Who will win Super Bowl 60? The wide-open 2025-2026 NFL playoffs started with a combined 14 teams from the AFC and NFC, but it's down to four with the conference championship matchups now set for next Sunday.
The AFC has held form, with the No. 1 seed Denver Broncos (14-3) ready to host the No. 2 seed New England Patriots (14-3). The best team in the NFC, the No. 1 seed Seattle Seahawks (14-3) will host the No. 5 Los Angeles Rams (12-5) in another NFC West rubber match.
Any one of those teams can either win the Super Bowl or fall flat in the league semifinals. Based on each team's odds to finish the playoffs undefeated and raise the Lombardi Trophy, here's looking at why the Seahawks, Patriots, Rams and Broncos will succeed or fail through the last two rounds:
(Futures odds courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook)
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1. Seattle Seahawks (+150)
Why the Seahawks will win Super Bowl 60
1. Dominant defense
The Seahawks led the NFL scoring defense (16.6 points allowed per game) and were third in total defense (282.8 yards per game) during the regular season. They were No. 2 against the run (92.6 yards per game) and No. 9 against the pass (190.3). They lived up to that reputation and then some in obliterating the 49ers in the divisional round of the playoffs, 41-6.
MORE: How Seahawks smacked 49ers behind dominant defense
They are in sync with the pressure and coverage and just erased San Francisco's running game. Outside of some issues covering backs and tight ends, Seattle has no defensive weaknesses. They are starting to channel much of the classic "Legion of Boom" energy from their Super Bowl 48-winning team.
2. Run-heavy offense
The Seahawks ran the ball on 50.6 percent of their offensive plays, No. 2 in the NFL behind only the Ravens. They were No. 7 in rushing yards per game, averaging 126.2 yards. With a blowout in the divisional round, Seattle rushed the ball at a 63.5 percent clip, producing 175 yards on 33 attempts, with Kenneth Walker III (116 yards, 3 TDs) carrying the load after Zach Charbonnet (knee) got hurt.
When Seattle can run the ball at a high clip, it takes a lot of pressure off Sam Darnold in the passing game. With their offensive line getting great interior blocking, it's a tough rushing attack to stop.
The Seahawks' run blocking has been on point and Klint Kubiak has done well to keep the offense balanced so it maintains explosiveness, too.
3. Clutch passing game
Sam Darnold has responded in his reunion with Kubiak, playing well off the running game. It's wise to trust elite breakout wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba to make the big plays needed all the way through the end zone. Darnold has also hit on well-timed deep shots to other wideouts and made good use of his tight ends when called upon. Darnold has been fortunate to land in another QB-friendly system after his big season with Minnesota.
Why the Seahawks won't win Super Bowl 60
1. Too little from the passing game
Darnold is falling into the Trent Dilfer-Brad Johnson category of potential Super Bowl quarterbacks. He is more of a complementary strong supporter on a team led by defense and the running game. However, Darnold should be prepared to try to win another shootout in Seattle with Matthew Stafford after not needing to much to beat the 49ers.
2. Turnovers
For such a dominant team, the Seahawks were minus-3 in turnover margin during the regular season. They were second in the NFL with their 28 giveaways and Darnold threw 14 of Seattle's 15 interceptions. Although they crushed the 49ers in the turnover battle, 3-0, to reverse that trend, the Rams will be out looking for mistakes from Darnold.
3. Third-down woes
The Seahawks were a middle of the pack offense on third down this season, converting on 39.8 percent of third-down chances. Seattle's third down struggles were highlighted in the divisional round, going 4-for-10 (40 percent) in the playoff rout of the 49ers. The Seahawks will need do better at sustaining drives or meet a playoff exit.
2. New England Patriots (+245)
Why the Patriots will win Super Bowl 60
1. A rising big-play defense
The Patriots' secondary was active and a big reason why they thwarted the Texans' makeshift receiving corps. C.J. Stroud saw some pressure, but his bad passes cost him because New England was opportunistic. New England also was all over ripping into Justin Herbert and his receivers in the wild-card round. The defense, not the offense, is why the Patriots remain alive, one game away from the Super Bowl.
2. Drake Maye
Maye got out of some his early playoff jitters and kinks against the Texans and Chargers, facing a lot more pressure in two senses and being less accurate and careful with the ball. But after a hot finish vs. Houston's brutal all-around defensive test with little help from the traditional running game, Maye should have a lot more confidence he can do what Josh Allen did in Denver to the Broncos' defense, only minus the turnovers.
MORE: Why Patriots won't get away with sloppy Drake Maye vs. Bo Nix-less Broncos
3. Coaching
Mike Vrabel and Josh McDaniels have proved to be strong Belichickian proxies for New England with Maye and the young defensive talent making their jobs much easier to execute at a high level. Vrabel has wasted no time returning to the ranks off top NFL coaches, picking up where left off with lesser teams in Tennessee.
Why the Patriots won't win Super Bowl 60
1. Turnovers
Maye has gotten sloppy with his ball security when running or keeping pass plays alive in the pocket. He has also thrown an interception in each of his first two playoff games, and luckily hasn't been picked off more with some anomalous inaccuracy. The Patriots must win the turnover battle all-around to win the war.
MORE: Texans can't take advantage of Drake Maye's turnover troubles
2. Inexperience
Maye is in Year 2. Everyone's adjusting to the Vrabel-McDaniels era after one bad transitional year with Jerod Mayo. There is some youth serving well on the defense despite its green nature. The Patriots are a facing a tight-nit Broncos' defense and would get either the swarming Seahawks or the savvier Sean McVay-led Rams in the Super Bowl.
3. Red zone defense
The Patriots tend to give up touchdowns deep when their opponents can sustain long drives. They made the Texans look better in this major area of struggle on Sunday. Not holding for field goals on a couple drives can make the biggest difference for Maye and the offense moving forward.
3. Los Angeles Rams (+220)
Why the Rams will win Super Bowl 60
1. Coaching
McVay is the best coach in the NFL, considering his offensive play-calling acumen, motivational skills and situational understanding. He took advantage of a flawed field to push the team toward its first championship under him in Super Bowl 56. His offensive staff and defensive coordinator Chris Shula crush it every week, too.
MORE: Why Sean McVay-Ben Johnson postgame handshake was cordial
2. Matthew Stafford, Puka Nacua and Davante Adams
Stafford might have more chemistry with Nacua and Adams than he did with Cooper Kupp and his other receivers four years ago. Nacua is off to a historic start with his production and Adams' red zone dominance has further stamped his Hall of Fame career. Stafford has been on point getting them the ball and it's also opened up big plays downfield and after the catch for the tight ends and other receivers.
3. A strong defensive front seven
The back end of the Rams' defense has had some coverage breakdowns at corner and safety, exploitable in several matchups. The Rams won their last Super Bowl with Aaron Donald as the linchpin and Jalen Ramsey as the mercenary. Now they've a rebuilt a stout disruptive corps with Jared Verse, Kobie Turner, Braden Fiske, Nate Landman and other active youngsters.
Why the Rams won't win Super Bowl 60
1. Not running the ball enough or effectively
The Rams have a good rushing attack, especially in short yardage and in the red zone. They stuck with the run 31 times against the Bears, with Kyren Williams scoring both of their TDs. But they averaged only 3.6 yards a carry and couldn't put the game away with the rushing attack in the fourth quarter. They can't get afford to get stuck being too one-dimensional for Stafford's sake.
2. Cornerback play
The Rams made some huge interceptions against Caleb Williams to help survive in the divisional round. But they also had some major coverage breakdowns and benefitted from a few just-missed connections and drops by the Bears receivers.
3. Not being aggressive enough
McVay tends to be old-school for still being a young hotshot calling the offensive shots at age 39. For example, he could have trusted Stafford and the passing game to run out the clock with one more first down in regulation, but invited the Bears back in with a late short punt. Some tougher fourth-down calls might be required to outlast the Seahawks plus either the Patriots or Broncos.
4. Denver Broncos (+1300)
Why the Broncos will win Super Bowl 60
1. Coaching
Sean Payton and defensive coordinator Vance Joseph have been on point, coaching complementary football. Payton has the experience of winning Super Bowl 44 while leading the Saints and will extract the most out of his now more injury-riddled roster one last time. That includes scheming to make backup Jarrett Stidham semi-successful filling in for Bo Nix.
2. Pass rush and run defense
The Broncos dodged a bullet with cornerback Patrick Surtain returning vs. The Bills. They also saw more playmakers come though in the secondary behind good pressure on Allen, led by Ja'Quan McMillan in the slot corner role. Nik Bonitto and others set Denver up for success against the Bills and should be ready to tee off against Drake Maye and the Patriots.
3. Fourth-quarter confidence
With Nix out for the season with a broken bone in his ankle, his early legacy of being a clutch late-game quarterback may rub off with the whole team. Expect Denver to rally around Stidham to come through in the end.
Why the Broncos won't win Super Bowl 60
1. No Bo Nix and more offensive injuries
Stidham will likely need to go to work minus wide receivers Pat Bryant and Troy Franklin, just as the young targets were starting to come through for Nix. Now Stidham is dealing with a short-handed receiving corps on top of being rusty and jittery playing against his first NFL team at home.
MORE: Why Nick Foles thinks Broncos have a chance after Bo Nix injury
2. Struggling running game
The Broncos didn't find a reliable rushing attack even against the Bills' porous run defense, with Nix's scrambling leading the way in the running game. The team misses the power and juice of JK Dobbins with rookie RJ Harvey providing only some flashes without power-running substance. If the Broncos can't take pressure off Stidham with the running game vs. A nasty Patriots run defense, Stidham should be prepared to see a lot of heat in his face.
3. Defensive coverage lapses
Surtain and McMillan saved the day in many ways against the Bills, but the Broncos are not known for making big plays on the ball with only 10 interceptions and four fumble recoveries from the regular season. They need to be sound fundamentally for Vance Joseph and win the situational battles on third down and in the red zone. Any little crack in coverage and Maye will exploit it for chunk passes downfield with his fearless, big arm.