Digital Sports Desk

Online Destination for the Best in Boston Sports

NFL

Seahawks Hold Off Rams for Super Win

by

SEATTLE – (Wire Service Report) – Seattle quarterback Sam Darnold threw for a season-high 346 yards and three touchdowns as top-seeded Seattle defeated the visiting Los Angeles Rams 31-27 Sunday in the NFC Championship Game.

Embed from Getty Images

Wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba made 10 receptions for 153 yards and a touchdown and Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III became Kenneth Walker LX by rushed for 62 yards and a score for the Seahawks, who will meet the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX on Feb. 8 in Santa Clara, California.

Darnold, on his fifth team in eight NFL seasons, finished 25-of-36 passing to reach his first Super Bowl.

The Rams got the ball on their own 8-yard line with no timeouts and 25 seconds remaining but time expired as they reached midfield.

Matthew Stafford was 22 of 35 for 374 yards and three TDs for the fifth-seeded Rams. Puka Nacua made nine catches for 165 yards and a score. Davante Adams added 89 yards and a TD on four receptions.

Trailing by four points, the Rams had a fourth-and-4 from Seattle’s 6-yard with 4:54 remaining. Stafford’s pass intended for Terrance Ferguson in the back of the end zone was knocked down by Devon Witherspoon.

The Seahawks were held on the first possession of the second half, but Rams punt returner Xavier Smith tripped and fell backward as the ball approached. Smith tried to catch the ball just before he landed on his back but muffed the punt and Seattle’s Dareke Young recovered at Los Angeles’ 17-yard line.

On the next play, Darnold hit Jake Bobo in the back of the end zone for a 24-13 lead. It was just the fourth reception of the season for Bobo.

The Rams responded with a four-play, 75-yard drive, capped by Stafford’s 2-yard TD pass to Adams to pull within four points.

Seattle moved right back down the field, restoring their double-digit lead on a 13-yard touchdown reception by former Ram WR Cooper Kupp.

It appeared the Rams would have to punt from Seattle’s 49-yard line when Riq Woolen knocked down a pass to Nacua to force the Rams into fourth-and-12. But Woolen was called for taunting after the play, giving Los Angeles the ball at the 34. Stafford threw a strike to Nacua, beating Woolen at the front left pylon, to pull the Rams within 31-27 with 2:06 left in the third.

The Seahawks took a 17-13 lead at intermission as Darnold hit a wide-open Smith-Njigba with a 14-yard scoring strike with 20 seconds left. The six-play, 74-yard drive took just 34 seconds after the Rams were held to a three-and-out when they had a chance to run out the clock with the lead.

The Seahawks’ defense also forced a three-and-out on the game’s opening possession. Seattle took advantage with a seven-play, 81-yard touchdown drive, capped by Walker’s 2-yard run around the right end and dive for the pylon.

The teams then traded field goals on the next three possessions, with the Rams’ Harrison Mevis connecting from 44 and 50 yards and Seattle’s Jason Myers from 27.

The Rams took a 13-10 lead on a 9-yard screen pass from Stafford to Kyren Williams with 1:55 left in the half.

–Field Level Media

It’s ON to SANTA CLARA

by

DENVER – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – New England survived a blizzard and second-year quarterback Drake Maye made enough plays with his feet to send the Patriots back to the Super Bowl with a 10-7 win over the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship Game on Sunday.

Maye ran for a seven-yard gain on third down with less than two minutes to play, setting off a snow globe celebration to send the Patriots to Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara, California.

Embed from Getty Images

New England is the first team ever to finish a season 9-0 on the road. The Patriots were 8-0 in road games in the regular season under first-year coach Mike Vrabel, who goes to Santa Clara with a chance become the first ever to win a Super Bowl as a player and coach with the same franchise.

Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez intercepted a floating Jarrett Stidham pass on an attempted vertical shot to Marvin Mims with 2:11 on the clock as Denver sputtered to move the ball in heavy snow throughout the second half.

Stidham, thrust into the AFC Championship due to a season-ending ankle injury to Bo Nix, started the first playoff game of his career and the Broncos scored first, but generated only 181 yards of total offense. The Patriots sacked him three times. Stidham lost a fumble and was intercepted.

Maye rushed for 65 yards and a touchdown and went 10 of 21 passing for 86 yards and was sacked five times.

With 10 minutes left in the game, the Broncos picked up their initial first down of the second half. Denver ran only five plays in the third quarter.

Punter Jeremy Crawshaw gave the offense an assist with field position, pinning New England at its own eight with 8:10 remaining. A three-and-out by the Patriots brought the Broncos’ offense back on the field after a short punt to begin a drive at the New England 33. Stidham scrambled on third down to set up a 46-yard field goal, but Leonard Taylor — activated from the practice squad on Saturday night — partially blocked the Wil Lutz attempt to preserve a three-point Patriots lead.

Embed from Getty Images

Starting at halftime, flurries intensified and turned the field into a winter storm scene in the third quarter. Opening the second half with a drive of nearly 10 minutes, the Patriots marched inside Denver’s 10 with a fourth-down conversion but mustered only a 23-yard field goal to nose in front 10-7. Patriots rookie Andy Borregales missed kicks at the end of the half and, through driving snow, in the third quarter as well.

The Patriots trailed 7-0, but rattled Stidham into handing the ball back to New England. Maye tied the game 7-all with 2:10 remaining before half. He beat the two-minute warning with a six-yard completion then tied the game with a 6-yard run, following center Garrett Bradbury on a designed draw.

The romp came seconds after New England scooped Stidham’s backward pass, eventually correctly ruled a fumble but first called intentional grounding and an incomplete pass, at Denver’s 12.

The Patriots appeared to tie the game on the defensive score, but officials ruled the ball down at the spot of the recovery where Elijah Ponder picked it up for New England. The odd play was doomed from the beginning. Stidham backpedaled from pressure nearly 20 yards before he panicked and tried to throw the pass out of bounds and pushed the ball to his left with both hands. Patriots linebacker Christian Elliss was credited with a forced fumble. The line judge stopped the play with an intentional grounding call before on-field discussion by the crew.

Denver bypassed a 32-yard field goal try and a possible 10-0 lead to attempt a fourth-down pass, which was incomplete at the 9:22 mark in the second quarter.

Lutz missed a 54-yard try wide right to give the Patriots time to set up a Borregales 63-yard attempt that knuckled left and well short. Borregales banged a 61-yarder in pregame warmups.

Sutton snagged a 6-yard touchdown in the first quarter to open the scoring. Stidham faked a handoff and rolled to his right away from the defense, hitting Sutton in stride in the back right corner of the endzone and a 7-0 lead. That score was set up by a Stidham 52-yard completion to Mims.

–Field Level Media

AFC Championship Game Preview

by

New England Patriots (16-3) at Denver Broncos (15-3)
Sunday, 2 p.m. ET
Denver, Colorado, Empower Field at Mile High

AFC Championship Game appearances: Patriots 16 (11-4), Broncos 11 (8-2)
Series History: Broncos are 4-1 against the Patriots in the playoffs. Denver beat New England twice in the AFC Championship Game; 20-18 during the 2015 season and 26-16 in the 2013 campaign.

Embed from Getty Images

 

DENVER – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Broncos backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham can’t make it rain or snow in the Rockies, but Denver’s sub for the injured Bo Nix might help his own cause by generating some thunder out of the gates.

The Patriots haven’t lost on the road this season, a perfect 8-0, but second-year quarterback Bo Nix knows New England is walking into a brand-new environment Sunday afternoon. Empower Field was designed to let the players feel the fans when it gets rocking, and the situation calls for all the help the Broncos can get.

“The magnitude of the noise is something we probably haven’t seen yet,” Drake Maye said of heading to Mile High. “Playing on the road is one of the coolest things. Coming off the field with their screaming fans, coming out with a win. It’s pretty cool to celebrate in an away locker room, that’s different. Coach is always saying ‘road warriors,’ and we’re trying to find that one more time.”

Broncos coach Sean Payton talked up Stidham in the aftermath of the season-ending ankle injury to Nix. Players and coaches learned the second-year starter was hurt only after beating the Bills in a thriller, 33-30, in Denver last week. Nix called it the most devastating football news he’s ever received. For Stidham, it’s a chance to prove at 29 he’s worthy of another opportunity.

Patriots coach Mike Vrabel was playing linebacker with New England when a backup named Tom Brady emerged to lead the Patriots to victories in Super Bowls XXXVI, XXXVIII and XXXIX. And there’s no need for the Broncos to issue a book on Stidham to the Patriots. They can get it from one of their coaches first-hand.

Stidham started his career as Brady’s backup in 2019 as a fourth-round pick under Bill Belichick and spent three seasons in New England as part of meetings facilitated by Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels — previously head coach of the Broncos from 2009-2010.

Stidham was acquired from the Patriots by the Raiders in a trade after Las Vegas hired McDaniels in 2022. He signed with the Broncos as a free agent in 2023. When the Broncos drafted Nix, head coach Sean Payton had already signed Stidham based on what he knew about his experiences with McDaniels. Stidham expected to compete and become the starter and declared he would again be “a starter in this league.”

He’ll be backed by one of the best defenses in the league. Getting heat to the pocket is already a strength of the Broncos. Denver has four players with seven-plus sacks. The Broncos led the NFL in sacks with 68 in 2025 and got to Josh Allen three times last week.

“(Maye is) fast. He can run. We had that challenge a week ago,” said Payton, who can tie Parcells and others on the NFL all-time list with his 11th playoff win Sunday.

There are numerous mines for Maye to avoid in the Denver defense.

Outside linebackers Nik Bonitto — fifth in the NFL with 14 sacks this season — and Jonathon Cooper (eight sacks) are backed by lockdown cornerback Patrick Surtain II, the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year. They could be sensing blood in the water after Maye had five turnovers in the first two playoff games.

A glimmer of hope for more help in the Broncos emerged this week, but Denver ruled out running back J.K. Dobbins (foot) on Friday along with Nix (ankle) and linebacker Drew Sanders (ankle).

New England cornerback Carlton Davis III cleared concussion protocol, but the Patriots ruled out sacks leader Harold Landry (8.5) due to a knee injury.

NOTEWORTHY:

The Denver Broncos claimed the No. 1 seed in the conference but enter Sunday’s AFC Championship Game as more than a field goal underdog at home following the season-ending ankle injury suffered by quarterback Bo Nix.

The Broncos (15-3) will turn to veteran backup Jarrett Stidham against the visiting New England Patriots (16-3), who have already earned convincing postseason wins over the Los Angeles Chargers and Houston Texans.

ODDS AND TRENDS
New England is a consensus 4.0-point favorite, with the line reaching 4.5 at DraftKings and BetMGM. The Patriots have been backed by 65% of the spread-line bets and 58% of the money wagered at the latter.

However, the Broncos’ +200 moneyline has drawn 71% of the total bets while the Patriots have been backed by 72% of the ML handle.

The total points line opened at 40.5 but has steadily climbed to 42.5 with the Over heavily backed by 91% of the money.

PROP PICKS
–Patriots RB Rhamondre Stevenson 47.5+ Rushing Yards (-140 at BetMGM): This has been the most popular player prop for the AFC Championship Game at the book. The Broncos finished the regular season with the league’s No. 2-ranked run defense, but surrendered 183 yards on the ground to Buffalo last week. That included 117 yards by running back James Cook. Stevenson shares the Patriots’ backfield with rookie TreVeyon Henderson, but managed 70 yards on 16 carries against Houston last week after compiling 53 on 10 carries against the Chargers.

–Stidham 200+ Passing Yards (-124 at DraftKings): Stidham has not attempted a pass outside of the preseason since 2023. New England will no doubt stack the box against the run and force Stidham to beat them. It’s a tall task for the 29-year-old but will also open some opportunities to push the ball vertically, especially if the Broncos are playing from behind.

INSIDE EDGE
Expect Stidham to lean heavily on his running backs in the passing game as well. Denver’s backs tied for fourth in the NFL with five touchdown receptions during the regular season according to Inside Edge’s Remarkable Engine — all by rookie RJ Harvey and all coming in the fourth quarter.

STIDHAM TO THE RESCUE?
Nix piloted the Broncos back to the playoffs for the second time in his two NFL seasons and Denver held the No. 1 seed with home-field advantage. He called the injury “the most devastating football news I’ve ever received” but is working to help Stidham, 29, prepare for his fifth career start and the Broncos to go win the next one.

“He’s still a good quarterback,” Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez said. “He can make a lot of throws. We’ve seen what he’s done when he’s been in games. He’s in the NFL for a reason.”

Vrabel was playing linebacker with New England when a backup named Tom Brady emerged to lead the Patriots to victories in Super Bowl XXXVI (2002), XXXVIII (2004) and XXXIX (2005). And there’s no need for the Broncos to issue a book on Stidham to the Patriots. They can get it from one of their coaches first-hand.

Stidham started his career as Brady’s backup in 2019 as a fourth-round pick under Bill Belichick and spent three seasons in New England as part of meetings facilitated by Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels — previously head coach of the Broncos from 2009-10.

Stidham was acquired from the Patriots by the Raiders in a trade after Las Vegas hired McDaniels in 2022. He signed with the Broncos as a free agent in 2023. When the Broncos drafted Nix, head coach Sean Payton had already signed Stidham based on what he knew about his experiences with McDaniels. Stidham expected to compete and become the starter and declared he would again be “a starter in this league.”

Now is the time.

“Ultimately, it’s our three years here and our three years watching him day in and day out that you guys don’t have access to,” Payton said of his foundation of belief in Stidham winning on this massive stage. “He will be ready to go and ready for the moment.”

With zero pass attempts and only four total snaps this season, Stidham is living a zero-to-60 moment. He has heard from many predictable voices and some unexpected ones this week.

The names of Nick Foles, who beat the Patriots in relief of regular-season starter Carson Wentz to give the Eagles a Lombardi Trophy in the 2017 season, and Jeff Hostetler are again making the rounds. In 1990, Hostetler tagged in when Phil Simms was injured with two games left in the regular season. Hostetler won three playoff games and Super Bowl XXV for the New York Giants.

Those Giants also ranked No. 1 in total defense, allowed over 20 points twice in 16 regular-season games and had All-Pro linebackers Lawrence Taylor and Pepper Johnson to fall back on.

Which could well be precisely Payton’s point of emphasis this week.

Payton wasn’t yet with Bill Parcells and the Giants in ’90, but he’s an undeniable part of the same coaching tree with ample roots in the inclination to find ways to make quarterbacks uncomfortable.

The Patriots thrived with that approach last week, intercepting Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud four times in the first half.

“We talk all the time, when a quarterback gets hit, bad things happen,” Vrabel said.

Payton said he talked to Parcells this week — and they’re in touch regularly — about the predicament. He’s relatively at ease with Stidham given the performance of an offensive line anchored by right guard Quinn Meinerz and left tackle Garett Bolles.

DEPENDING ON ‘D’
Maye was sacked 47 times in the regular season and 10 more in two playoff games. Getting heat to the pocket is already a strength of the Broncos. Denver has four players with 7.0 or more sacks. The Broncos led the NFL in sacks with 68 in 2025 and got to Josh Allen three times last week.

“(Maye is) fast. He can run. We had that challenge a week ago,” said Payton, who can tie Parcells and others on the NFL all-time list with his 11th playoff win on Sunday.

There are numerous mines for Maye to avoid in the Denver defense.

Outside linebackers Nik Bonitto — fifth in the NFL with 14 sacks this season — and Jonathon Cooper (8.0 sacks) are backed by lockdown cornerback Patrick Surtain II, the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year. They could be sensing blood in the water after Maye had five turnovers in the first two playoff games.

“We have to be able to not get careless with the football. We can’t be reckless,” Vrabel said. “A lot of it is operation. We had two turnovers with not everyone on the same page.”

Maye might not win the NFL MVP award given the Los Angeles Rams’ Matthew Stafford’s 46-TD season, but he put himself in the running by excelling in pressure situations. He led the NFL with an average of 9.4 yards per pass attempt when pressured and was second in the league with a completion percentage of 57% in those situations.

New England ranked second in the regular season in points per game (28.2) and third in total offense (379.4 yards per game). Both teams were in the top 10 in total defense — Denver was No. 2 (287.2 ypg) and New England allowed 295.2. The Broncos (second at 91.1 yards per game) and Patriots (101.7) were also in the top six stopping the run.

This is Maye’s first-ever trip to Colorado. But his mentality outside of New England has been on point. Every time the Patriots packed for a road game this season, they brought home a victory.

“The magnitude of the noise is something we probably haven’t seen yet,” Maye said of going to Denver. “Playing on the road is one of the coolest things. Coming off the field with their screaming fans, coming out with a win. It’s pretty cool to celebrate in an away locker room, that’s different. Coach is always saying ‘road warriors’ and we’re trying to find that one more time.”

SERIES HISTORY
The Broncos beat the Patriots in the 2015 season’s AFC Championship game in Denver and hold a 4-1 advantage in the all-time postseason series. New England is 11-4 all-time in the AFC Championship and the Patriots’ 11 Super Bowl berths are the most in NFL history.

Vrabel can become the seventh head coach to lead the team he played for to a Super Bowl berth. He can become the eighth head coach to lead his team to the Super Bowl in his first season with the team.

INJURY REPORT
Unfortunately for the Broncos, their backfield won’t get the boost they hoped to receive from running back J.K. Dobbins. The team’s leading rusher with 772 yards, Dobbins will remain out due to a foot injury. He went through position drills Wednesday in his first practice since Nov. 4 but was ruled out for the AFC title game two days later.

In addition to Nix and Dobbins, the Broncos ruled out linebacker Drew Sanders (ankle) and tight end Lucas Krull (foot).

Denver wide receiver Pat Bryant, who saw limited action last week against Buffalo due to a concussion, was a full practice participant on Thursday and Friday. He should be set to play on Sunday.

Broncos center Luke Wattenberg (shoulder), center Alex Forsyth (ankle), wide receiver Troy Franklin (hamstring) and safety JL Skinner (quad) are all considered questionable.

The Patriots will be without linebacker Harold Landry III (knee). Running back Terrell Jennings (out of concussion protocol), wide receiver Mack Hollins (abdomen), defensive lineman Joshua Farmer (hamstring) and linebacker Marte Mapu (hip) are all questionable.

THEY SAID IT
“It was one of those things, quick transition, you are sad and then you realize you still have a job to go out there and do. Jarrett is qualified. He’s a very talented guy in terms of football IQ, football ability.” –Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton

PREDICTION
The offensive fireworks might be muted with the Broncos turning to a backup and the Patriots relying on more of a high-percentage passing game against Denver’s strong defense. As long as Maye avoids multiple turnovers, it’s hard to see Denver mounting enough offense against a Patriots defense that finished the regular season second in allowing an average of only 224.0 total yards per game. –Patriots 23, Broncos 16

–Field Level Media

NFC Championship Game Preview

by

Los Angeles Rams (14-5) at Seattle Seahawks (15-3)
Sunday, 6:30 p.m. ET
Seattle, Lumen Field

NFC Championship Game appearances: Seahawks 4 (3-0), Rams 12 (5-6)

Series History: The Rams are 2-0 against the Seahawks in playoff games. They won in Seattle, 27-20, in the wild-card round in the 2004 season and again during the 2020 wild-card round (30-20).

Embed from Getty Images

SEATTLE – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – LA Rams coach Sean McVay celebrates his 40th birthday Saturday before leading the Rams into Seattle in search of his 11th playoff victory, which would be one more than Don Shula, currently the youngest to win 10 games in league history.

The Rams are the No. 5 seed in the NFC largely because of their No. 1-ranked scoring offense. They didn’t always look the part last week at frigid Chicago, but they averaged an NFL-leading 30.5 points per game in 2025.

Seattle, which split two regular-season games with the Rams by three total points, led the NFL in scoring defense and allowed just over 17 points per game.

In the Seahawks’ 38-37 overtime win over the Rams earlier this season, they fell behind by 16 points before Sam Darnold caught fire and led a comeback. Darnold is expected to play through an oblique strain, but this isn’t likely the defense he would choose to face with a Super Bowl trip on the line.

In a playoff game last year with Minnesota, Darnold was sacked nine times and committed a pair of turnovers, one of which was returned for a touchdown, in a 27-9 defeat in Inglewood, Calif.

In Week 11 this season, Darnold threw four interceptions in a 21-19 loss to the host Rams, though he nearly rallied Seattle to a victory before Jason Myers’ 61-yard field-goal attempt as time expired faded wide right.

On Dec. 18 in Seattle, Darnold was sacked four times and threw a pair of picks before the epic rally and victory.

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford already has a Super Bowl ring. He led the NFL with 4,707 passing yards and 46 touchdown passes this season, and he didn’t have Davante Adams in L.A.’s last meeting with Seattle. Adams led the NFL with 14 touchdown receptions. Puka Nacua led the NFL with a career-high 129 receptions and ranked second with 1,715 receiving yards in 2025.

Seahawks wide receiver Cooper Kupp, Super Bowl LVI Most Valuable Player with the Rams, is only the third player in the past 16 years to win the award and face his former team. Santonio Holmes (2010 with the New York Jets against Pittsburgh) and Von Miller (2024 with Buffalo against Denver) were the previous two.

NOTEWORTHY

This season’s dramatic trilogy between the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks will come to an end when the NFC West rivals battle in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday, with the winner claiming a spot in Super Bowl LX.

Ironically, the Super Bowl will be held at the home of another bitter rival, the San Francisco 49ers. The Seahawks (15-3) dispatched the 49ers for the second time in three weeks during the divisional playoffs, with the Rams earning a return ticket to Seattle with an overtime victory at Chicago.

The Rams (14-5) held a 16-point fourth quarter lead in Seattle in Week 16, only to watch the Seahawks mount a furious rally and win with a two-point conversion in overtime. That ultimately led to Los Angeles needing to win three playoff road games to reach the Super Bowl.

They have completed the first two legs of the journey, but will enter the third as a slight underdog.

ODDS AND TRENDS
The Seahawks are a consensus 2.5-point favorite, with the margin chalked up to their significant home-field advantage at raucous Lumen Field. The line has held steady throughout the week at BetMGM, where Seattle has been backed by 72% of the total spread-line bets while Los Angeles has drawn slightly more money at 51%.

The moneyline has also seen split action. The Rams (+120) have been backed by 56% of the total bets, with the Seahawks (-145) supported by 62% of the money.

The total points line opened at 47.5 but has shifted slightly to 46.5 with the Under backed by 85% of the money.

PROP PICKS
–Rams WR Puka Nacua 100+ Receiving Yards (+114 at DraftKings): Los Angeles was without Davante Adams and Seattle still had no answer in Week 16 for Nakua, who torched the Seahawks for 225 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 12 receptions. Nakua was targeted 16 times — twice as many as any other Rams pass catcher. He had eight catches for 75 yards in the first meeting.

–Seahawks WR Rashid Shaheed Over 1.5 Rushing Yards (-145 at BetMGM): This somewhat offbeat prop pick has been the most popular at the book. The special teams standout has struggled to get heavily involved in the passing game since being acquired from New Orleans in November. However, he was used twice on end-arounds last weekend, ripping off 30 yards on one carry and losing six on the other. With backup running back Zach Charbonnet out, Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak could get more creative with Shaheed.

KEY STAT
Six of Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold’s 14 interceptions during the regular season came against the Rams.

INSIDE EDGE
The Seahawks don’t blitz often, but they regularly brought extra pass rushers at 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy last week while racking up a pair of sacks, five quarterback hits and seven passes defensed. Opponents regularly try to bring the heat against Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, who lacks mobility at 37 years old. But he also led the NFL with 18 touchdown passes against the blitz this season, according to Inside Edge’s Remarkable engine.

RAM TOUGH
The Rams have had Darnold’s number. In a playoff game last year while with Minnesota, Darnold was sacked nine times and committed a pair of turnovers, one of which was returned for a touchdown, in a 27-9 defeat during a game that was moved to Glendale, Ariz., because of last year’s wildfires in Los Angeles.

In Week 11 this season, Darnold threw four interceptions in a 21-19 loss to the host Rams, though he nearly rallied Seattle to a victory before Jason Myers’ 61-yard field-goal attempt as time expired faded wide right.

On Dec. 18 in Seattle, Darnold was sacked four times and threw a pair of picks as the Seahawks fell behind by 16 points in the fourth quarter. He then led a miraculous comeback and found backup tight end Eric Saubert for a two-point conversion in overtime of a 38-37 victory.

Darnold credited the Rams’ defense for having a “really good scheme” that disguises their coverages. He said a key will be “staying on schedule … staying positive on first and second down.”

“It’s win or go home at this point,” Darnold said. “But we look at it as another game. We trust our process throughout the week.”

ROAD WARRIORS OR ROAD WEARY?
The Los Angeles offense, which led the league in yards (394.6 per game) and scoring (30.5) during the regular season, struggled with a cold and hostile environment in Chicago last Sunday.

It will be even louder Sunday, but not colder, in Seattle.

“When you go into the environment that we’re going into here on Sunday in Seattle, everybody’s gotta be on the same page and communicate,” Stafford said. “That’s what offense is all about. You gotta have 11 people working as one.”

Adams, who led the NFL with 14 receiving touchdowns in the regular season, missed the last game against Seattle with an injury.

“This is the biggest game,” Adams told reporters this week. “Whatever game you’re currently in is the biggest game of the year. But this is, obviously, the biggest game right here. They took care of business against us last time. It’s tough being on the sideline … even though we did take care of business on offense and had a good day. But it’s time to finish it off this time.”

INJURY REPORT
Darnold was a limited participant in practice all week but wasn’t given an official game injury designation on Friday.

“Just attacking rehab these last couple days,” he said. “Obviously, will be throughout the week; just got to continue to prepare and get my body right for Sunday.”

Darnold tweaked his oblique in practice last week, but wasn’t called on to do much in the rout of the 49ers. Darnold was 12-of-17 passing for 124 yards and a touchdown to Jaxon Smith-Njigba and was turnover-free.

“Feel like the process is going right along where it should be,” Darnold said on Friday. “Feeling really good for Sunday.”

Backup running back Zach Charbonnet, who led the Seahawks in the regular season with 12 rushing touchdowns, suffered a torn ACL in his knee against the 49ers and is out for the rest of the season. Starter Kenneth Walker III carried a heavier load against San Francisco, rushing for 116 yards and three touchdowns.

The Seahawks also have an injury concern at left tackle, with the top three candidates ailing. Starter Charles Cross left in the third quarter last week with a foot injury and didn’t return. His backup, Josh Jones, wasn’t active against the 49ers with knee and ankle issues and third-stringer Amari Kight, a rookie, played the final 17 snaps but missed practice time this week with a knee issue.

Cross resumed full practice activity on Friday and should be set for the NFC title game. Jones is listed as questionable, and Kight is considered doubtful.

Seattle ruled out linebacker Chazz Surratt (ankle) while listing fullback Robbie Ouzts (neck) as questionable.

The Rams are relatively healthy, with only linebacker Byron Young (knee) considered questionable among active players. Offensive tackle Rob Havenstein, on injured reserve but designated to return, will remain sidelined because of an ankle injury.

PREDICTION
The Seahawks earned a bye with the No. 1 seed, but they enter Sunday with far bigger injury concerns with Charbonnet out and Darnold and Cross playing through ailments. The Rams held double-digit leads in both regular-season meetings, with Seattle constantly playing from behind. The loss of Charbonnet is significant, especially in the red zone, and Darnold has yet to prove he can beat an elite, healthy opponent in the postseason. –Rams 27, Seahawks 24

–Field Level Media

Ex-Pats’ QB Stidham on the Spot

by

DENVER – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Denver Broncos offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi found out about his starting quarterback’s fractured ankle when his son told him on their drive home from Sunday’s game.

Embed from Getty Images

“I didn’t believe him,” Lombardi said, “but I got it confirmed.”

That’s how suddenly the news hit after the Broncos’ 33-30 overtime win over Buffalo in the divisional round. Several players and coaches had left the stadium when head coach Sean Payton trotted back out to deliver the bad news about Bo Nix.

It puts career backup Jarrett Stidham in the eye of the storm when the Broncos take on the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game on Sunday.

Payton has been vocal about the belief Denver holds in Stidham, who hasn’t started a game since 2023.

“Obviously it means a lot anytime you step into a situation like this,” Stidham said Thursday. “For myself, I just want to go out there and play the absolute best I can for the guys in this locker room. That’s all I really care about. So yes, it’s great to obviously have the support of the guys around me. Thankfully, I have a ton of amazing guys, amazing human beings in the locker room, but also amazing football players, so really excited.”

Of Stidham’s four career starts, two came with the Broncos in 2023 in place of an injured Russell Wilson. He hasn’t thrown a pass in a regular-season game since the end of that season, and he has not taken a snap in the playoffs.

“I think we’ll just see how the game unfolds,” Stidham said of getting in a rhythm against the Patriots, the team that drafted him in 2019. “That’s obviously up to Sean, how he wants to call the game to start out.

“Just really excited to get out there, and I think once the ball is snapped, that first play, it’s just football at that point so it’ll be fun.”

Payton believes Stidham holds one similarity to longtime NFL quarterback Mark Brunell.

“I’m not making the comparison, but Brunell had this calmness about him when he was our (backup),” Payton said. “… Brunell just had that moxie, and so if it wasn’t your starter and he stepped in, there was this smooth operation. I would say Stidham has that ability to step right in, calm things down, here’s what we’re doing, break the huddle. (Wednesday’s) practice was a perfect indication of it.”

Just because Stidham has less experience in high-pressure situations doesn’t mean the Patriots will necessarily pressure him more, Lombardi said.

“I’m not sure they’ll look at Jarrett and say they want to pressure him more than another quarterback,” he said. “You’re always preparing in your mind for if a team really starts gassing you up in that way, so you always try to have a plan for that.

“This is going to be the biggest game most of these guys have been a part of in their career, so we’re expecting to be at our best.”

–Field Level Media

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | Jan 18

by

The Orlando Magic in Berlin

By TERRY LYONS, Editor of Digital Sports Desk

BOSTON – It’s been a little more than 40 years since the NBA China Friendship Tour, a six-week extravaganza when the NBA league office (the great Matt Winick, yours truly) and friends (Red Auerbach, Pete Newell, Ed Badger, Bill Blair) played host, coach, trainers and tour guides to the Chinese National Team as they visited the USA back in September of ‘85 in hopes of improving their game.

Long story short, as we say, the tour bounced from home base (Queens College, NY) to Princeton, NJ, Hempstead, NY, West Lafayette, Indiana, Beloit, Wisconsin, Lower Merion Township (Philly, PA),  Washington DC and Springfield, Massachusetts to take part in training camps underway for each NBA team bouncing basketball in close proximities to those towns. (That included: NJ Nets, NY Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, Indiana Pacers, Chicago Bulls, Washington (then Bullets; now Wizards) and the Cleveland Cavaliers at the annual Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame game in Springfield.

It was at Beloit and the Chicago Bulls training camp where we first saw Michael Jordan in person.

That tour was the beginning of the modern day NBA “going global.” Yes, there were plenty of prior examples, like Auerbach taking teams to train in the former Yugoslavia, or the Bullets playing a pair of exhibition games in China in 1979 as a part of “Ping Pong Diplomacy, but the NBA China Friendship Tour was a true beginning to then-Commissioner David Stern’s “one day at a time” method of moving the NBA closer and closer to worldwide awareness and prominence in the sports world.

The reason this story is the lead item to this week’s missive?

The NBA continued its efforts with a pair of Global Games in Europe with the Memphis Grizzlies playing the Orlando Magic Thursday in Berlin, Germany (118-111, Magic) and then a game Sunday (Noon ET) at 02 in London. The game in Berlin allowed the Magic brotherly tandem of Franz and Moritz Wagner to play in front of their home country fans for the NBA’s first regular season game in Berlin.

What seemed like a mountain to climb in 1985 is now a full-speed global lay-up of regular season, preseason and summertime clinics, not to mention the FIBA and USA Basketball efforts all over the world. Nowadays, a quarter of the NBA rosters are filled by international players, and as you’ve read in this column before, many of those players are the very best in the league.

Come NBA All-Star Weekend, we’ll see a team of international All-Stars compete against a couple of USA-based All-Star squads in what could be the beginning of an improved All-Star Weekend. Come February 13-15, it’ll all be on display in Los Angeles (Intuit Dome).

In August 2027, the FIBA World Cup (32 teams) will be contested in Qatar and in 2028, the Olympic Games will be played in Los Angeles.

David Stern’s vision when he watched the 1985 Chinese National Team warming up at Queens College has been fulfilled ten times over, and in such a relatively short timeframe. It’s a damn shame Stern (passed away in Jan. 2020), and FIBA’s (Executive Directors) Stankovic (passed away March 2020) and Patrick Baumann (died suddenly in 2018, at age 51) aren’t around to see this day come.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: The University of Miami will play Indiana University for the College Football national championship on Monday. As part of the alternate coverage of the event, the ACC Network will deliver extensive on-site studio programming surrounding the Hurricanes bid for the title, which coincidentally will take place at Hardrock Stadium in Miami Gardens. The pre-event coverage will be highlighted by appearances from North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick, who will join the network’s coverage as a special guest analyst.

Belichick will contribute analysis on ACC Network’s signature football studio show ACC Huddle, offering fans his unmatched perspective on championship preparation, in-game strategy and postseason success, complementing ACC Network’s established roster of analysts throughout National Championship weekend.

Sunday – Championship weekend coverage gets underway Sunday with the head coaches news conference, featuring Miami head coach Mario Cristobal and Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti previewing the National Championship matchup.

At 8:00pm ET, ACC Huddle Championship Preview airs on ACC Network with anchormanTaylor Tannebaum being accompanied by analysts Mac Lain, Eddie Royal and Jimbo Fisher to break down every angle of the Hurricanes–Hoosiers showdown. Immediately following, a special edition of the ACC Network Football Podcast debuts at 9:00pm ET, hosted by former Florida State quarterback EJ Manuel and former Georgia Tech captain Roddy Jones.

Monday – On game day, ACC Network will celebrate with more than seven consecutive hours of live programming from Hard Rock Stadium. Coverage begins at 5:00pm with Inside ACCess at the National Championship, hosted by college football reporters and ACC insiders Andrea Adelson and David Hale.

ACC Huddle at the National Championship follows at 6:00pm ET, with over 90 minutes of in-depth pregame coverage. Tannebaum hosts alongside Huddle analysts Mac Lain—who played in the 2016 CFP National Championship with Clemson, Virginia Tech Hall of Famer Royal, 2013 national championship–winning head coach Fisher and eight-time Super Bowl winning coach Bill Belichick. The coverage also features ACCN host Kelsey Riggs Cuff, ACCN college football analyst Tom Luginbill, and College Football Hall of Famer Mark Richt, the legendary former Miami quarterback and head coach.

TIDBITS & NUGGETS: With the Indiana Hoosiers and Fernando Mendoza making an unexpected journey to the CFP national championship game, the most frequent media day question was the typical “how does it feel” and “what about your return to Miami?” After three or four iterations of that subject came up on media day, the topic finally got around to tickets. With Miami playing a home game and Indiana fans traveling as if the game’s outcome depended on it, ticket prices are in the stratosphere – the $6,000 to $16,000 range.

Putting the questions together, Mendoza answered: “I would say it feels great. Tickets are definitely a problem because there’s so many family members that want to come to the game. However, I’ve attempted to not let it sink in so I can stay in the present moment.

I kind of stay in the football mindset that I want to stay in. Although that — there’s so many externalities to this game, playing Miami in Miami, that you can get wrapped up in all the emotion. However, I want to keep it focused on football and really kind of force it to not sink in,” he said.

It can sink in next week or the week after, but I just want to focus on football right now to give my team the best chance, and that’s the same with all my teammates.”

GOTTA HAVE HEART: Golfing legend Sir Nick Faldo is heading home, from Cleveland to England after successful open heart surgery. Said Faldo in a January 16 social media post: “Headed home. After two weeks in Cleveland, Nick Faldo, and his wife, Lindsay, are on their way home following a successful, scheduled preventative open-heart surgery to repair his enlarged aorta, performed by world-renowned cardiac surgeon Dr. Lars Svensson at The Cleveland Clinic. We are deeply grateful for Dr. Svensson and his exceptional medical team. Nick is now looking ahead to returning to his golf course design work and to the Masters Week in Augusta, GA, where he will be celebrating “Six back in ‘96.” Home never felt so good.

Sam Coffey (Manchester City file photo)

THIS JUST IN: From The Masters School in Dobbs Ferry to Boston College to Penn State to the professional NWSL’s Portland Thorns to the USA Women’s National Team to – now – Manchester City, Sam Coffey (daughter of former NY Daily News columnist Wayne Coffey) is getting better and better to the point where she’ll be a team leader for both Man City and the USWNT. From Man City’s (Swedish-born) manager Andree Legertz: “There’s something with American players which I really like,” he said. “Their energy. [Sam Coffey] has leadership in her, an intensity in how she’s playing and training. That is something that can help us grow. She’s a great passing player, covering a lot of ground in defending. Aggressive. There’s a lot of things in her that will fit well in our team.”

YOU CAN’T MAKE IT UP: This week, world No.1 pickleball player Anna Leigh Waters announced she was joining Nike, making Swoosh history as the 18-year-old is the brand’s first sponsored pickleball athlete. Get ready for Air Lob Anna Leigh.

PARTING WORDS & MUSIC: Last week, just before post time, the world learned of the passing of Grateful Dead guitarist/vocalist/legend Bob Weir. I placed two of his songs from his final appearance (60 year anniversary at Golden Gate Park) in the main section of last week’s missive.

This week, I’ve had a little time to process Weir’s passing and wanted to put one more music post up in memory of Weir, Jerry Garcia and the Band. This acoustic clip is from 1987. It was a seven song set (all online) and it concluded with Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door the Bob Dylan song that seems so fitting. Joan Baez joined Garcia and Weir on stage and I make note, she just celebrated her 85th birthday on January 9th.

Rested Broncos Prep for Bills

by

DENVER – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – For the first time in 10 years, the Denver Broncos enter the playoffs as the No. 1 seed in the AFC. The last time they were the No. 1 seed — 2015, Peyton Manning’s fourth and final season in Denver — happens to be the last time they won a Super Bowl.

Embed from Getty Images

Broncos coach Sean Payton knows the potential benefit of being No. 1. When his New Orleans Saints won Super XLIV in 2009, they were the NFC’s top seed.

But entering Saturday’s playoff opener against the visiting Buffalo Bills, Payton is also well aware that regular-season success and the No. 1 seed don’t guarantee anything when it comes to the postseason.

“The (bye) is important, but myth No. 2 is that (it) ensures the fast start. It doesn’t,” Payton said Tuesday. “Understand this: We’re playing a team that’s coming off one of their biggest wins in the last 10 years. We have to earn a fast start and take advantage of the energy, take advantage of the rest. But it has to be done out (on the field).”

Payton also knows the challenges presented by the Bills, who handily beat the Broncos 31-7 in last season’s wild-card round.

The Bills are still alive for the rematch thanks to their first road playoff win since the 1992 season, 27-24 at Jacksonville on Sunday.

Josh Allen, who entered with a foot injury and twice visited the injury tent during the game with head, hand and knee injuries, gutted out a performance that included 306 total yards, three total touchdowns and a pair of go-ahead fourth-quarter touchdown drives.

“I feel good. Honestly, I feel a little better than I have the last couple weeks,” Allen said on Tuesday.

Allen, who has won his first playoff game in each of the last six seasons, would secure his third AFC Championship Game appearance with a win over the Broncos.

However, he will have quite a limited receiver room entering the matchup after both Tyrell Shavers and Gabe Davis sustained torn ACLs in the win over the Jaguars. That leaves Buffalo with just three wide receivers on its active roster — Keon Coleman, Brandin Cooks and Khalil Shakir.

Shakir led the team with 719 receiving yards in the regular season, adding a game-high 12 catches for 82 yards against Jacksonville. Coleman, the team’s 2024 second-round pick, took a step back in production in Year 2 with 404 yards.

Curtis Samuel (elbow) had his practice window for a return from injured reserve opened Tuesday and was a full participant in the first two practices of the week.

“Another guy’s got to step up. That’s point-blank what it means,” Bills coach Sean McDermott said. “And I don’t mean to be short. It’s just right now, it’s full confidence in the guys in that room.”

Standout defensive tackle Ed Oliver (bicep) also saw his practice window open on Tuesday, making it possible that he will play his first game since Oct. 26. He was limited in Tuesday and Wednesday’s practices.

For Denver quarterback Bo Nix, this will be his first home playoff game. He completed 59.1% of his passes for 144 yards and a touchdown in the loss to Buffalo.

“I think everybody would say they’d rather be at home in this situation,” Nix said. “Last year was a tough environment, tough road experience. Good for a young person like me to go gain that experience (in my) first year. It’s obviously nice to be at home. It’s nice for that challenge to be on the other side.”

Nix will be assisted by a Broncos defense that set a franchise record with 68 sacks, 11 more than any other team and just four off the NFL record set by the 1984 Bears.

Buffalo running back Ty Johnson (ankle), cornerback Maxwell Hairston (ankle) and safety Jordan Poyer (hamstring) did not practice Tuesday or Wednesday. Team sack leader Greg Rousseau (back), linebacker Matt Milano (ankle) and tight end Dalton Kincaid (knee) have been limited.

Denver has just four players on the injury report, none of whom have missed a practice this week. Tight end Lucas Krull (foot) and linebackers Dre Greenlaw (hamstring) and Drew Sanders (ankle) have been limited.

The Bills have beaten the Broncos four of the last five times they’ve faced off and won both postseason matchups, including a 10-7 win in the 1991 AFC Championship Game.

–Field Level Media

See You on the Dark Side of the Boom

by

SEATTLE – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Every great NFL defense needs a nickname.

From the Purple People Eaters (Vikings) to the Steel Curtain (Steelers), the Monsters of the Midway (Bears) to the Doomsday Defense (Cowboys), the Fearsome Foursome (Rams) to the New York Sack Exchange (Jets) and the Orange Crush (Broncos) to the Legion of Boom (Seahawks), the best all got monikers.

Even the Dolphins’ No-Name Defense of the 1970s.

Embed from Getty Images

The current Seattle Seahawks defense hasn’t yet matched the Legion of Boom, which led the NFL in fewest points allowed from 2012 to 2015, but it has come up with a nickname just in case — the “Dark Side.”

That unit will be key when the top-seeded Seahawks (14-3) play host to the sixth-seeded San Francisco 49ers (13-5) on Saturday in an NFC divisional-round playoff game.

“I think throughout the season, we were just feeling like we had a really special defense, you know, special players, and we were also just doing special things,” Seahawks defensive lineman Leonard Williams said. “We always hear of ‘Legion of Boom,’ especially being in here. We were starting to get to a point like, ‘Hey, maybe we deserve our own name.’”

The Seahawks had the league’s top-ranked scoring defense at 17.2 points per game.

Their best performance came in the regular-season finale in Santa Clara, Calif., against the 49ers in a game to determine the NFC West division title and the conference’s top playoff seed, which included a first-round bye. The Seahawks allowed just 173 yards of total offense in a 13-3 victory.

That dropped the 49ers to the No. 6 seed. They went on the road and defeated the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles 23-19 on Sunday to advance.

Christian McCaffrey gained just 48 yards on 15 carries but made six receptions for 66 yards and two touchdowns to boost San Francisco. Little-used receiver Demarcus Robinson added six catches for 111 yards and a score.

It was a costly victory, however, as star tight end George Kittle sustained a torn right Achilles tendon.

The 49ers will be without Kittle and All-Pro defender Nick Bosa (knee) against Seattle.

San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan said All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner, who was designated to return from injured reserve on Tuesday, was more likely to return should the 49ers advance to the NFC Championship Game, but Warner didn’t rule out playing this week. He has been sidelined since Oct. 12 with a fractured and dislocated right ankle.

Niners safety Ji’Ayir Brown (hamstring) and linebacker Luke Gifford (quadriceps) also sat out practice on Tuesday and Wednesday.

“I think that made us stronger for stuff like this,” Pro Bowl left tackle Trent Williams said about the 49ers’ injury-marred season. “Kittle going down in the first half (at Philadelphia). I think if we didn’t have experience with that, it would have been easy for everybody to fold and nobody would have blamed us. They would say, ‘Hey, they don’t have this player, don’t have that player, they probably should lose.’”

Offensive tackle Josh Jones (knee) was the only active Seattle player to miss both the Tuesday and Wednesday practices. Linebacker Tyrice Knight (shoulder) was limited Wednesday after missing Tuesday, and linebacker Ernest Jones (illness) sat out the Wednesday session.

Starting left tackle Charles Cross was a full participant Tuesday after missing the final three games of the regular season, but he was listed as limited Wednesday with knee and hamstring issues when the hamstring previously was the only injury listed.

The Seahawks will be playing their first playoff game at home since January 2021.

“We need it loud, man,” defensive lineman Jarran Reed said, “so the Dark Side can come alive.”

The 49ers won 17-13 at Seattle in the season opener, thanks to Bosa’s strip sack of Sam Darnold with 36 seconds left and the Seahawks at San Francisco’s 9-yard line. Brock Purdy threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to backup tight end Jake Tonges with 1:34 remaining for the go-ahead score.

–Field Level Media

Drake Maye vs. NFL’s Best Defense

by

FOXBORO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Drake Maye’s first career start came against the Houston Texans and their vaunted defense. Maye will get another look at perhaps the finest defense in the NFL on Sunday when the New England Patriots battle the Texans in the AFC divisional round on Sunday in Massachusetts.

Embed from Getty Images

Maye is an MVP candidate after starring in his second regular season, but the quarterback relishes that first start against Houston. The Patriots lost 41-21 on Oct. 13, 2024.

“It feels like 10 years ago,” Maye said Wednesday. “It’s been a long journey. Just taking time to reflect on running out there with the team (and having) first-snap jitters was pretty cool. It’s fun to look back on.”

Maye was intercepted twice that day while throwing for 243 yards and three touchdowns. That provides a hint at the challenge ahead in trying to help the Patriots advance to the AFC title contest.

“We got our hands full,” Maye said. “We know it’s going to be a tough game. We have to play the game the right way.”

Patriots coach Mike Vrabel also is concerned with the Texans, who led the NFL in total defense and finished second in scoring defense and takeaway margin during the regular season.

“They chase the football and they get a lot of hats to the football,” Vrabel said. “They create turnovers. They play physical.”

Maye helped lead second-seeded New England to a 16-3 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers, the franchise’s first postseason win since Super Bowl LIII against the Los Angeles Rams. He passed for 268 yards and one touchdown and was intercepted once.

Maye was sacked five times and this week’s matchup features Houston pass rushers Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr., known for their speed and relentless style.

Texans coach DeMeco Ryans — a former two-time Pro Bowl linebacker — is concerned about the foot speed of Maye, who had 66 yards on 10 rushes against the Chargers.

“Where he’s taking that next step is his ability to escape the pocket,” Ryans said Wednesday. “I think it really doesn’t get talked about much, but his athletic ability, his ability to escape the pocket has been really clutch for them. He’s made some big runs to really hurt a lot of defenses, so we have to be conscious of that.”

The fifth-seeded Texans advanced with a 30-6 road victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday night.

Embed from Getty Images

Sheldon Rankins returned a fumble for a touchdown after Anderson’s strip-sack of Aaron Rodgers and Calen Bullock intercepted Rodgers’ final pass of the game and returned it for a score. The Texans allowed just 175 total yards and 13 first downs.

Quarterback C.J. Stroud passed for 250 yards and a touchdown but was sloppy with three turnovers (one interception, two lost fumbles).

Stroud admitted he must be better with ball protection. He’s now focused on notching a second straight playoff win in a tough road atmosphere.

“I think last week was a good test for us,” Stroud said. “I think being able to get past that with a ‘W,’ this next week is going to be the same type of environment — loud.”

Regardless, Houston has the opportunity to reach the AFC Championship Game for the first time in franchise history.

“I don’t take it lightly to be one of the final four teams left in the AFC,” Ryans said. “It’s where you want to be, it’s the position you want to be in if you’re a competitor and I’m a true competitor.”

It appears Houston won’t have Nico Collins on Sunday. The three-time 1,000-yard receiver sustained a concussion during the Monday night game and was one of four Texans to miss practice Wednesday. The others are defensive end Denico Autry (knee), offensive tackle Trent Brown (ankle) and receiver Justin Watson (concussion). Autry has blocked 14 kicks in his career.

Sitting out for New England were offensive tackles Morgan Moses and Thayer Munford Jr., both with knee ailments. Cornerback Christian Gonzalez remains in concussion protocol after being hurt against the Chargers. Vrabel is hopeful Gonzalez will be cleared by Sunday.

–Field Level Media

Rams Gear-Up for Chicago’s Finest

by

CHICAGO – (Staff  and Wire Service Report) – Any skeptics left doubting the merit of Caleb Williams’ nickname might look to the mercury for confirmation on Sunday night when the Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Rams stage the finale of a four-game NFL Divisional Playoff weekend.

Embed from Getty Images

Williams’ late-game heroics and growing legend for cool under pressure hit a new level last week. He led Chicago back from a 21-3 deficit with a team-playoff record 361 passing yards to lift the Bears over the rival Green Bay Packers, the first postseason win for the franchise since 2011. It was the seventh game-winning fourth-quarter drive for Williams this season.

“I feel calm in those moments. I feel my conditioning is the best in those moments. I feel that I’m the best in those moments because of what I’ve prepared to be in those moments,” Williams said. “For myself, it’s just ‘next play, next play, next play,’ and then when you have to go make a play, it’s life or death in those moments.”

As the Rams roll into Chicago (12-6), the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs, the challenge is heating back up following a 34-31 win over the Panthers in the wild-card round last Saturday. Frigid temperatures are in the forecast for gametime — highs in the teens with snow flurries around kickoff time at 6:30 p.m. ET.

A little precipitation and chill might not hurt Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, who is 4-1 at Chicago in his career when the kickoff temperature is below 40 degrees. He’s not alone. L.A.’s lead running back, Kyren Williams, is from St. Louis and played at Notre Dame. Wide receiver Davante Adams, the NFL leader with 14 touchdown catches, spent the first eight seasons of his career with the Packers and knows his way around frosty Soldier Field, too.

Stafford said he’s not feeling any pain or lingering issues with his sprained right index finger. He was hurt at Carolina last week but didn’t miss a snap and led the Rams to a comeback win with 304 yards and three TDs.

Williams had 3,942 passing yards and 27 touchdowns in 2025. The Rams are quick and relentless along the defensive line and had 47 sacks in the regular season. Los Angeles (13-5) will test Williams’ eye discipline and gauge the readiness of left tackles Theo Benedet and Braxton Jones, activated from injured reserve this week. Both have started this season, but the Bears lost Ozzy Trapilo (knee) to a season-ending injury against the Packers.

“Obviously it’s a bit of a whirlwind,” Benedet said of coming off the bench last week for the game-winning drive and resuming his role as the starting left tackle.

It’s not unthinkable the game could be won by two dudes under stocking hats on the sideline.

Rams coach Sean McVay and Bears coach Ben Johnson are regarded as two of the game’s brightest offensive minds. McVay enters his 15th career playoff game against a 15th different team but is very familiar with Johnson, who shares common pupils with McVay in Stafford and Lions quarterback Jared Goff. Before McVay helped pry Stafford from Detroit in a trade, Johnson was on the coaching staff with the Lions for two seasons. Then the Rams sent Goff to the Lions in the QB swap.

“He does a great job. I’ve studied him really closely since he took over and started it doing it in Detroit,” McVay said. “I think what shows his flexibility is the ability to have one of the best offenses with a player like Jared, who’s really special, and then being able to have some similar foundational principles with Caleb but also accentuate the things that make him really unique with the athleticism, move the spot and take advantage of their skill around it.”

Bears fans will recognize the bloodlines of the Rams’ offensive coordinator — Mike LaFleur — and Packers coach Matt LaFleur and McVay are longtime friends and coaching allies from their days as assistants with the Washington Commanders organization.

Did McVay phone a friend for tips on taking down the Bears?

“What do you think? We watch the tape, we do our work, and Matt is a very close friend of mine,” he said.

Year 17 has been a brilliant season for Stafford. He led the NFL in passing yards (4,707) and touchdowns (46) in the regular season. Adams and Puka Nacua, the league leader with 129 receptions, loom as massive worries even for a defense that was first in the NFL in interceptions (23) and takeaways (33).

“I’ve got so much respect for that guy. You talk about the ultimate competitor,” Johnson said. “He’s one of the more talented throwers of the football I’ve ever been around. He’s outstanding. He’s a great teammate. … His toughness. Physical toughness.”

McVay said the Rams are spending extra time drilling all 11 defensive players on playing until they hear a whistle because of Williams’ flair for flourishing on unrehearsed extensions of busted plays.

“Some of those second reaction plays where he’s getting flushed to his right or getting flushed to his left and guys understand how to be able to work with him,” McVay said, “those are the ones that are really scary.”

When he lost No. 1 wide receiver Rome Odunze for five weeks due to a foot injury, Williams turned to rookie tight end Colston Loveland to fill that void. Loveland, the No. 10 overall pick in the 2025 draft, had eight receptions for 137 yards last week.

“I know Caleb has an immense amount of trust in him,” Johnson said. “He’s one of the first ones in the building every single day. He is always studying his playbook while he’s eating breakfast. He is always the last one off the practice field, doing the jugs machine. Model of consistency, which for a rookie speaks volumes.”

The winner of Sunday’s game plays in the NFC title game next week, meeting either the San Francisco 49ers (13-5) or Seattle Seahawks (14-3).

The Rams beat the 49ers in the 2021 NFC Championship, 20-17, and beat the Saints in the 2018 conference championship game.

Chicago last won the NFC Championship Game in 2006 and also won in 1985 prior to winning Super Bowl XX. The Bears lost the 2010 NFC Championship to the Packers.

Rams nose tackle Poona Ford (elbow) and offensive lineman Kevin Dotson (ankle) were limited on Wednesday but plan to play Sunday. Dotson has been out since he was hurt in Week 16 against the Seahawks.

Dotson is an essential cog in the running game.

“He’s a beast. When he was playing this year, I thought he was one of the best guards, if not the best guard in the league,” Stafford said. “So if we can get him back, obviously that would be a huge boost.”

Odunze and wide receiver D.J. Moore (knee) were limited to start the week but Bears safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson (concussion) was a full participant in Wednesday’s practice.

–Field Level Media