DENVER — The road to Santa Clara ends here. Today, January 25, the NFL determines its finalists for Super Bowl LX in a doubleheader that pits grizzled veterans against sudden stars. In the AFC, the New England Patriots travel to face the Denver Broncos at 3 p.m. ET, while the Los Angeles Rams visit the Seattle Seahawks at 6:30 p.m. ET to settle the NFC. One game features an MVP favorite in Drake Maye; the other, a backup-turned-hero in Jarrett Stidham after Bo Nix’s season-ending ankle fracture.
The Resurgence and the Rookie: AFC/NFC Breakdown
In Seattle, the atmosphere is electric. Fans turned the stands into a vibrating sea of neon green long before kickoff. Sam Darnold, once written off as a first-round bust, has found his second wind with the Seahawks, posting a regular season that silenced every critic. He faces a Matthew Stafford who looks as sharp at 37 as he did during his first Super Bowl run with the Rams. Stafford threw for 4,707 yards and 46 touchdowns this season, proving the arm hasn’t aged a day. This rubber match between NFC West rivals feels less like a game and more like a heavyweight fight where neither side is willing to blink.
Switching to the Mile High City, the temperature is plummeting below freezing, but the stakes are burning. Drake Maye has transformed the Patriots’ offense, leading the league with a 113.5 passer rating and earning Pro Football Writers of America Most Improved Player honors. He faces a Denver defense that surrendered only 18.3 points per game this season. The Broncos are leaning on Jarrett Stidham, who hasn’t started a game since 2023. It’s a classic Sean Payton “Plan B” scenario—can a disciplined defense and a steady backup topple a generational talent?
“Everyone talked about how this team was a year away. We didn’t listen. We knew the talent in this room, and we knew if we played our brand of football, we’d be exactly where we are today. Now we just have to finish it.” — Drake Maye, Patriots Quarterback
Road to Super Bowl LX
The winners today secure a flight to the San Francisco Bay Area for the big dance on February 8. If New England wins, Maye becomes one of the youngest QBs to ever start a Super Bowl. If Denver pulls the upset, it marks a historic triumph for a backup quarterback under the bright lights. In the NFC, a Rams victory cements Stafford’s Hall of Fame trajectory, while a Seahawks win completes the ultimate redemption arc for Darnold. Expect a physical, defensive-heavy afternoon in Denver followed by an offensive fireworks display in Seattle.
