4 NFL Title Games Takeaways: How the Patriots, Seahawks Earned Super Bowl Berths

The AFC and NFC title games were a study in contrasts. While the Patriots-Broncos game was a defensive struggle played in a snow globe in Denver, the Rams-Seahawks matchup featured two veteran quarterbacks putting on an offensive show in Seattle. In the end, the Patriots and Seahawks advanced to Super Bowl LX, setting up a rematch of Super Bowl XLIX from 11 years ago. 

While the Patriots and Seahawks won in completely different ways, both teams did what they had to do to survive and advance in the postseason tournament. 

Here are my takeaways from Championship Game Sunday. 

1. If points are a premium, why aren’t coaches taking them? 

The 2026 offseason will undoubtedly lead analysts to study the countless fourth-down failures that have cost several teams games. Although the analytics crowd has seemingly convinced casual fans that every fourth-down gamble is worthwhile, the decision to bypass three points has traditionalists scratching their heads while watching games. 

The Broncos were in complete control of the AFC Championship Game until bypassing a 31-yard field goal attempt that would have pushed their lead to 10-0 at the end of an 11-play drive early in the second quarter. After a brief drive and punt by the Patriots, the Broncos handed their opponents a touchdown on a backwards pass that turned a first-half domination into a halftime tie and white-knuckle affair that resulted in a heartbreaking loss. 

The Rams suffered a similar fate when Sean McVay elected to go for it on fourth-and-4 from the Seahawks’ six-yard line instead of taking a field goal that would have cut Seattle's lead to 31-30 with 4:54 remaining in the game. While the decision to put the ball in the hands of MVP front-runner Matthew Stafford is understandable based on his stellar play, the failure and Seattle's four-point cushion removed some of the pressure on Sam Darnold and the Seahawks’ offense. 

With the Rams needing a touchdown and lacking enough timeouts to execute a successful two-minute drive, the Seahawks were able to run down the clock and clinch a Super Bowl berth. 

After recounting the numerous fourth-down failures throughout the postseason that proved costly in the end, the league could swing back to a more conservative approach in the 2026 regular season, when the research results hit coaches’ desks. 

2. Mike Vrabel turns back the clock to get Patriots to Super Bowl LX

The Patriots are returning to the Super Bowl utilizing the same tactics and schemes that helped them dominate the 2000s, with their head coach playing a pivotal role on three of those championship teams as a New England linebacker. While the league has certainly caught on to how the Patriots prefer to play over the years, Vrabel’s success in the AFC Championship Game showcased how a well-connected team with outstanding chemistry can win despite its flaws.

Against the Broncos, the Patriots mustered only 206 total yards of offense but found a way to steal a win on the road over the AFC’s No. 1-seeded team. Drake Maye made enough plays with his legs (10 rushes for 65 yards) to overcome a subpar passing performance (10-of-21 for 86 yards) that would have squashed the Patriots’ chance under normal circumstances. 

With running back Rhamondre Stevenson rumbling for 71 rushing yards on 25 carries, the Patriots’ conservative approach looked eerily similar to the game plans offensive coordinators Charlie Weis and Josh McDaniels utilized in the Bill Belichick era. 

Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel holds up the Lamar Hunt Trophy after New England beat the Broncos 10-7 in the AFC Championship Game in Denver on Sunday. (Photo by Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

While the defense benefited from playing a backup quarterback (Jarrett Stidham) making his first start since 2023, New England's unit deserves credit for forcing a pair of turnovers while holding the Broncos to 181 total yards. Remarkably, the Patriots executed the same stunts and schemes that were staples of their early 2000s defensive playbooks, while also playing the "Man-Free" — man-to-man coverage with a center fielder in the deep middle — a hallmark of their previous Super Bowl runs. 

Considering the Patriots have posted a 9-0 road record with a collection of underdogs willing to sacrifice individual stats for team glory, the complementary football exhibition put on by the AFC champs is the latest example of the team buying into The Patriot Way. 

3. Seahawks QB Sam Darnold shows up and shows out 

It has been a long and winding journey for the eight-year pro, but the No. 3 overall pick of the 2018 draft validated his supporters with his spectacular performance in the NFC Championship Game. Darnold not only held his own in a shootout with Matthew Stafford, but he vanquished the ghosts of the past by dismantling a Rams defense that tormented him in four previous meetings. 

Darnold had thrown seven interceptions and taken 16 sacks in those matchups, wilting under the Rams’ relentless pressure. On Sunday, however, Darnold turned the tables on the Rams, completing 25 of 36 passes for 346 yards with three touchdowns. Despite taking three sacks, the Seahawks’ QB1 avoided turning the ball over or making the egregious error that flipped the game’s momentum. 

With Darnold comfortably attacking the Rams from the pocket, the Seahawks totaled 23 first downs and converted 53.8% of their third-down chances. Moreover, he helped the Seahawks control the clock (31:50 time of possession), while relentlessly targeting Jaxon Smith-Njigba (10 catches on 12 targets for 153 yards and a score) against a defense intent on slowing down the NFL’s leading receiver. 

As Darnold continues to silence his critics with his stellar play from the pocket, executives around the league could view his bounce back as a testament to the impact of coaching and culture on a quarterback’s performance. 

4. The Rams’ special teams errors cost them again

Despite Sean McVay’s best efforts throughout the season, the savvy head coach could not fix his team's woeful kicking game. After being victimized by leaky coverage units (punt and kick), blocked kicks and punts, missed field goals and countless fielding errors, the Rams’ fatal flaw showed up in a pivotal moment that flipped the game’s momentum. 

Trailing 17-13 in the third quarter, Xavier Smith muffed a punt following a key defensive stop to open the half — his second muffed punt of the game. The turnover gifted the Seahawks a touchdown that helped the home team secure a two-score advantage, forcing the Rams to operate in catch-up mode for the rest of the game. 

The Rams’ inability to execute on special teams continued all season despite the firing of coordinator Case Blackburn in December and the swapping out of personnel at critical positions. As one of the top teams in football, the Rams were built to win a championship with an explosive offense, top-10 defense and a head coach with a Super Bowl pedigree. 

The team’s fatal flaw, however, ultimately prevented them from realizing their potential as a championship-caliber squad.