Only one of the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks can earn a trip to the Super Bowl out of the NFC. Whichever team claims victory on Sunday evening is likely to become the presumed favorite over the entrant from the AFC conference—either the Denver Broncos or the New England Patriots.
As of today, these are the betting odds with Seattle enjoying the highest probability to become world champions:
- Seattle Seahawks: +145
- Los Angeles Rams: +230
- New England Patriots: +250
- Denver Broncos: 11-1
As Turf Show Times’ Blaine Grisak shared earlier this week, the upcoming clash between the Rams and Seahawks is the most competitive NFC Championship game we’ve seen in 47 years according to DVOA. These are the two best teams in the NFL by most objective measures, and it is a little unfortunate that they are set to faceoff in the league’s penultimate game.
Meanwhile the Patriots seem to be coasting through the AFC.
New England faced the least clutch quarterback in the NFL, Justin Herbert of the Los Angeles Chargers, in the opening round of the playoffs. Herbert remains winless in three postseason attempts as the other LA team fell haplessly to the Patriots 3-16.
In the divisional round the Patriots were on the receiving end of CJ Stroud’s four interceptions. The Houston Texans squeaked by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the wildcard round. It was a close contest in the fourth quarter even though two defensive touchdowns in the closing minutes created separation in the final score.
You wouldn’t mount and hang these victories on your mantle or list them on your championship resume as a Super Bowl hopeful, but that’s exactly what the Patriots’ have on paper at this point in time.
And now New England will benefit from Bo Nix’s absence in the AFC championship. Bo Nix broke his ankle in the final moments of his team’s divisional round win, and taking over in replacement will be career backup Jarrett Stidham. You couldn’t align the stars on purpose any better.
The intent of saying this isn’t to put down the Patriots. They are a good team that will probably only be better next year. Drake Maye is on track to become one of the game’s finest quarterbacks. New England overall is probably a year away from being a complete team, and they will have ample salary cap room in the coming offseason to make another run.
Don’t be surprised if the best game we see the rest of the playoffs is this weekend’s matchup between the Rams and Seahawks. These teams played down to the wire in their first two contests. The third comes with the highest stakes yet.
It could be the real Super Bowl after all.
