We now know the two teams that will be competing for Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California (home of the San Francisco 49ers) on February 8. The National Football Conference champion Seattle Seahawks will face the American Football Conference champion New England Patriots.
One story that is interesting is the fact the Super Bowl finalists were not among the four Super Bowl favourites (Buffalo Bills, Kansas City Chiefs, Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions) on October 28. The Chiefs and Lions in fact missed the postseason completely.
In the AFC Championship, the Patriots defeated the Denver Broncos 10-7 in the first of two Super Bowl semifinals. This particular game in Denver, Colorado was impacted by the weather conditions as there was heavy snow throughout the contest.
Defensively, the Patriots were led by cornerback Christian Gonzalez of Carrollton, Texas, linebacker Christian Elliss of Rochester Hills, Michigan, and linebacker Elijah Ponder of Pomona, California. Gonzalez had five tackles, one sack and one interception. Elliss had two tackles, one sack and one forced fumble. Ponder had one fumble recovery. The Broncos failed to score a point in the final three quarters.
In the NFC Championship, the Seahawks defeated the Los Angeles Rams 31-27. Seattle has now won nine straight games (seven regular season games and two postseason games). The Rams were the last team to beat the Seahawks as the Rams won 21-19 on November 16.
One major reason for the Seahawks’s success was the chemistry between quarterback Sam Darnold of Capistrano Beach, California and wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Nijgba of Nacogdoches, Texas. Darnold completed 25 of 36 passes for 346 passing yards and three touchdowns, while Smith-Nijba had 10 catches for 153 passing yards and one touchdown.
