No postseason has had more chaotic finishes than the 2025 playoffs going on right now. There have been 15 fourth-quarter lead changes and five comeback wins in the final three minutes this postseason, the most in a single playoffs all-time, according to CBS Sports Research.
Despite all the chaos, the conference championship games for both the AFC and the NFC are somewhat chalky. The AFC features a matchup between the conference’s two top seed’s, the New England Patriots and the Denver Broncos, while the NFC showcases its top seed, the Seattle Seahawks, against the team with the second-best record in the conference, the Los Angeles Rams.Â
Even though the heavyweights reached the NFL’s final four, the 2025 slate features the second-widest experience gap between the remaining teams’ starting quarterbacks in the league’s postseason history. Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (251 career starts) has started 124 more games than Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold, Patriots quarterback Drake Maye and Broncos quarterback Jarrett Stidham combined (127 combined starts). Only Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (286 career starts) had a larger gap over his three remaining conference championship quarterback peers in the 2017 season when he had 143 more starts than Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles, Minnesota Vikings quarterback Case Keenum and Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (143 combined starts).Â
So what will happen in the 2025 conference championship games? Enjoy a couple early breakdowns and predictions to kick off your week.Â
AFC: New England Patriots (2) at Denver Broncos (1)
The quarterback matchup for this game went from a bragging rights battle for the 2024 NFL Draft’s third overall pick, New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, and the 2024 NFL Draft’s 12th overall pick, Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix, to bragging rights between two quarterbacks drafted by the Patriots. Broncos backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham will be filling in as Denver’s starter with Nix now out for the season after fracturing a bone in his ankle on the second to last play of the Broncos’ 33-30 overtime win in the divisional round over the Buffalo Bills.Â
Stidham, a 2019 fourth-round pick by New England, was actually set to enter training camp as the Patriots’ starting quarterback after Tom Brady’s free agency departure to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Then, New England signed Cam Newton just before training camp began. He’ll now be the first quarterback ever to start a conference championship game against the team that drafted him.Â
He’ll have his work cut for him with the way the Patriots defense is playing at the moment. New England possesses more playoff wins (two) than touchdowns allowed (one) this postseason. Their one touchdown allowed is tied for the fewest touchdowns allowed across the wild card and divisional rounds in the 21st century. The other two teams who have also done the same, the 2000 Baltimore Ravens and the 2006 Indianapolis Colts, both went on to win the Super Bowl. The Patriots turned the Texans over a whopping five times on Sunday afternoon, and they continuously got their hands on the football. New England’s 14 passes defended stands as the most by any team in a postseason game since the 2004 Philadelphia Eagles’ 17 in the divisional round against the Minnesota Vikings.Â
However, the Broncos are the NFL’s best pass rush, finishing the regular season with an NFL-most 68 sacks, 11 more than the second-place Atlanta Falcons’ 57. Denver defensive coordinator Vance Joseph isn’t afraid to bring the heat, blitzing at the fifth-highest rate (33.9%) in the regular season. The Broncos’ pass rush could put Maye in the danger zone after he’s absorbed five sacks in both the wild card and divisional rounds. Patriots left tackle Will Campbell, the 2025 NFL Draft fourth overall pick, is struggling this postseason with nine sacks and 30 quarterback pressures allowed in two games.Â
Where to watch Patriots vs. Broncos live
Early Patriots vs. Broncos prediction, pick
Maye, the 2025 second-team All-Pro quarterback, makes many more big time throws than Stidham despite both facing top tier defenses. Of the previous six quarterbacks to make their first start of a season in the playoffs, only one (Buffalo Bills backup Frank Reich) won a game. Reich famously led the Bills to the largest comeback in NFL postseason history, 32 points, in the 1992 wild card round against the Houston Oilers. The odds are New England escapes Mile High with a multi-score victory given the vast disparity in what each team’s quarterback has accomplished this season.Â
Early pick:Â Patriots 27, Broncos 13Â |Â Patriots -5.5, Under 40.5 Â
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NFC: Los Angeles Rams (5) at Seattle Seahawks (1)
It’s a grudge match in the NFC Championship with the fifth-seeded Los Angeles Rams facing off against the top-seeded Seattle Seahawks with a trip to Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara on the line. The home team has won both matchups thus far this season. Los Angeles triumphed 21-19 in Week 11 at SoFi Stadium after Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold tossed a career-high four interceptions. In Week 16 at Lumen Field, the Seahawks erased a 16-point fourth-quarter deficit (30-14) to roar all the way back for a 38-37 overtime victory. Los Angeles fired special teams coordinator Chris Blackburn two days after that defeat in which Rashid Shaheed’s 58-yard punt return touchdown sparked Seattle’s comeback.Â
The Sunday showdown in the NFC Championship marks the ninth playoff game in the conference championship round or Super Bowl since the 1970 AFL/NFL merger between the No. 1 scoring offense — the Rams led the NFL with 30.5 points per game in 2025 and the No. 1 scoring defense — the Seahawks led the NFL with 17.2 points per game allowed in 2025. It’s worth noting the No. 1 defense has triumphed over the No. 1 offense in seven of the prior eight such matchups.Â
|
2025 NFC Championship |
Rams |
Seahawks |
|
2016 Super Bowl |
Falcons |
Patriots* |
|
2014 NFC Championship |
Packers |
Seahawks* |
|
2013 Super Bowl |
Broncos |
Seahawks* |
|
1990 Super Bowl |
Bills |
Giants* |
|
1989 Super Bowl |
49ers* |
Broncos |
|
1984 Super Bowl |
Dolphins |
49ers* |
|
1980 NFC Championship |
Cowboys |
Eagles* |
|
1978 Super Bowl |
Cowboys |
Steelers* |
* Won game
Where to watch Rams vs. Seahawks live
- Date:Â Sunday, Jan. 25 |Â Time:Â 6:30 p.m. ET
- Location:Â Lumen Field (Seattle)
- TV: Fox | Stream: Fubo (try for free)
- Follow:Â CBS Sports App
- Odds: Seahawks -2.5, O/U 47.5 (via DraftKings Sportsbook)
Early Rams vs. Seahawks prediction, pick
Both of the 2025 matchups between these teams have been so close. The Rams won by two points in Week 11, and the Seahawks won by a single point in overtime in Week 16. Both Rams head coach Sean McVay’s offense and Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald’s defenses have been incredible this season. However, if there’s one quarterback who could make a big mistake in this game, it’s Darnold. He led the league with 20 turnovers in the regular season, and he’s struggled with Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula’s defense across his last three games against Los Angeles dating to the 2024 NFC wild card round with the Minnesota Vikings. That night, Darnold absorbed an NFL playoff record nine sacks in a 27-9 defeat.Â
Fast forward to today, and Darnold has an oblique injury. He wasn’t nearly as mobile in the pocket in Seattle’s 41-6 divisional round win against the San Francisco 49ers because of the ailment. Given his history against the Rams and his current health situation, Los Angeles wins the NFC Championship by a field goal.Â
|
Completion pct |
64.4% |
|
Pass TD-Turnovers |
3-8 |
|
Passer rating |
67.5 |
|
Times sacked |
13* |
* Includes nine sacks in 2024 wild card round loss with Vikings, tied for the most in a playoff game in NFL history
Early pick:Â Rams 24, Seahawks 21Â |Â Rams +2.5, Under 47.5 Â
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