NFL play-offs – how supreme four can web it to Tremendous Bowl

After yet extra tantalizing finishes within the Divisional Spherical, four teams live with honest one supreme hurdle to beat to reach Tremendous Bowl 60.

And for the first time since 2011 is four unique teams from supreme yr.

The Seattle Seahawks demolished the San Francisco 49ers to host the NFC Championship game – where they are going to face a Los Angeles Rams aspect that survived yet yet every other Caleb Williams comeback to web far off from Chicago after an time beyond law account.

And on the AFC aspect, the Denver Broncos are hosts after they furthermore emerged from an time beyond law thriller to total Josh Allen’s hopes of a major Tremendous Bowl – and tag Buffalo Payments coach Sean McDermott his job.

The Contemporary England Patriots will head to Mile High after they obtained a defensive fight with the Houston Texans.

Every AFC Championship game because the 2011 season has featured both the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs of Contemporary England Patriots, but even at some level of the Tom Brady days the Pats by no arrangement had any pleasure at Mile High.

Is this Patriots dynasty reborn?

There could be a quantity of similarities between lifestyles below Mike Vrabel and Drake Maye and the supreme dynasty of Brady and Invoice Belichick – this play-off urge with two brutal defensive clashes is one of them.

It has been a tall turnaround in Contemporary England, successful 16 video games this season after honest eight wins blended within the outdated two campaigns.

They had been the finest spenders in free agency but furthermore had the second-most rookie starts this season, so an overhaul that left honest 16 avid gamers left from the 2023 roster clearly has the honest steadiness.

It is correct the Pats had a uncomplicated licensed season time desk, but they’ll have to acquire it the laborious manner as – after going by means of the Chargers, Texans and now Broncos – Maye will change into the first quarterback to beat three top-5 defences in a single submit-season if victorious.

If he does, there shall be yet extra evidence the Pats are abet.

Can Broncos obtain Tremendous Bowl with abet-up QB?

Head coach Sean Payton has taken a tiny longer to flip things round, understandably given Denver’s wage cap points. The finest expense on their wage cap this season is the $32m of boring money mild left on Russell Wilson’s sick-fated contract.

Factual a pair of hours after beating the Payments in a thriller, Denver had been deflated when news that quarterback Bo Nix had broken his ankle came by means of.

Nix’s general stat traces could maybe well unbiased no longer jump out at you, but main his crew to a 12-2 file in a single-procure video games tells you everything.

The huge question now is whether or no longer or no longer Payton can devise a capacity to acquire with abet-up Jarrett Stidham, who will play for a dwelling within the Tremendous Bowl 749 days since he supreme threw a pass within the NFL.

The 29-yr-aged was once, satirically enough, drafted by Contemporary England and seen as Brady’s successor at one level, but even supposing he has extra appearances for the Pats (eight) than Broncos (7) his profession next took off in Foxborough.

He has honest four profession starts, with one obtain, and hasn’t thrown a single pass within the past two seasons – taking half in honest one snap this season which was once a kneeldown.

He’s the first quarterback to originate a Convention Championship game without throwing a pass that season, and even supposing Payton has insisted he’s ready to ride it be a huge effort for the hosts.

The match-up: Defence will obtain this championship

Denver will hope some omens are on their aspect. That is their 1/three AFC Championship in twenty years – all three against the Patriots and they also obtained the outdated two.

A decade ago Peyton Manning beat Brady right here to send Denver to Tremendous Bowl 50 – which was once furthermore held at Levi’s Stadium. Will lightning strike twice?

And there could be also extra honest news with top working abet JK Dobbins dwelling to come from hurt. He mild leads the crew in carries (153) and yards (772) despite no longer taking half in because the originate of November.

In the occasion that they may be able to urge the ball to assist Stidham out that is also tall, as every person is aware of the NFL’s most fine sack unit will web after Maye and web lifestyles depressed all night.

Maye had four fumbles and was once sacked 5 instances by Houston – he needs to be greater than that to stand an replacement right here.

The Patriots defence has been gleaming within the play-offs though, bagging four interceptions off CJ Stroud, and they also’re going to be licking their chops going up against this kind of rusty and inexperienced quarterback.

The NFC West rivals performed out two gleaming video games at some level of the licensed season, and developed metrics private this billed because the easiest-quality play-off game on file.

Are the Rams fortunate or honest?

A touchdown 38 seconds from the pause gave the Rams victory in Carolina, then a Williams interception in time beyond law gave them the prospect to acquire in Chicago, but can the offence pass this supreme test?

Quarterbacks with below 50% completion of forty-plus passes and zero touchdowns had long gone 0-Ninety 9-1 in any NFL game sooner than Matthew Stafford beat the Bears.

He needs greater than that if the Rams are to buck a pair of trends.

The passing yards leader is 0-6 against the league’s top defence in aspects allowed in play-off meetings, while the Seahawks took care of the league’s top scoring offence of their Tremendous Bowl beatdown over Denver in 2014.

The home aspect is furthermore 15-5 in Convention Championship video games between divisional rivals, but if one aspect has the mix of expertise and grit it be Sean McVay’s outfit.

Will Seahawks need Darnold?

Head coach Mike Macdonald has flown fully below the radar, yet his crew are Tremendous Bowl favourites after an attractive play-off victory over San Francisco.

No other crew has ever scored over forty aspects, rushed for one hundred fifty yards, allowed no touchdowns or turnovers and scored on special teams, in any NFL game, ever.

A defence led by British coach Aden Durde gave up the fewest aspects within the league and general they had been essentially the most aggressive aspect within the NFL.

The Seahawks finest lost three video games all season, by a blended 9 aspects, and obtained 15 video games by 235. Focus on a total efficiency.

Sam Darnold is the agreeable quarterback to acquire 14 video games in successive seasons with two diversified teams, yet he mild has to convince a quantity of his play-off credentials after a danger supreme season.

If truth be told he by no arrangement needed to do great against San Francisco and even supposing he’s obtained a obtain over the Rams he’s had his issues – throwing four interceptions within the loss in Los Angeles was once a selected low.

Seattle shedding working abet Zach Charbonnet to hurt can private compelled Darnold into making extra throws, but he has the league’s top receiver in Jaxon Smith-Njigba to purpose in what looks as if a web-or-break game for him.

Match up: Only play-off game on file?

In step with an developed metric DVOA, which measures teams performances against the league realistic, right here’s the finest quality play-off game on file given how the 2 teams stack up against the relaxation of the NFL.

And the 2 had been so evenly matched of their NFC West video games.

They went 1-1 with the Rams successful by two and the Seahawks by one, so it was once Fifty eight-57 in entire aspects scored and a crazy 830-829 in entire yards in favour of LA.

Seattle obtained the second game after a formidable comeback and time beyond law, and also you sense one thing identical is also on the playing cards again.

The Rams will hope they’ve the honest device in difference Seattle defence, as Stafford has thrown 5 touchdowns with no interceptions or sacks in two video games, while Darnold has six picks and four sacks against the Rams defence.

As these video games generally do, though, this could maybe well unbiased come all of the kind down to who can web that huge play at the honest time.

Convention seed in brackets, all kick-off instances GMT

Sunday, 25 January

NFL play-offs: 2025 season

10 January – eight February 2026

Are residing text commentary on all play-off video games on the BBC Sport websites and app, plus are residing radio commentary on chosen video games on BBC Radio 5 Sports Additional and BBC Sounds. The Entire 10 Yards, BBC Sport’s weekly NFL programme, will furthermore note the road to Tremendous Bowl 60