Tag: preview

Feb 2, 2026; San Jose, CA, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) and New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) shake hands during Opening Night for Super Bowl LX at San Jose Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Patriots pit pup QB, prized defense against Sam Darnold, Seahawks

Posted on | by Field Level Media

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Call it a comeback. And better make it two.

Super Bowl LX sets up as a recall of recent great teams colliding Sunday on the home field of the San Francisco 49ers.

It’s a repeat of Super Bowl XLIX in February 2015 that swung from a Seattle Seahawks celebration to a confirmation of the New England Patriots’ dynasty when Malcolm Butler intercepted Russell Wilson pass at the goal line with 20 seconds left.

“It hasn’t come up one time,” Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said of the Super Bowl rematch.

Almost everything has changed on both sidelines in the decade since that game. Neither team was even in the playoff field last season.

Patriots owner Robert Kraft called a leadership audible and restored the championship standard in New England, placing three-time Super Bowl champion Mike Vrabel atop the organization pecking order, and the new head coach guided a stunning turnaround in 2025.

Vrabel, a former linebacker under Bill Belichick, has resurrected the franchise and partnered with the second-youngest Super Bowl starting quarterback ever, 23-year-old Drake Maye, to move New England to the doorstep of a league-record seventh Lombardi Trophy.

“The organization has set a standard,” Vrabel said. “The Patriots organization, Robert and Jonathan (Kraft), have set a standard for this organization that this is what the expectation is. We understand that, we embrace that.”

Seattle shifted from Pete Carroll at the end of the 2024 season, and longtime general manager John Schneider restocked in tandem with Macdonald, 38. The second-year coach and defensive-minded mad scientist won 14 games in the 2025 regular season, earning the top seed in the NFC with reclamation project Sam Darnold starring in the vast shadow of Seattle’s sledgehammer defense.

Darnold threw 25 touchdown passes in his first season with the Seahawks. He opposes Drake Maye, the No. 3 pick in the 2024 draft, who produced numbers once expected of another famous Patriots passer with a fully stocked ring finger. Maye finished ahead of Darnold in most passing categories. He had 31 touchdown passes, 4,394 yards and a league-leading 113.5 passer rating with a pair of rookies starting on the left side of a fully revamped offensive line.

Maye has harped on running the ball, and Vrabel continues to preach balance in the long preamble to Super Bowl LX. But numbers could set up in Seattle’s favor.

The Seahawks have a streak of 28 consecutive games without allowing a 100-yard rusher and big plays are a pipe dream — only 15 plays of 20-plus yards — because of the speed and versatility of the back seven and the ability of Macdonald to generate pressure with his front four. They were stingy on first down and excelled on third down, when the crosshairs are largely centered on the pocket.

New England had allowed Maye to be sacked 15 times in the playoffs.

“We’ve got to stay connected,” Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels said. “It’s kind of like synchronized swimming. If one of them is different than the other, you usually have a bad play. We’re going to be put to the test. They will twist and stunt, a really violent team.”

Seahawks defensive tackle Leonard Williams is a terror inside, and six Seattle defenders have at least 40 QB pressures. Williams leads the team with 65 followed by DeMarcus Lawrence with 58. While Seattle’s dynamic personnel and playmaking mix is getting headlines, the Seahawks were far from flawless in 2025. They allowed 27 points to the Rams in the NFC Championship Game and needed an offensive explosion to edge the same team 38-37 in the regular season.

McDaniels said he’s not afraid of leaning on his young players. He recalled being in the press box as an assistant coach in the 2001 season when a young Tom Brady made his Super Bowl debut and beat the St. Louis Rams.

“That was a great example of a young player being put in a situation where (coaches) could have let the game go to overtime,” Daniels said. “Those are the types of situations players live for. Drake has had to deal with those types of circumstances this season, and we’ve only gotten his best football.”

Maye registered 11 multiple-TD games in the 2025 regular season. He has taken only one loss since Sept. 21, compiling a 16-1 record since then. Maye leads the Darnold, 29, in career postseason wins, and their combined five playoff victories were all collected last month.

Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba led the league with 1,793 passing yards and was the target of 163 of Darnold’s 477 passes in the regular season. He logged 119 receptions and 10 touchdowns. Smith-Njigba had 10 catches for 153 yards and a touchdown in the NFC Championship Game. On film, Vrabel is still hunting for a major weakness.

“Sudden, savvy, competitive,” Vrabel said. “Really good play strength for his stature. He’s really good at contested catches. Good route craft and understanding in zone and man. Great body control.”

Maye insisted Wednesday his shoulder was fine after being limited last week. He was in Levi’s Stadium the last time it hosted the Super Bowl — February 2016, when the Denver Broncos beat the Carolina Panthers — and the Patriots played at San Francisco last season. He said the preparation for the Super Bowl is mostly a normal week with a bonus hotel stay and practice at a foreign facility. Ah, youngsters.

“It’s such a cool moment to be out here with the guys and the teammates,” Maye said. “A chance to enjoy the moment together. The emotions will be a little bit higher on game day.”

Vrabel’s Super Bowl experience has been a common talking point in the Patriots’ makeshift camp at the San Jose Marriott and Stanford University this week. Veteran defensive players such as cornerback Carlton Davis III (Tom Brady’s teammate for Tampa Bay’s Super Bowl win to cap the 2020 season) and defensive tackle Milton Williams (a winner with the Eagles 12 months ago) are helping keep younger players and newbies like 32-year-old wide receiver Stefon Diggs from emotional exhaustion with all of the pomp and circumstance on the Super Bowl periphery this week.

“His maturation process is second to none. One of the best I’ve ever seen from a quarterback position,” Diggs said of Maye’s calm. “He’s still super young, which is crazy. He’s had a lot of success, but as I have grown closer to him, I’m a huge fan of him. He’s like a mini inspiration. To be that young, be that mature and be able to play at a high level is something that I always wanted when I was a young player. I’m just happy to be a part of this thing.”

As expected with another defense-first head coach, Seattle also stresses the running game. Kenneth Walker III led the team with 1,027 rushing yards in the regular season, and he has added 178 yards and four touchdowns in two playoff games.

For the Patriots, Rhamondre Stevenson was second to rookie speedster TreVeyon Henderson in rushing in the regular season, but Stevenson climbed out of Vrabel’s doghouse — where he landed due to three fumbles — to lead the NFL in rushing in the playoffs with 194 yards on 51 carries.

“We’re always looking to find balance in our offense because you become more difficult to defend if the defense has to defend run-pass on every series in every situation,” McDaniels said.

The Patriots finished the season sixth in the NFL in rushing with 128.9 yards per game after ranking 31st the first month of the season. Maye has been a problem for front sevens in the playoffs because of his mobility. Seattle can use rookie safety Nick Emmanwori as a spy to keep Maye’s speed in check, but the Patriots know there are counters to that kind of chess move.

“There are weak spots in every coverage,” Maye said.

New England’s interior defensive line tandem of Milton Williams and Christian Barmore, self-described QB predators, present a hurdle for Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak finding a comfort zone for Darnold. Seattle rookie left guard Grey Zabel will be vital in making the mission possible.

“Me and him, we come in hungry. We’re like lions. We come to hunt,” Barmore said. “And the whole D-line. Our goal is to dominate every time we’re out there. It doesn’t matter who it is, another day to line up and kick ass.”

Darnold signed a three-year, $100.5 million deal with the Seahawks last March. He hasn’t played for the same team or play-caller since 2022, his second year with the Carolina Panthers, when Baker Mayfield was named the starter. Darnold, the third pick in the 2018 draft, is on his fifth team but playing his finest football. However, he led all quarterbacks in turnovers — six fumbles lost, 14 interceptions — opening the door to doubts about his performance this week.

Darnold said his oblique strain, an issue that crept up before the divisional playoffs, is vastly improved with the two-week break between conference title games and the Super Bowl. He said he is not in the mindset of proving anyone wrong by winning Sunday.

“All of the hard work and dedication leads to this moment,” Darnold said.

–Jeff Reynolds, Field Level Media

Dec 14, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) and quarterback Jarrett Stidham (8) run out for player introductions prior to a game against the Green Bay Packers at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

AFC Championship Game Capsule

Posted on | by Field Level Media

AFC Championship Game Preview Capsule

New England Patriots (16-3) at Denver Broncos (15-3)
Sunday, 2 p.m. ET
Denver, Colorado, Empower Field at Mile High

AFC Championship Game appearances: Patriots 16 (11-4), Broncos 11 (8-2)
Series History: Broncos are 4-1 against the Patriots in the playoffs. Denver beat New England twice in the AFC Championship Game; 20-18 during the 2015 season and 26-16 in the 2013 campaign.

FanDuel Odds: Patriots -4.5, Total 42.5

Broncos backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham can’t make it rain or snow in the Rockies, but Denver’s sub for the injured Bo Nix might help his own cause by generating some thunder out of the gates.

The Patriots haven’t lost on the road this season, a perfect 8-0, but second-year quarterback Bo Nix knows New England is walking into a brand-new environment Sunday afternoon. Empower Field was designed to let the players feel the fans when it gets rocking, and the situation calls for all the help the Broncos can get.

“The magnitude of the noise is something we probably haven’t seen yet,” Drake Maye said of heading to Mile High. “Playing on the road is one of the coolest things. Coming off the field with their screaming fans, coming out with a win. It’s pretty cool to celebrate in an away locker room, that’s different. Coach is always saying ‘road warriors,’ and we’re trying to find that one more time.”

Broncos coach Sean Payton talked up Stidham in the aftermath of the season-ending ankle injury to Nix. Players and coaches learned the second-year starter was hurt only after beating the Bills in a thriller, 33-30, in Denver last week. Nix called it the most devastating football news he’s ever received. For Stidham, it’s a chance to prove at 29 he’s worthy of another opportunity.

Patriots coach Mike Vrabel was playing linebacker with New England when a backup named Tom Brady emerged to lead the Patriots to victories in Super Bowls XXXVI, XXXVIII and XXXIX. And there’s no need for the Broncos to issue a book on Stidham to the Patriots. They can get it from one of their coaches first-hand.

Stidham started his career as Brady’s backup in 2019 as a fourth-round pick under Bill Belichick and spent three seasons in New England as part of meetings facilitated by Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels — previously head coach of the Broncos from 2009-2010.

Stidham was acquired from the Patriots by the Raiders in a trade after Las Vegas hired McDaniels in 2022. He signed with the Broncos as a free agent in 2023. When the Broncos drafted Nix, head coach Sean Payton had already signed Stidham based on what he knew about his experiences with McDaniels. Stidham expected to compete and become the starter and declared he would again be “a starter in this league.”

He’ll be backed by one of the best defenses in the league. Getting heat to the pocket is already a strength of the Broncos. Denver has four players with seven-plus sacks. The Broncos led the NFL in sacks with 68 in 2025 and got to Josh Allen three times last week.

“(Maye is) fast. He can run. We had that challenge a week ago,” said Payton, who can tie Parcells and others on the NFL all-time list with his 11th playoff win Sunday.

There are numerous mines for Maye to avoid in the Denver defense.

Outside linebackers Nik Bonitto — fifth in the NFL with 14 sacks this season — and Jonathon Cooper (eight sacks) are backed by lockdown cornerback Patrick Surtain II, the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year. They could be sensing blood in the water after Maye had five turnovers in the first two playoff games.

A glimmer of hope for more help in the Broncos emerged this week, but Denver ruled out running back J.K. Dobbins (foot) on Friday along with Nix (ankle) and linebacker Drew Sanders (ankle).

New England cornerback Carlton Davis III cleared concussion protocol, but the Patriots ruled out sacks leader Harold Landry (8.5) due to a knee injury.

–Field Level Media

Sam Darnold, Seahawks try to deny Rams 3rd road playoff win

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If Sam Darnold has a nemesis, it’s the Los Angeles Rams.

Which, along with Darnold’s oblique injury, lends another level of intrigue to the NFC Championship game on Sunday in Seattle.

“Just attacking rehab these last couple days,” the Seattle Seahawks quarterback said. “Obviously, will be throughout the week; just got to continue to prepare and get my body right for Sunday.”

Darnold tweaked his oblique in practice last week. It didn’t seem to hinder him last Saturday as the Seahawks pummeled the visiting San Francisco 49ers 41-6 in the divisional playoffs.

Of course, Darnold wasn’t called on to do much, as the Seahawks’ running game, defense and special teams were dominant. Darnold was 12-of-17 passing for 124 yards and a touchdown to Jaxon Smith-Njigba and was turnover-free.

The Rams have had Darnold’s number. In a playoff game last year while with Minnesota, Darnold was sacked nine times and committed a pair of turnovers, one of which was returned for a touchdown, in a 27-9 defeat in Inglewood, Calif.

In Week 11 this season, Darnold threw four interceptions in a 21-19 loss to the host Rams, though he nearly rallied Seattle to a victory before Jason Myers’ 61-yard field-goal attempt as time expired faded wide right.

On Dec. 18 in Seattle, Darnold was sacked four times and threw a pair of picks as the Seahawks fell behind by 16 points in the fourth quarter. He then led a miraculous comeback and found backup tight end Eric Saubert for a two-point conversion in overtime of a 38-37 victory.

Darnold credited the Rams’ defense for having a “really good scheme” that disguises their coverages. He said a key will be “staying on schedule … staying positive on first and second down.”

“It’s win or go home at this point,” Darnold said. “But we look at it as another game. We trust our process throughout the week.”

Backup running back Zach Charbonnet, who led the Seahawks in the regular season with 12 rushing touchdowns, suffered a serious knee injury against the 49ers and is out for the rest of the season. Starter Kenneth Walker III carried a heavier load, rushing for 116 yards and three touchdowns.

The Seahawks (15-3) also have an injury concern at left tackle, with the top three candidates ailing. Starter Charles Cross left in the third quarter last Saturday with a foot injury and didn’t return. His backup, Josh Jones, wasn’t active against the 49ers with knee and ankle woes, and third-stringer Amari Kight, a rookie, played the final 17 snaps but missed practice time this week with a knee issue.

The Rams (14-5) have won two straight playoff games on the road to get to the conference title game. They dispatched Carolina 34-31 on Jan. 10 and Chicago 20-17 in overtime last Sunday.

They’re relatively healthy, with only safety Quentin Lake (illness) and linebacker Byron Young (knee) missing practice time this week.

The Los Angeles offense, which led the league in yards (394.6 per game) and scoring (30.5) during the regular season, struggled with a cold and hostile environment in Chicago.

It will be even louder Sunday in Seattle.

“When you go into the environment that we’re going into here on Sunday in Seattle, everybody’s gotta be on the same page and communicate,” said Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, a leading MVP candidate. “That’s what offense is all about. You gotta have 11 people working as one.”

The Rams’ Davante Adams, who led the NFL with 14 receiving touchdowns in the regular season, missed the last game against Seattle with an injury.

“This is the biggest game,” Adams told reporters this week. “Whatever game you’re currently in is the biggest game of the year. But this is, obviously, the biggest game right here. They took care of business against us last time. It’s tough being on the sideline … even though we did take care of business on offense and had a good day. But it’s time to finish it off this time.”

–Field Level Media

History waiting to be written when Indiana, Miami collide in title game

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Top-seeded Indiana stands one victory away from becoming the biggest rags-to-riches story in college football history.

A program that went 9-27 over a three-year span earlier this decade and had the most losses in FBS history until earlier this season is on the verge of becoming national champions when it faces No. 10 Miami on Monday night in the College Football Playoff title game at Miami Gardens, Fla.

Indiana has never won a national championship, while the Hurricanes have won five, the most recent coming in the 2001 season.

Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza and the Hoosiers (15-0) smashed No. 9 Alabama and No. 5 Oregon by a combined 94-25 in their first two playoff games. They now look to seal the deal behind second-year head coach Curt Cignetti, who is 26-2 since leaving James Madison to become the Indiana coach.

“If you look at the record since Indiana started playing football and relative to the success we’ve had the last two years, we’ve broken a lot of records here in terms of wins, championships, postseason games, top-10 wins on the road, et cetera,” Cignetti said.

“So it’s been kind of surreal, but you get it done with the right people, properly led. You’ve got to have a blueprint, plan and process. You’ve got to have the right people on your staff and the right people in the locker room.”

One of those right people turned out to be Mendoza, who was a competent quarterback with 30 touchdowns against 16 interceptions during two starting seasons at Cal.

But with the Hoosiers, the transformation was stunning. Mendoza leads the nation with 41 touchdowns passes and has completed 73% of his passes for 3,349 yards while being intercepted just six times.

Mendoza became the first Heisman winner in Indiana history and is the overwhelming favorite to become the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

But first, Cignetti had to sell Mendoza that Indiana was the right place for him.

“I still remember when I was in the transfer portal, Coach Cignetti said, ‘Hey, if you’re going to come here, you’re going to develop into a hell of a quarterback,’” Mendoza said. “It wasn’t about, at that point, ‘Hey, I’m going to promise you a national championship.’ It was, ‘You’re going to develop and have that belief.’”

The Hoosiers became a powerful force. The semifinal bludgeoning of Oregon marked the seventh time the team scored 50 or more points this season.

That kind of firepower overshadows that the defense has allowed 10 or fewer points nine times. Safety Louis Moore grabbed six interceptions and outside linebacker Rolijah Hardy amassed eight sacks.

Miami (13-2) gets to play in its home venue and has impressively recorded three straight playoff wins despite some observers feeling they shouldn’t have made the CFP field.

That’s no longer a topic after the stellar string of victories over No. 7 Texas A&M, No. 2 Ohio State and No. 6 Ole Miss. The Hurricanes trailed the Rebels late in the semifinals before Carson Beck guided the decisive 15-play, 75-yard drive and scored on a 3-yard run with 18 seconds left.

Beck is in his sixth college season but first with Miami after spending five years at Georgia. He has thrown for 11,493 yards and 87 touchdowns against 31 interceptions in that time.

And now the possibility looms for a storybook career-ending victory.

“I don’t know if it’s hit me yet, to be honest,” Beck said. “I feel like during the game, or probably when the game starts, it will. It’ll be a thought that crosses my mind.

“Knowing that it is my last college football game ever and it being a national championship, what an opportunity. And regardless of what happens, what a season as well.”

The Hurricanes were 6-2 after losing twice in three weeks before turning it on for the rest of the regular season. But coach Mario Cristobal said no team his club has faced is on par with the Hoosiers.

“They’re the best overall team and best defense we have faced,” Cristobal said. “I know that their rankings and anything statistically important are between 1 and 5. It starts with this. They’re really fast, physical, explosive, talented and smart. They play with a lot of physicality, a lot of violence. They make it very challenging.”

Miami running back Mark Fletcher Jr. has been superb in the postseason with rushing outputs of 172, 90 and 133 yards. The defense is led by stellar defensive ends Akheem Mesidor (team-best 10.5 sacks) and Rueben Bain Jr. (8.5 sacks).

–Field Level Media

Rams layer up, pack their own LaFleur to visit Bears, ‘Iceman’

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Any skeptics left doubting the merit of Caleb Williams’ nickname might look to the mercury for confirmation on Sunday night when the Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Rams stage the finale of a four-game NFL Divisional Playoff weekend.

Williams’ late-game heroics and growing legend for cool under pressure hit a new level last week. He led Chicago back from a 21-3 deficit with a team-playoff record 361 passing yards to lift the Bears over the rival Green Bay Packers, the first postseason win for the franchise since 2011. It was the seventh game-winning fourth-quarter drive for Williams this season.

“I feel calm in those moments. I feel my conditioning is the best in those moments. I feel that I’m the best in those moments because of what I’ve prepared to be in those moments,” Williams said. “For myself, it’s just ‘next play, next play, next play,’ and then when you have to go make a play, it’s life or death in those moments.”

As the Rams roll into Chicago (12-6), the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs, the challenge is heating back up following a 34-31 win over the Panthers in the wild-card round last Saturday. Frigid temperatures are in the forecast for gametime — highs in the teens with snow flurries around kickoff time at 6:30 p.m. ET.

A little precipitation and chill might not hurt Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, who is 4-1 at Chicago in his career when the kickoff temperature is below 40 degrees. He’s not alone. L.A.’s lead running back, Kyren Williams, is from St. Louis and played at Notre Dame. Wide receiver Davante Adams, the NFL leader with 14 touchdown catches, spent the first eight seasons of his career with the Packers and knows his way around frosty Soldier Field, too.

Stafford said he’s not feeling any pain or lingering issues with his sprained right index finger. He was hurt at Carolina last week but didn’t miss a snap and led the Rams to a comeback win with 304 yards and three TDs.

Williams had 3,942 passing yards and 27 touchdowns in 2025. The Rams are quick and relentless along the defensive line and had 47 sacks in the regular season. Los Angeles (13-5) will test Williams’ eye discipline and gauge the readiness of left tackles Theo Benedet and Braxton Jones, activated from injured reserve this week. Both have started this season, but the Bears lost Ozzy Trapilo (knee) to a season-ending injury against the Packers.

“Obviously it’s a bit of a whirlwind,” Benedet said of coming off the bench last week for the game-winning drive and resuming his role as the starting left tackle.

It’s not unthinkable the game could be won by two dudes under stocking hats on the sideline.

Rams coach Sean McVay and Bears coach Ben Johnson are regarded as two of the game’s brightest offensive minds. McVay enters his 15th career playoff game against a 15th different team but is very familiar with Johnson, who shares common pupils with McVay in Stafford and Lions quarterback Jared Goff. Before McVay helped pry Stafford from Detroit in a trade, Johnson was on the coaching staff with the Lions for two seasons. Then the Rams sent Goff to the Lions in the QB swap.

“He does a great job. I’ve studied him really closely since he took over and started it doing it in Detroit,” McVay said. “I think what shows his flexibility is the ability to have one of the best offenses with a player like Jared, who’s really special, and then being able to have some similar foundational principles with Caleb but also accentuate the things that make him really unique with the athleticism, move the spot and take advantage of their skill around it.”

Bears fans will recognize the bloodlines of the Rams’ offensive coordinator — Mike LaFleur — and Packers coach Matt LaFleur and McVay are longtime friends and coaching allies from their days as assistants with the Washington Commanders organization.

Did McVay phone a friend for tips on taking down the Bears?

“What do you think? We watch the tape, we do our work, and Matt is a very close friend of mine,” he said.

Year 17 has been a brilliant season for Stafford. He led the NFL in passing yards (4,707) and touchdowns (46) in the regular season. Adams and Puka Nacua, the league leader with 129 receptions, loom as massive worries even for a defense that was first in the NFL in interceptions (23) and takeaways (33).

“I’ve got so much respect for that guy. You talk about the ultimate competitor,” Johnson said. “He’s one of the more talented throwers of the football I’ve ever been around. He’s outstanding. He’s a great teammate. … His toughness. Physical toughness.”

McVay said the Rams are spending extra time drilling all 11 defensive players on playing until they hear a whistle because of Williams’ flair for flourishing on unrehearsed extensions of busted plays.

“Some of those second reaction plays where he’s getting flushed to his right or getting flushed to his left and guys understand how to be able to work with him,” McVay said, “those are the ones that are really scary.”

When he lost No. 1 wide receiver Rome Odunze for five weeks due to a foot injury, Williams turned to rookie tight end Colston Loveland to fill that void. Loveland, the No. 10 overall pick in the 2025 draft, had eight receptions for 137 yards last week.

“I know Caleb has an immense amount of trust in him,” Johnson said. “He’s one of the first ones in the building every single day. He is always studying his playbook while he’s eating breakfast. He is always the last one off the practice field, doing the jugs machine. Model of consistency, which for a rookie speaks volumes.”

The winner of Sunday’s game plays in the NFC title game next week, meeting either the San Francisco 49ers (13-5) or Seattle Seahawks (14-3).

The Rams beat the 49ers in the 2021 NFC Championship, 20-17, and beat the Saints in the 2018 conference championship game.

Chicago last won the NFC Championship Game in 2006 and also won in 1985 prior to winning Super Bowl XX. The Bears lost the 2010 NFC Championship to the Packers.

Rams nose tackle Poona Ford (elbow) and offensive lineman Kevin Dotson (ankle) were limited on Wednesday but plan to play Sunday. Dotson has been out since he was hurt in Week 16 against the Seahawks.

Dotson is an essential cog in the running game.

“He’s a beast. When he was playing this year, I thought he was one of the best guards, if not the best guard in the league,” Stafford said. “So if we can get him back, obviously that would be a huge boost.”

Odunze and wide receiver D.J. Moore (knee) were limited to start the week but Bears safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson (concussion) was a full participant in Wednesday’s practice.

–Field Level Media

Texans, Steelers prepare for ‘old-school’ brawl in AFC wild-card round

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The Pittsburgh Steelers haven’t won a playoff game in nearly nine years.

Now the NFL’s best defense stands in the way and threatens to impose another unhappy ending.

Aaron Rodgers will be asked to solve the defensive unit of the Texans when Pittsburgh hosts Houston on Monday night during the AFC wild-card round.

“It’s win or go home at this point,” Steelers left tackle Dylan Cook said. “We obviously want to win, but we just got to go out and execute our job and take it one play at a time.”

The Texans, who went 12-5 in the regular season, are preparing for a brawl in the Steel City.

“It’s going to be old-school football and it’s going to be a physical game,” Houston coach DeMeco Ryans said. “If you like football, you should be excited about it, and I’m ready for it.”

The Steelers have dropped six consecutive playoff games since defeating the Kansas City Chiefs in the divisional round on Jan. 15, 2017.

Pittsburgh lost to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game seven days later and since has followed up with five straight first-game setbacks.

Last season, the Steelers lost 28-14 to the Baltimore Ravens in the wild-card round. Coincidentally, Pittsburgh (10-7 in the regular season) beat Baltimore 26-24 last Sunday night to gain the AFC North title and earn the clash against Houston.

The Texans won their final nine regular-season games. While they have a standout quarterback in C.J. Stroud, it is the defense led by defensive ends Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter that sets the tone.

Houston allowed a league-low 277.2 yards per game this season and ranked second in points allowed at 17.4 per game. The Texans also ranked second with a plus-17 takeaway margin.

Hunter finished third in the NFL with 15 sacks and Anderson tied for eighth with 12. Star Derek Stingley Jr., fellow cornerback Kamari Lassiter and safeties Jalen Pitre and Calen Bullock all had four interceptions.

“They’ve just got a kick-butt unit,” Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin said. “They do. They’ve got a top-flight edge tandem in Hunter and Anderson. They’ve got a top-flight corner tandem on the outside, and so they rush very well. They cover very well. They’re not trying to split the atom schematically. They don’t have to when you have corners and edge rushers like that.”

Stroud is playing in the playoffs for the third straight season and brings a 2-2 postseason mark into the contest.

During the regular season, the 24-year-old passed for 3,041 yards and 19 touchdowns against eight interceptions despite missing three games due to a concussion.

Meanwhile, Rodgers has played well for the Steelers and had 3,322 yards and 24 touchdowns against seven interceptions in 16 games. He hasn’t been picked off a single time during his last seven outings.

“I’m a big fan of Aaron, I love what he does,” Stroud said. “His mechanics are through the roof. … He’s a heck of a player and I respect him and he’s doing it at a high level in Year 21 (of his career).”

Rodgers has an 11-10 postseason record but his last victory came in the 2020 season’s playoffs for the Green Bay Packers.

The Steelers hope to get a boost from receiver DK Metcalf (team-best 850 receiving yards, six TDs), who is back after a two-game suspension due to an incident with a fan in Detroit.

“DK is the No. 1 receiver, so it’s great having DK back,” Rodgers said. “He’s real thankful to be back, I know. And we’re all thankful to have him back as well.”

Of course, Ryans wasn’t so thrilled about the timing.

“We have to step up to the challenge there,” Ryans said of defending Metcalf. “We have to play physical as well versus him. It’s going to be a tough challenge. He’s done a great job his entire career of making big plays down the field. I know they’re excited to get him back.”

Four Texans missed practice Thursday — Lassiter (ankle/knee), defensive end Denico Autry (knee), offensive lineman Tytus Howard (ankle) and running back Jawhar Jordan (ankle).

Running back Jaylen Warren (illness) was the only Pittsburgh player to sit out.

–Field Level Media

Underdog Panthers return to playoffs, host Rams in wild card

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The Los Angeles Rams drew considerable attention during the season and could be in line for more accolades.

But the Carolina Panthers did enough to secure a home game in the NFL’s wild-card round. The Rams will visit for Saturday’s game in Charlotte.

The Rams were second in the NFC West, though they’ve been tagged by some observers as one of the favorites to reach the Super Bowl.

Part of that is due to quarterback Matthew Stafford, who threw for 4,707 yards and 46 touchdowns with eight interceptions. That has put him in the running for the NFL’s Most Valuable Player.

“I just don’t take any of these opportunities for granted,” Stafford said. “It feels great to be at this point.”

The Panthers are back in the playoffs for the first time in eight years, and they haven’t won a playoff game since January 2016. Although they beat the Rams six weeks ago, they’re clearly in the underdog role after finishing 8-9 in the regular season but winning the NFC South.

“Just continuing to try to push the envelope, just try to push it a little bit farther every day,” Panthers coach Dave Canales said.

Yet Stafford had forgettable moments as Los Angeles lost 31-28 to the Panthers in Charlotte on Nov. 30. He was 18-for-28 with two touchdowns and two interceptions.

“I’d like to not throw it to their team,” Stafford said when recalling that outing. “That was the story of the game.”

Since that setback, the Rams went 3-2, with two of the victories against Arizona.

“I think we’ve learned through it all,” Stafford said. “I think we’ve learned through the really good times and some of the times that we came up short.”

Carolina didn’t cruise into the postseason, going 1-3 in four games since upsetting Los Angeles. The Panthers got into the playoffs by way of a three-way divisional tiebreaker.

The Panthers, who have lost two consecutive games, have only once reached the 20-point mark since their first meeting with the Rams.

But this is a huge step for Carolina quarterback Bryce Young, the 2023 No. 1 overall draft choice who’ll play in his first professional postseason game.

“These are the moments,” Canales said. “When we’ve put Bryce in these high-end situations, he has performed well. So I love this challenge, for our group, and especially for Bryce.”

This will be the Panthers’ first home playoff game since their run to the Super Bowl in the 2015 season.

“It’s so important that we don’t just block it all out,” Canales said. “That we take it all in, and use it. Use that energy. Playing at home it’s why it’s so important to win the division.”

The Rams should have receiver Davante Adams back after he missed three games with a hamstring injury. Fellow wideout Puka Nacua caught an NFL-best 129 passes this season, with six for 72 yards coming against Carolina.

“Just the consistency,” Los Angeles coach Sean McVay said. “He’s so physically and mentally tough.”

By comparison, Carolina’s leader in receptions is Tetairoa McMillan with 70.

The Rams activated safety Quentin Lake from injured reserve so he can play Saturday. Receiver Jordan Whittington (knee) might be questionable for the playoff game after not practicing Tuesday and Wednesday.

For the Panthers, it’s trending toward a return for receiver David Moore, who has been out since Week 4 with an elbow injury. Offensive lineman Robert Hunt might potentially come back as well.

The only time these franchises met in the postseason came in 2004, when the Rams were located in St. Louis.

–Field Level Media

Dramatic CFP run to end for Miami or Ole Miss at Fiesta Bowl

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Miami and Ole Miss have provided two of the most compelling storylines of this year’s College Football Playoff.

But only one will earn the chance to play for a national title after the teams square off on Thursday night in the Fiesta Bowl in a CFP semifinal in Glendale, Ariz.

After making the 12-team field as the final at-large selection, the 10th-seeded Hurricanes (12-2) have defied the odds twice with dominant defensive performances in wins against seventh-seeded Texas A&M 10-3 in the first round and a 24-14 Cotton Bowl triumph against No. 2 Ohio State on Dec. 31.

The No. 6 Rebels (13-1), who will play Miami for the first time since 1951, drubbed 11th-seeded Tulane 41-10 and put together a stunning 39-34 comeback win over No. 3 seed Georgia in the Sugar Bowl quarterfinal last Thursday.

The winner of Thursday’s game will face the winner of the Peach Bowl semifinal matchup Friday between top-seeded Indiana and fifth-seeded Oregon for the national championship on Jan. 19 in Miami.

Ole Miss continues to persevere and extend its best season in program history despite having its coaching staff in flux since head coach Lane Kiffin departed in November to become LSU’s head coach.

With Pete Golding promoted to head coach and multiple assistant coaches such as offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. remaining with the Rebels until their season ends, they have continued to find ways to extend their season.

Ole Miss quarterbacks coach Joe Judge on Tuesday compared the situation to how they handled the uncertainty of coaches’ availability during the COVID pandemic in 2020.

“We always talk ahead basically after every game, me and Charlie (Weis Jr.) and Pete (Golding) have sat down and talked about the next week coming up and how we’re going to handle it,” Judge said. “And when he’s going to Baton Rouge, when he’s coming back, how we’re going to prep for the next week. Throughout the week, we’ve communicated in terms of all the what-ifs.”

Ole Miss is seeking its first national championship while Miami is one win away from playing for a potential sixth national title and its first since 2001.

Two of the biggest keys for the Rebels will be trying to slow down Miami’s rushing attack led by Mark Fletcher Jr. and keeping quarterback Trinidad Chambliss protected from the Hurricanes’ dominant pass rush led by defensive linemen Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor.

The Hurricanes have posted 12 sacks in two CFP games and lead the nation with 46 sacks overall over 14 games.

“We’re a D-line that puts a lot of pressure on the quarterback,” said Mesidor, who has 3 1/2 sacks in the playoffs. “Our DBs are big and fast and great players. I think we help each other out, 100%. We put pressure on the quarterback, have him make a mistake.”

Ole Miss is ranked No. 65 nationally in rushing defense (146.1 yards per game), and yielded 124 yards to Georgia last week. Fletcher ran for 172 of Miami’s 175 yards against Texas A&M and ran for 90 of the Hurricanes’ 153 yards on the ground against Ohio State last week.

“They have a lot of confidence in their run game,” Ole Miss linebacker TJ Dottery said Tuesday. “It’s very physical, and that’s somewhat of a model to dominate up front. And that’s our plan, to dominate their line of scrimmage and shut that down.”

Chambliss had one of the best games of his career against Georgia, completing 30 of 46 passes for 362 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.

Miami’s top defensive players are conscious of the challenge that awaits them with Chambliss’ playmaking ability.

“I definitely think it’s something everybody collectively as a defense has to focus on,” said Miami defensive back Keionte Scott, who had a key 72-yard interception return for a touchdown against Ohio State. “I don’t think you can put it on one or two position groups. When it gets to that point where it breaks down or it doesn’t break down, I think everybody doing their job (1 through 11) can erase a lot of those things.”

–Field Level Media

No. 1 Indiana’s Peach Bowl challenge: Beat No. 5 Oregon… again

Posted on | by Field Level Media

ATLANTA — No. 1 Indiana just won its biggest game in school history. In order to replace that victory with an even more important triumph, the Hoosiers will have to tackle a new challenge — beating a team twice.

Hoping to add on to the best season the program has seen, the Hoosiers will have to take down No. 5 Oregon in the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Peach Bowl on Friday. Indiana beat Oregon in Eugene 30-20 on Oct. 11.

Head coach Curt Cignetti’s team is no longer just a good story. Indiana has entered the group of elites in college football.

After Indiana (14-0) steamrolled Alabama 38-3 in the Rose Bowl, a rematch was set with Oregon (13-1) — which breezed past Texas Tech 23-0 in the Orange Bowl.

Cignetti hasn’t faced a team twice in the same season since his Elon Phoenix split a pair of games with Furman in 2017, losing the latter in an FCS playoff game. There’s no doubt Cignetti will have his team ready in the updated version of the biggest game in Indiana history.

“I think it’s more psychological,” Cignetti said of preparing to face Oregon again. “The one team that came up short has a little added edge, so to speak. But at the end of the day, it’s determined by what goes on between the white lines. It’ll be a tremendous challenge because Oregon is very well-coached and they’ve got good players. … You put the best plan together you can, but at the end of the day, it’s which team executes the best.”

In that first meeting, Oregon was held to a season-low 267 total yards, while quarterback Dante Moore threw two interceptions. As head coach Dan Lanning readies for the Ducks’ third all-time CFP semifinal appearance, he knows it’s a play-by-play type of game.

“When games don’t go your way, you’re always trying to look for answers and reasons why. It’s really simple,” Lanning said of avenging the October loss. “They blocked better, they tackled better, they moved the ball and controlled the clock. You try to find moments where it was the difference. It’s every play. Every play added up and mattered. When you’re playing a team with great technique that has great scheme like Indiana, that’s the edge.”

Moore has thrown for 3,280 yards and 28 touchdowns for the Ducks.

Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza leads the nation with 36 passing scores, paired with 3,172 passing yards and a 72.3% completion percentage. The Cal transfer and projected No. 1 overall pick in April’s NFL Draft has done his part to put Indiana football on the map, but understands the job is far from finished.

“Beating a good team twice, not a good team, a great team twice, is extremely difficult,” Mendoza said. “(Oregon) is star-studded on both offense and defense, draft picks all across the board. They’ve changed a little bit throughout the season, but having to play them twice is going to be tough. It’s going to be a great challenge for us.”

It hasn’t taken long for Indiana fans to come around on the Hoosiers transitioning from a basketball school to a football school.

Entering 2025, Indiana’s 715 all-time losses were the most in the FBS (Northwestern now holds the dubious mark). The fan base drowned out the mighty Crimson Tide contingent at the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day — a trend Mendoza hopes follows the team to Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Friday.

“I think having that home-field advantage in Atlanta, which you never know until you get there, but assuming that we’re not going to have to go to a silent count because of how far Eugene is from Atlanta, I think that would be huge for us,” Mendoza said. “It being a neutral-site game, usually it’s 50/50, but hopefully there’s more on our side.”

Indiana leading rusher Roman Hemby (1,007 yards) scored two touchdowns when he faced Oregon.

Oregon’s weapons include wide receiver Malik Benson and tight end Kenyon Sadiq, who have combined for 87 catches and 14 touchdowns. Benson caught a 44-yard touchdown against the Hoosiers in October.

–Jack Batten, Field Level Media

AFC North title on the line when Steelers host Ravens

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Sunday marks the fourth time in seven seasons that the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens close the regular season against one another.

The stakes haven’t been higher than they are for this Week 18 clash.

Pittsburgh (9-7) can clinch the AFC North title with a win or tie, while Baltimore (8-8) takes the division crown with a victory. There’s no wild-card consolation prize for the team that doesn’t take the division.

“We need to play smart but not play timid,” Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton said.

Baltimore did just that in order to stay in the hunt for its third straight AFC North championship. The Ravens rebounded from a 1-5 start with a five-game winning streak after their bye.

While Baltimore is just 2-3 since Thanksgiving — including a home loss to Pittsburgh on Dec. 7 — the Steelers’ recent scuffles have created an opportunity.

A victory last week over a 3-12 Cleveland Browns squad would have clinched Pittsburgh’s first division title since 2020. But the Steelers and quarterback Aaron Rodgers struggled to find a rhythm offensively with top wide receiver DK Metcalf serving the first of a two-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the NFL.

Tight end Darnell Washington suffered a broken arm in the first half of the 13-6 defeat and has been placed on injured reserve. Wideout Calvin Austin III (hamstring) returned to practice Wednesday after missing the Browns game while linebacker T.J. Watt (lung) also was a limited participant.

Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (back contusion) practiced Wednesday after missing last week’s victory in Green Bay. Baltimore coach John Harbaugh said he’s “very optimistic” Jackson will be ready to play.

He shares similar sentiment about the entire Ravens locker room.

“I think this team has a lot of character, a lot of grit, a lot of toughness,” Harbaugh said.

Steelers counterpart Mike Tomlin acknowledged the disappointment of missing the chance to earn a playoff berth last week, but said he has “learned to always move forward” and that “frustration doesn’t get the job done.”

Tomlin added: “It’s an honor to be in these games, to be in these hotly contested matchups. It seems like Baltimore is always a dance partner. I’m respectful and appreciative of that relationship and some of the historic things we’ve been able to do when these two teams have come together.

“It’s humbling and an honor to be a component of it. But to be a component of it is just that. Our job is to win.”

Doing so would ensure Rodgers at least one more game with Pittsburgh. The 42-year-old veteran, who joined the Steelers on a one-year deal, said he preferred not to discuss his looming decision whether to retire or continue playing.

“I’ve enjoyed this experience,” Rodgers said, “and everybody in Pittsburgh has been fantastic to me on and off the field. … What I was hoping for from this experience, it’s been even better.”

Visiting Pittsburgh edged Baltimore 27-22 in Week 14, prevailing despite a big afternoon from the Ravens’ ground game. Baltimore rushed for 217 yards (5.4 yards per carry) as Derrick Henry led the attack with 94 yards on 25 attempts.

Rodgers went 23-for-34 for 284 yards and a touchdown pass to Jaylen Warren that stretched the lead to 27-16 late in the third quarter. Metcalf contributed seven catches for 148 yards, both season highs in his first campaign with the Steelers.

–Field Level Media