Patriots Face Broncos And Rams Battle Seahawks In NFL Championship Showdowns

The NFL Conference Championship weekend has finally arrived, and fans across the nation are buzzing with anticipation as four of the league’s best teams square off for a coveted spot in Super Bowl LX. On Sunday, January 25, 2026, the New England Patriots will travel to Empower Field at Mile High Stadium to face the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship, while the Los Angeles Rams meet the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC title bout. It’s a day packed with drama, strategy, and the relentless pursuit of football glory.

The action kicks off at 3 p.m. ET on CBS, when the Patriots—led by MVP candidate Drake Maye—take on a Broncos squad that’s been almost unstoppable, winning 14 of their last 15 games. Later, at 6:30 p.m. ET, the Rams and Seahawks will battle for NFC supremacy, with the game airing on FOX. For those eager to catch every snap, the games are available on a slew of platforms: CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN, ABC, and streaming services like Paramount+, Peacock, DirecTV, YouTube TV, and Fox One, among others. If you’re not sure where to tune in, you’re not alone—this season, NFL games have aired across more than ten channels and streaming services, making it both a golden era for football fans and a logistical puzzle for the uninitiated.

Let’s dive into the AFC Championship, where the Patriots and Broncos have emerged as the league’s top contenders, both finishing the regular season at 14-3. But there’s a twist: Denver will start veteran quarterback Jarrett Stidham after Bo Nix suffered an injury in the final moments of their nail-biting 33-30 overtime win against the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional Round. Stidham, a reliable backup, now finds himself thrust into the spotlight against a Patriots defense that’s been nothing short of formidable.

“No. 1 vs. No. 2 face off for a berth in the Super Bowl, but the No. 1 Broncos are an underdog after losing quarterback Bo Nix to an injury in the divisional-round win over the Buffalo Bills. Can Jarrett Stidham pull a Nick Foles and lead Denver to the Super Bowl? We don’t see it. New England will force the QB into some mistakes, and Drake Maye and the Patriots will put up enough points to win the AFC championship,” wrote Jeremy Cluff of The Arizona Republic, capturing the skepticism that’s crept into Denver’s camp.

Oddsmakers have the Patriots as 4.5-point favorites on the road, with most predictions giving New England the edge. ESPN’s analytics give the Patriots a 58.7% chance to win, while Dimers’ simulation model puts their probability at 69%. Yet, the Broncos have home-field advantage, and with the weather forecast calling for a chilly 21 degrees and possible snow showers, anything can happen in the thin Denver air. The Patriots haven’t lost a road game since December 2024 and boast the NFL’s best record against the spread at 13-5-1, but Denver’s resilience and special teams—especially kicker Wil Lutz—can’t be underestimated.

Drake Maye, despite some playoff struggles—six fumbles and multiple interceptions—has delivered when it counts, making “absolutely gorgeous throws in key moments that put points on the board for New England,” according to Matt Johnson of Sportsnaut. The Patriots’ journey to the conference final included a 28-16 victory over the Houston Texans, while the Broncos’ path featured that dramatic overtime win against Buffalo. Both teams have shown grit, but New England’s defense and opportunistic offense have many believing they’ll punch their ticket to Santa Clara.

On the NFC side, the Rams and Seahawks are set for a prime-time showdown. The Rams edged out the Chicago Bears 20-17 in the Divisional Round, while the Seahawks have ridden a wave of late-season momentum to reach the title game. The Rams also dispatched the Carolina Panthers 34-31 in a high-scoring Wild Card clash. Both teams have shown a knack for late-game heroics, setting the stage for a contest that could go down to the wire.

With so much on the line, fans are scrambling to find the best way to watch. The NFL’s broadcast landscape has never been more fragmented—or more accessible. Paramount+ streams CBS games live, Peacock handles select NBC matchups, Amazon Prime Video is the exclusive home for Thursday Night Football, and Netflix has even joined the fray with Christmas Day games. Fox One, Fox’s new streaming service, lets fans access FOX games without a traditional cable subscription. DirecTV’s Choice tier, Fubo Sports, and YouTube TV offer robust packages, while NFL+ and NFL+ Premium provide mobile and audio access, plus replays and RedZone coverage. ESPN’s revamped streaming platform, now bundled with Disney+ and Hulu, is another option, and starting September, subscribers can add NFL+ Premium for even more gridiron action.

Looking ahead, the winners of Sunday’s games will advance to Super Bowl LX, set for February 8, 2026, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. The big game will air on NBC and stream live on Peacock and NFL+, with global superstar Bad Bunny slated to headline the Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show. The stakes couldn’t be higher, and the NFL world is watching as new storylines unfold and legacies are forged.

For fans with an eye on the future, the 2026 NFL Draft order is already taking shape, with the Las Vegas Raiders, New York Jets, and Arizona Cardinals holding the top three picks. The final order will be determined by the outcome of these playoffs, adding another layer of intrigue as teams jockey for both glory and the chance to reload for next season.

As kickoff approaches, the excitement is palpable. Will Drake Maye and the Patriots capitalize on their momentum and return to the Super Bowl? Can Jarrett Stidham rise to the occasion for Denver and engineer a storybook upset? Will the Rams or Seahawks seize the NFC crown? One thing’s for sure: football fans are in for a thrilling Sunday, with every play carrying the weight of a season’s hopes and dreams.

With the conference championships set to determine the NFL’s final two contenders, all eyes are on Denver and Seattle. As the games unfold and the drama builds, one can only wonder—who will be left standing when the dust settles and the confetti falls in Santa Clara?