Only four teams remain in playoffs after dramatic clashes as battle for Lombardi trophy heats up
The New England Patriots and Los Angeles Rams have secured their places in the Conference Championship games alongside the Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos following dramatic Divisional Round triumphs on Sunday.
Both contests were played in brutal winter weather, with the Patriots battling through snow at Gillette Stadium to overcome the Houston Texans 28-16, while the Rams edged past the Chicago Bears 20-17 in overtime amid freezing temperatures in Illinois.
The two leading MVP candidates, Drake Maye and Matthew Stafford, guided their respective teams to victory and remain on course for a potential meeting in the NFL’s showpiece finale.
New England now sit just one win away from the Super Bowl, having dismantled Houston’s league-leading defence, while Los Angeles survived a late Bears fightback to advance.
Despite being the NFC’s fifth seed, the Rams entered Soldier Field as favourites against second-ranked Chicago, with Stafford having accumulated an NFL-best 4,707 passing yards during the regular season.
The 37-year-old’s offence struggled in temperatures that plummeted to -8C, with wind chill making it feel like -13C.
Kyren Williams broke the second-half deadlock with a five-yard rushing touchdown to put Los Angeles ahead in the fourth quarter.
True to their reputation for dramatic comebacks, the Bears responded with just 18 seconds remaining when Caleb Williams launched a desperate 40-yard pass that Cole Kmet hauled in for a touchdown.
The Rams edged past the Chicago Bears 20-17 in overtime amid freezing temperatures in Illinois
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Chicago’s defence forced a stop in overtime, but Williams threw his third interception of the afternoon, allowing Mevis to convert from 42 yards for the win.
In Massachusetts, Maye endured a difficult afternoon with three turnovers and five sacks, yet still delivered when it mattered most.
The 23-year-old threw three touchdown passes, including a spectacular 32-yard strike to Kayshon Boutte, whose one-handed catch in the fourth quarter effectively ended the contest.
Houston quarterback CJ Stroud suffered a nightmare first half, throwing four interceptions after managing just eight across 14 regular season games, with Marcus Jones returning one for a touchdown.
The Patriots battled through snow at Gillette Stadium to overcome the Houston Texans
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The Texans’ elimination marks their third consecutive Divisional Round exit despite boasting the NFL’s top-ranked defence and arriving on a 10-game winning streak.
New England’s transformation under first-year head coach Mike Vrabel has been remarkable.
He improved from 4-13 last season to 14-3, matching the largest single-season turnaround in league history.
Stafford and Maye remain the frontrunners for this season’s MVP award, with both quarterbacks potentially set to face each other in the championship decider.
The Denver Broncos will host the Patriots for the NFC Championship game
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The Rams must first travel to Seattle for the NFC Championship game next Sunday, while the Patriots head to Denver for the AFC equivalent.
Maye will line up against Jarrett Stidham, who was once considered Tom Brady’s heir apparent after being drafted by New England in 2019.
Stidham, now 29, will make just the fifth start of his career after Denver’s Bo Nix suffered a broken ankle against Buffalo on Saturday.
The Conference Championship winners will meet at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, for Super Bowl 60 on Sunday, February 8.
