NFL Conference Championship predictions for Seahawks-Rams, Broncos-Patriots

The NFL’s final four for 2026 is set. The Denver Broncos and New England Patriots will play for the AFC Championship on Sunday afternoon, followed by round three of the Seattle Seahawks vs. the Los Angeles Rams, this time with the winner going to the Super Bowl.

No one would have predicted this final four at the start of the season. The Rams were the highest-ranked team of the four in the preseason Super Bowl odds, and even they were only No. 9 overall. It feels like a truly wide open field, with any of the four plenty capable of winning the whole thing.

I went 3-1 with my picks in the Divisional Round last weekend, which followed my 5-1 mark in the Wild Card Round. Being 8-2 for these playoffs sounds pretty good to me. Let’s see if I can keep it going in the conference finals.

Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks prediction, NFC Championship Game

Both Rams-Seahawks games came down to the wire this year, and their Week 16 showdown (which the Seahawks won in overtime) might have been the single best game of this NFL season. Round 3 has the makings of an instant classic, and Seattle should feel good about their chances with homefield advantage, a much better special teams unit, and a dominant defense that rivals Denver’s as the league’s best. To this point, the Rams haven’t played anything close to their best game in the playoffs yet: the Panthers played them a little too close in the Wild Card round, and the Bears nearly pulled out an impossible backdoor victory in the Divisional Round. Still, the Rams have already won two road games in this postseason, and shouldn’t feel deterred going into Seattle against a team they’ve already played well against. The Rams have way more upside in their passing game with Matthew Stafford throwing to Puka Nacua, and the defense should be ready to bring the pressure against Sam Darnold. I just trust Stafford and head coach Sean McVay to figure out solutions in high leverage spots because we’ve seen them do it so many times before. I’m not sold on Darnold’s ability to be a Super Bowl quarterback regardless of how good the Seahawks defense is. The Rams will have to put up lots of points to win and avoid a big special teams mistake, but I think they have it in them.

Pick: Rams

Denver Broncos vs. New England Patriots prediction, AFC Championship Game

Bo Nix’s season-ending ankle injury still feels as shocking and heartbreaking as it did on Saturday night when Sean Payton announced it. Jarrett Stidham takes over as quarterback for the Broncos, and he’s about to make his first start since the final weeks of the 2023 season when he was backing up Russell Wilson. Denver’s success this season always felt like it was much more about the defense than it was about Nix, and we’re about to see the gap between him and a replacement level QB. I would feel better about Stidham if he wasn’t starting opposite Drake Maye. Maye has had a season for the ages, but he didn’t look great against the Texans in the Divisional Round win last week. It still feels like Maye still has a signature performance left in him before his playoff run ends, and doing it in Denver would be incredibly impressive. The Patriots offensive line needs to hold up, particularly on the left side, against a Denver defense that led the league in sacks with 11 more than second-place. I think Maye is ready the world how good he really is, and I don’t think Stidham can match points with him. The Patriots have played just about the easiest schedule in NFL history this year, and Nix’s injury is their latest lucky break. I’m not totally sold on the Pats as a great team yet, but it’s hard to pick the team starting Jarred Stidham when the other side has someone as awesome as Drake Maye.

Pick: Patriots