PRIYA COOPER / SPORTS EDITOR

The Super Bowl is approaching fast and after an unpredictable fall season, football fans are preparing for the sport’s long awaited grand finale. The AFC (American Football Conference) and NFC (National Football Conference) final games, which determined who proceeded to the Super Bowl, were held at the end of January. 

In the NFC, the Seattle Seahawks played the Los Angeles Rams and won with a final score of 31-27. In the AFC Division, the Denver Broncos faced off against the New England Patriots for a snowy game in Colorado. The Patriots won 10-7 and will advance to play the Seahawks on Feb. 8 for the national championship. 

The AFC and NFC are the two conferences that make up the 32-team NFL (National Football League), each with 16 teams organized into four divisions (North, South, East and  West).  Both divisions operate as separate leagues during the regular season and have their champions meet in the annual Super Bowl to crown the overall victor. The Super Bowl is typically one of the highest viewed telecasts in the United States each year and is approaching quickly once again. 

USD senior Amy Bonner watched both semifinal games and commented on the team’s performances and where she thought they excelled. 

“Both championship games felt super competitive, but the teams that controlled the line of scrimmage and avoided mistakes really stood out,” Bonner said. “That’s usually what wins in the playoffs.”

Both games were very intense despite a lot of fan speculation. The Broncos’ star quarterback, Bo Nix, was ruled injured after breaking his ankle in overtime during a playoff game leading up to the AFC championship against the Buffalo Bills. The Broncos played with their backup quarterback, Jarred Stiddam, and still kept up with the Patriots who were expected to dominate the game. Despite the loss, the Broncos stayed in the game until the end. The ultimate play which turned the game was an interception caught by cornerback Christian Gonzalez with 2 minutes and 11 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.  

The game in Seattle ended the season for the Rams despite a strong offensive showing, due to late mistakes and missed opportunities which prevented  Los Angeles from reaching the Super Bowl. Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford threw for 374 yards and three touchdowns, completing 22 out of 35 passes. The Rams had one final chance to take the lead in the closing seconds, but started at their own seven-yard line with no timeouts and were unable to complete the drive. 

The Seahawks were able to capitalize throughout the game led by quarterback Sam Darnold, an eight-year NFL veteran now with his fifth team. Darnold had a strong performance, completing 25 of 36 passes for 346 yards while battling an oblique injury. 

The Seahawks will make their fourth Super Bowl appearance overall, for the first time in 11 years. Seattle will face New England, a rematch of  Super Bowl XLIX, when the Seahawks lost to the Patriots, ending with a score of 24-28. 

USD junior Maren Bronson has been following along throughout the season and shared her thoughts on the upcoming game. 

“Based on the NFC and AFC championship games, I would arguably say that I would like for the Seahawks to win the Super Bowl,” Bronson said. “Not only have the Patriots won several, but the championship games showed a vast amount of effort that was displayed all season long from the Seahawks.” 

With Seattle returning to the Super Bowl for the first time in over a decade and New England once again chasing another title, the Feb. 8 showdown promises a compelling finish to an unpredictable season. The Seahawks have one Super Bowl victory in their franchise history, when they defeated the Denver Broncos 43-8 in Super Bowl XLVIII. Seattle has three Super Bowl appearances in total, while New England has appeared in eleven Super Bowls and won six titles while losing the other five. The Patriots secured their most recent Super Bowl ring in 2019 after beating the Los Angeles Rams. 

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold looking to complete a pass in the NFC championship game. Photo courtesy of  @seahawks/Instagram