Breaking News: The road to Super Bowl LX is coming into sharp focus today. The Divisional Round is slicing the bracket to four, and the picture is getting real. I am tracking every snap, and the story is clear. Seattle has the inside lane in the NFC. Denver carries the weight in the AFC. The chase is tight, urgent, and built for drama.
Super Bowl LX kicks off on February 8, 2026 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
The Field Narrows Today
This is the hinge point of the postseason. Win today, and you book a ticket to Championship Sunday on January 25. Win there, and you are bound for Santa Clara. Lose today, and the season ends in a quiet locker room.
The No. 1 seed matters. It buys rest, matchups, and home field. The Seahawks own that edge in the NFC after a 13–3 regular season. They earned the bye, and they earned the bracket.
NFC: Seattle owns the path
Seattle is built for January football. The defense controls the line, sets the edge, and hits with discipline. The offense leans on balance, with a run game that forces honesty and a passing attack that punishes one on one. That combination travels, and it overwhelms at home.
The Seahawks have a clean route if they stay themselves. Win today at Lumen Field, likely against a lower seed that had to spend last weekend, then host the NFC title game in a building that shakes. The crowd becomes a force on third down. The pass rush feeds off it. Mistakes follow.
Here is the key with Seattle. They rarely beat themselves. They win field position. They protect the ball. Their red zone defense is stubborn, and their situational football is crisp. In a year without a runaway juggernaut, that consistency is a hammer.
Seattle’s biggest threat will be a team that can stretch the field and hold up in protection. If you make them defend deep outside the numbers, and if you can steal a takeaway, you can tilt the game. But you have to survive the first quarter surge and the noise.
Seeding is leverage. It shapes travel, rest, and matchups, and it often decides tight playoff games.
AFC: Denver carries the target
The AFC has more volatility, yet Denver has the most stable profile. Their front seven is the heartbeat, and it sets a heavy tone. They tackle well, and they rally to the ball. On offense, they play on schedule, take the throws that are there, and wait for the shot that cracks a game open.
That identity wins in January. It also places a burden on opponents. If you cannot run the ball against Denver, you become predictable. If you chase points, Denver squeezes your protection and owns the clock.
Two challengers stand closest. New England has a playoff spine, a plan for every situation, and a defense that disguises coverage. Jacksonville brings speed, creativity, and a quarterback who can stress a defense with second reaction plays. Both can threaten Denver, but neither gets the margin for error that a top seed enjoys.
The Broncos must defend the middle of the field and avoid penalties that extend drives. If they do, they will hit Championship Sunday as the AFC favorite, with Santa Clara in reach.
What decides today’s games
January football is often simple. It is about downs, details, and discipline. Watch these swing points across the slate:
- Third down offense, can you stay ahead of the sticks
- Red zone defense, hold them to three and you survive
- Turnover margin, plus one is usually enough in tight games
- Explosive plays, find two gains of 20 plus yards and the math changes
If it is Seahawks vs Broncos in Santa Clara
That matchup would be a clean clash of styles. Seattle brings balance, angles, and poise. Denver brings power, structure, and patience. Field position would be king. Special teams would matter. The winning quarterback would be the one who avoids the one throw that should never leave his hand.
There is also history between these franchises. Fans will remember a past title meeting and how speed on defense can flip a script. This time, the personnel is new, the schemes are modern, and the margins are thinner. It would be a throwback fight in a sleek stadium, a classic West Coast stage for a national showcase.
The bottom line
As of this hour, the path points to Seattle in the NFC and Denver in the AFC. That is the cleanest read, and the one my board supports. New England and Jacksonville are built to pounce if either favorite slips. One bad quarter can change the bracket, one tipped ball can send a favorite home.
That is why today feels heavy. Seasons end. Legacies begin. By tonight, four teams will be standing, and the flight paths to Santa Clara will be set. I will keep you here on the front line of it all, as the Super Bowl picture locks into focus.
