Which NFL Teams Will Face Off On Championship Sunday?

If you like your NFL with a side of cardiac arrest and snow angels, this weekend delivered. We’re down to the final four, and the road to Super Bowl LX just got a whole lot more interesting. Let’s break down the chaos, the heartbreak, and what’s coming next for the survivors in the NFL.

Rams vs. Bears: A Windy City Nail-Biter

Let’s talk about the absolute madness that went down at Soldier Field. The Los Angeles Rams walked into Chicago, a place where playoff dreams usually go to die in the cold, and somehow walked out with a 20-17 overtime victory.

This wasn’t pretty. In fact, if you love offensive shootouts, you probably hated this NFL game. The Rams, who lit up the scoreboard all NFL season, looked mortal. Matthew Stafford completed less than half his passes. Puka Nacua was practically invisible with just five catches. The Bears’ defense came to play, shutting down one of the NFL’S most potent attacks for most of the night.

But here’s the thing about the NFL Playoffs: style points don’t matter. Survival does.

When the passing game froze up, Kyren Williams put the team on his back, churning out over 115 scrimmage yards and finding the end zone twice. The defense, which has been arguably the Rams’ Achilles heel recently, finally stepped up. They forced Caleb Williams into three interceptions. That’s the difference-maker. You can’t give the ball away three times in January and expect to live to tell the tale in the NFL.

The game-winner? A walk-off field goal in overtime that silenced the Chicago faithful. It wasn’t the “Greatest Show on Turf,” but it was a gritty, ugly, beautiful win that punched their ticket to the NFC Championship.

The NFC Championship: A West Coast Remix

So, who do the Rams get next? An old friend. Or maybe “nemesis” is the better word. Los Angeles is heading north to face the Seattle Seahawks. That’s right, an NFC West rematch for all the marbles. Seattle, the No. 1 seed, is fresh off demolishing the 49ers and gets to host at Lumen Field.

These two teams know each other’s playbooks well. They split the season series, with both games coming down to the final seconds. Seattle’s run defense is legit, and their power game could be a nightmare for LA. But the Rams have proven they can win ugly on the road. This is the matchup many of us wanted. The two best teams in the conference are slugging it out for a trip to the Super Bowl.

AFC Chaos: Patriots Party Like It’s 2018

Over in the AFC, the New England Patriots are partying like Bill Belichick never left. In his first season as head coach, Mike Vrabel has the Pats back in the AFC Championship Game for the first time in seven years after a 28-16 win over the Houston Texans.

The conditions in Foxborough were miserable. Drake Maye, despite a roller-coaster day that included four fumbles, threw three touchdown passes. But the real story was the defense. They absolutely hounded C.J. Stroud, forcing four interceptions. Marcus Jones even took one to the house for a Pick-6 that felt like a dagger to Houston’s heart.

The AFC Championship: Mile High Stakes

New England now packs their bags for Denver. They’ll face the No. 1 seed Broncos, who are dealing with their own drama after losing Quarterback Bo Nix to a broken ankle in their overtime win against the Bills.

It’s going to be Jarrett Stidham under center for Denver against a Patriots defense that just ate C.J. Stroud alive. Can the Broncos rally around the backup, or will the Patriots’ magical run continue all the way to the big game?