Overview
- Seattle beat the Rams 31-27 for the NFC title as Sam Darnold threw for 346 yards and three touchdowns without a turnover, with Jaxon Smith-Njigba posting 153 receiving yards.
- New England edged Denver 10-7 in snowy conditions, with Drake Maye throwing for 86 yards, rushing for 65, and sealing the win on a late 7-yard keeper in Mike Vrabel’s first season as head coach.
- The Patriots reach their 12th Super Bowl and will pursue a record seventh Lombardi Trophy.
- The matchup reprises their 2015 meeting, when Malcolm Butler’s goal-line interception preserved a 28-24 Patriots victory.
- Sportsbooks opened with Seattle favored — DraftKings -3.5, FanDuel -4.5, BetMGM -5 — as the Seahawks’ top-ranked defense and New England’s stingy playoff unit shape early expectations.