StonesJournal

It’s almost Super Bowl time!!! Who’s gonna have a shot to hoist the Lombardi?

Written By: AJ Stone & Mark Ceddia

Patriots Over Broncos

To begin this championship matchup, the news for Denver is grim: Broncos’ QB Bo Nix has hit the shelf. In what feels like a series of misfortunes for Denver fans, Nix reportedly fractured his ankle on the final play of the Broncos’ win over Buffalo, taking a knee.

The only signs of life for Denver’s QB room come from the top down. Head coach Sean Payton has had success with backup QBs in the past, going 5-0 with Teddy Bridgewater in 2019, showcasing his elite offensive mind. The Broncos also have an elite offensive line, giving Stidham more than enough time to read the field. To add insult to injury (literally), this Patriots defense has had more intimidating opponents than Jarret Stidham in clamps all postseason.

New England’s defense has limited opponents to 3.4 yards per play through its first two games, the fifth-lowest since 1980 through two playoff matchups. A truly historical performance so far from an elite defense in all facets. To throw Denver a bone, young New England QB Drake Maye has had commitment issues with the football (6 fumbles through two playoff games). On the bright side, he was the only QB to throw for three TDs against the Texans all season. So as long as the ball gets in the air, good things happen.

Kayshon Boutte and Rhamondre Stevenson have emerged as legitimate threats for the Patriots’ offense. If they continue to trend upwards, it’ll take a lot of pressure off Maye and Co., going into the Championship game.

Seahawks Over Rams

THERE YOU HAVE IT. A rematch for the ages may be in the cards with the new-look Patriots facing off against the Legion of Boom pt. 2. That is, if these predictions come to fruition.

Seattle dominated San Francisco in every fashion in their latest victory, and momentum couldn’t be more on their side. Unfortunately, RB Zach Charbonnet tore his ACL and will miss the remainder of the playoffs. His presence provided key depth for an offense full of surface-level stars.

In Charbonnet’s absence, Kenneth Walker has taken the mic and run. Against the 49ers, Walker put up 116 yards, 3 TDs, and averaged over 6 yards per carry (also wore a cool Arby’s jacket to the game).

Seattle QB Sam Darnold has been dealing with oblique issues leading up to their first-round matchup, but truthfully, he hasn’t had to do much with how electric the rest of his team has been. How will this affect his performance against Los Angeles?

The Seattle homefield advantage is a key player in my pick for them to bring this one home. The Seahawks tend to soar when surrounded by their loyal fans (13-4 at home all-time in the playoffs), and show no signs of slowing down now.

Cobie Durant has been a bright spot on defense for Los Angeles, leading all players in interceptions this postseason (3). To Durant’s displeasure, he’ll be matched up with the unstoppable force that is Jaxon Smith-Njiba, who is likely to be this year’s Offensive Player of the Year. Can Durant continue his postseason success pitted against JSN’s greatness? Or has he simply been a byproduct of being in the right place at the right time?

The Rams’ pass rush has also done wonders with Jared Verse, Kobie Turner, and Byron Young all having 10+ pressures in the playoffs, according to Pro Football Focus.

The matchup that everyone wants to see is Seattle’s defensive superstar Devin Witherspoon matching up with LA’s dynamic receiver Puka Nacua. Witherspoon has locked down the NFL’s best all season, and my bet is on him to keep it up against Nacua.

This game should be a bloodbath. The better defense will come into play and be the determining factor on who makes a Super Bowl appearance in 2026.