consecutive practice sessions this week as he nurses a knee injury.

He sat out the Patriots’ last two regular-season games before seeing limited time in each of the team’s two playoff games.

Landry, 29, had a team-leading 8 1/2 sacks to go along with 49 tackles and a forced fumble in 15 games (14 starts) this season.

New England went 8-0 this season when playing on the road, the only unbeaten team away from home.

With that recent success on the road, the Patriots will try to win in a place that has historically given them nightmares. New England is 0-4 all time in playoff games in Denver. Those games came long before the current rosters were assembled, however, with the most recent Patriots loss in Denver coming in 2015.

Drew Dinsick and Trysta Krick discuss the odds to be the leading passer on "NFL Championship Sunday," evaluating the options between the Patriots, Broncos, Rams and Seahawks.

NFL and college football analyst Booger McFarland joins Dan Patrick to talk about the AFC championship game.