Game Recap - Football Wiretap

Kenneth Walker III rushed for 135 yards on 27 carries to earn Super Bowl LX MVP honors as the Seattle Seahawks defeated the New England Patriots 29-13 at Levi's Stadium. The performance came seven years after a medical emergency nearly ended his football career.

Walker was hospitalized during summer 2018 with blood clots in both lungs before his senior year at Arlington High in Tennessee. Doctors initially told him he might never play football again.

"When a doctor told me I couldn't play no more, I just thought football was over," Walker said. "It was a shocking moment, but my dad worked with me throughout that whole process."

Walker became the first running back to win Super Bowl MVP since Denver's Terrell Davis in Super Bowl XXXII following the 1997 season. His rushing total matched the highest in a championship game since Davis.

The 25-year-old posted 94 yards on 14 carries in the opening half, the second-highest first-half rushing total in Super Bowl history. Only Washington's Timmy Smith in Super Bowl XXII in 1988 accumulated more with 131 yards.

Walker broke runs of 29 and 30 yards in a three-play sequence to set up Seattle's second field goal. He became the third player in Super Bowl history with multiple rushes of 25-plus yards in the championship game.

"It's surreal; K9's one of one," Seahawks guard Grey Zabel said. "This guy is super deserving of all the success that he has and is going to continue to have."

Walker assumed a larger workload after fellow running back Zach Charbonnet tore his left ACL in the divisional round against the San Francisco 49ers. He rushed for 313 yards across three postseason games, finishing just short of Marshawn Lynch's franchise playoff record of 318 yards set after the 2014 regular season.

His 417 scrimmage yards and four total touchdowns led all players during the postseason. Walker recorded three consecutive playoff games with 100-plus scrimmage yards, becoming the only player in Seahawks history to accomplish the feat.

Walker entered the game with the longest odds among players to win MVP at +850, matching the longest odds since Patriots receiver Julian Edelman in Super Bowl LIII. He wore Charbonnet's No. 26 on his wrist during the game as motivation.

The running back will become an unrestricted free agent in March after completing his rookie contract with a $2.7 million cap number. Only three previous Super Bowl MVPs have changed teams the following offseason, most recently Tampa Bay defensive back Dexter Jackson in 2003.

"Obviously we'd love to have Ken back," Seahawks general manager John Schneider said. "That stuff will play out in two weeks."

Walker indicated his preference to remain in Seattle while advocating for the position's importance across the league.

"I hope it shows the people that doubt running backs that running backs are important all around the league, not just here," Walker said.

The Seattle Seahawks claimed their second Super Bowl championship with a 29-13 victory over the New England Patriots at Super Bowl LX. Running back Kenneth Walker III earned MVP honors after rushing for 135 yards on 27 carries in a game controlled by Seattle's defense.

Seattle's defensive front sacked Patriots quarterback Drake Maye six times and forced two fourth-quarter interceptions to seal the triumph. The performance capped a postseason run where the Seahawks trailed for just 1 minute and 35 seconds across three playoff games.

Coach Mike Macdonald's unit held New England to 78 total yards through three quarters. The Patriots punted on eight of their first nine possessions, managing only five first downs while Seattle recorded five sacks during that span.

"That group up front, they knew they had to play the most unselfish game they've ever played," Seahawks defensive coordinator Aden Durde said. "Someone was going to get a sack, and it didn't matter who."

Byron Murphy recorded two sacks, while Derick Hall matched his regular-season total with two more. Rookie Rylie Mills and cornerback Devon Witherspoon each added one, with Witherspoon's coming on a blitz scheme designed to exploit New England's offensive line struggles.

Quarterback Sam Darnold threw a fourth-quarter touchdown pass to AJ Barner that extended Seattle's lead to 19-0. Darnold signed a $33.5 million annual contract after Minnesota declined to retain him following a 14-3 campaign in 2024.

"I didn't have my best stuff today, but the team had my back," Darnold said. "The defense and special teams had our back, and we just played the way we always play."

Hall's second sack proved decisive late in the third quarter. His strip of Maye at New England's 44-yard line set up Seattle at the Patriots' 37, leading to Darnold's touchdown connection with Barner five plays later.

The Seahawks entered the season behind the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers in preseason projections. Seattle's Week 16 comeback victory over the Rams was dismissed as fortunate despite giving the Seahawks control of the NFC playoff race.

Macdonald, 38, implemented a "loose and focused" philosophy after replacing Pete Carroll two years ago. The second-year coach installed new defensive schemes as late as Saturday before the championship game.

"We'll sometimes put a new play in Saturday morning. We'll sometimes put a new play in Sunday at halftime," defensive lineman Leonard Williams said. "But I think we trust Mike and his genius, and it works."

The New England Patriots advanced to Super Bowl LX with a 10-7 victory over the Denver Broncos in Sunday's AFC Championship Game, completing a remarkable turnaround under first-year head coach Mike Vrabel. Most of the second half unfolded in windy, snowy conditions that several players described as challenging for visibility.

Vrabel, who won three Super Bowls as a Patriots player, captured the team's unlikely resurgence with a simple message to his players following the win. Owner Robert Kraft presented Vrabel a game ball in Denver's locker room, where the team remained overnight due to a snowstorm in New England.

"You have to believe things sometimes before you can see them," Vrabel said.

The Patriots became the first team in league history to finish 9-0 on the road including playoffs. The franchise endured consecutive four-win seasons in 2023 and 2024 before hiring Vrabel last January to replace Jerod Mayo.

"We have a great group of guys, and they continued to believe in the things we did, and they formed and created an identity and try to protect it," said Vrabel, who makes his first Super Bowl appearance as a head coach. "And today was an example as things kind of change and unfold [with the weather], our ability to adjust. We did enough to win the football game in tough conditions."

Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara, California, will mark the Patriots' 12th appearance in the championship game and the 11th during Kraft's 32-year ownership tenure. The 12 Super Bowl appearances represent the most in league history, surpassing the Dallas Cowboys, Broncos, Pittsburgh Steelers and San Francisco 49ers at eight each.

The Patriots have allowed just 26 points across three playoff games, the fewest in a three-game postseason span since the 2000 Baltimore Ravens. A strip sack by linebacker Christian Elliss deep in Denver territory helped set up New England's lone touchdown.

Defensive tackle Leonard Taylor III, elevated from the practice squad for Sunday's game, blocked Wil Lutz's 45-yard field goal attempt in the fourth quarter. The kick would have tied the game at 10 points.

Weather conditions deteriorated dramatically midway through the third quarter. The Patriots executed a 16-play drive following halftime that concluded with a 23-yard field goal by rookie Andy Borregales, providing a 10-7 advantage.

"It just kept getting worse and worse," Vrabel said.

The Patriots avoided turnovers in the difficult conditions, which proved essential to victory. Quarterback Drake Maye completed 10 of 21 passes for 86 yards while adding 65 rushing yards on 10 carries.

"We're going to the Super Bowl -- that sounds pretty good," Maye said. "I'm proud of this team. I'm proud of the defense. We didn't play our best ball [on offense] in the first half, but the second half we came and battled the elements. Our defense stepped up -- it was fun to watch."

Despite their defensive dominance throughout the playoffs, several Patriots players expressed frustration about lacking recognition. Defensive tackle Milton Williams, who reached the Super Bowl for a second consecutive season after helping Philadelphia defeat Kansas City last year, acknowledged the team's underdog mentality.

"We have one more game to take care of business and see if we can get some credit then," Williams said. "We have that chip on our shoulder every time we step between the white lines to show everybody who we are."

Pro Bowl cornerback Christian Gonzalez sealed the victory with a late fourth-quarter interception. He echoed Williams' sentiments about the defense receiving insufficient attention.

"It's been two weeks in a row -- they talked about the Texans' defense, and this week it was all about the Broncos' defense," Gonzalez said. "Like Milt said, it's great if you want to count us out."

The Patriots enter Super Bowl LX as underdogs against the Seattle Seahawks, who opened as 3.5-point favorites according to DraftKings Sportsbook. New England has won six Super Bowl championships and can surpass Pittsburgh for the most titles in NFL history with a victory.

Linebacker Christian Elliss credited Vrabel for establishing a culture that resonated throughout the organization during this improbable season.

"No one expected us to be here, no one gave us the benefit of the doubt," Elliss said. "But Vrabes, kudos to him, came in and made a culture we believed in. We stuck with it, and here we are."

Sam Darnold silenced critics with three touchdown passes and zero turnovers as the Seattle Seahawks defeated the Los Angeles Rams 31-27 in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday night at Lumen Field. The victory sends Seattle to Super Bowl LX against the New England Patriots on February 8 at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California.

Darnold completed 25 of 36 attempts for 346 yards while playing through a left oblique injury sustained in practice on January 15. The quarterback received a pregame pain-killing injection for the second consecutive week, according to sources, after limited participation in practice throughout the week.

"You can't talk about the game without talking about our quarterback," Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said. "He shut a lot of people up tonight, so I'm really happy for him."

Darnold excelled in the deep passing game despite facing a Rams defense that had troubled him during the regular season. He completed seven attempts thrown 10-plus yards beyond the line of scrimmage, including five to Jaxon Smith-Njigba for 96 yards and one touchdown.

"To come out [and play] the way he played, barely practicing, barely throwing the ball, it was really incredible," Macdonald said. "It should go down as one of the best performances in playoff history, I would imagine. It's hard to stack it, but I can't imagine anybody playing any better."

The performance marked a dramatic turnaround from the regular season meetings between these division rivals. In two games against Los Angeles, Darnold threw six interceptions with just two touchdown passes as the teams split their matchups.

Smith-Njigba, who led the league in receiving yards during the regular season, caught 10 passes for 153 yards. His second-quarter touchdown reception gave Seattle a 17-13 lead and sparked the offense throughout the contest.

"I'm rolling with Sam all day," Smith-Njigba said. "We believe in him. The building believes in him. The city believes in him. It's awesome to run out onto the field with him."

Darnold also connected with former Rams receiver Cooper Kupp and reserve wideout Jake Bobo for touchdowns. Kupp won MVP honors when Los Angeles captured Super Bowl LVI.

Running back Kenneth Walker III carried an increased workload following Zach Charbonnet's torn ACL last week. Walker scored Seattle's first touchdown and accounted for 111 yards on a season-high 23 touches, eight more than his regular season average.

Seattle's top-ranked scoring defense struggled to contain Rams receivers Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. Nacua caught nine passes for 165 yards and one touchdown, while Adams added a 34-yard touchdown reception late in the third quarter.

Pro Bowl cornerback Devon Witherspoon delivered the decisive defensive play by breaking up Matthew Stafford's pass intended for tight end Terrance Ferguson on fourth-and-goal from the 4-yard line with under five minutes remaining. The Rams finished with 479 total yards but failed to capitalize on their final scoring opportunity.

"That's Devon Witherspoon," Macdonald said. "We actually didn't even execute that play well on the fourth down, but he just covered his guy forever and just refused to let his guy catch the ball."

Darnold signed with Seattle in March after the team traded Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders. The quarterback became the first player in NFL history to win at least 14 games in consecutive seasons with different teams.

Linebacker Ernest Jones IV defended Darnold throughout the season despite criticism following the quarterback's four-interception performance against the Rams in Week 11.

"Everything that I said, I stood on it," Jones said Sunday while holding a victory cigar. "Sam's a baller, like I said. Doubt Sam if you want to. Sam's going to show up every time."

The Seahawks will play in the Super Bowl for the fourth time in franchise history. The matchup against New England represents a rematch of Super Bowl XLIX, when Malcolm Butler intercepted Russell Wilson's pass at the goal line to deny Seattle consecutive championships.

Darnold has his own history with the Patriots from his time with the New York Jets. During a 2019 Monday Night Football loss, the mic'd up quarterback was heard telling coaches he was "seeing ghosts" in a 33-0 defeat.

"I almost forgot about it, so thanks," Darnold said with a laugh when asked about the moment postgame. "No, you're good. I think for me, there was a lot that I didn't know back then, so I'm just going to continue to learn and grow in this great game."

No. 1 Indiana defeated No. 10 Miami 27-21 on Monday night at Hard Rock Stadium to capture the school's first national championship and complete a perfect 16-0 season. The Hoosiers overcame a 715-game losing history to achieve one of college football's most remarkable turnarounds.

Head coach Curt Cignetti now holds a 27-2 record over two seasons after Indiana went 9-27 in its final three years before his arrival. The victory gave Indiana its first two 10-win seasons in program history. The Hoosiers joined the 1894 Yale team as the only programs in major college football history to finish 16-0.

Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza provided the decisive score with a 12-yard fourth-down touchdown run with 9:18 remaining, giving Indiana a 24-14 advantage. Mendoza completed 16 of 27 passes for 186 yards but threw no touchdown passes.

"At that point I took the drop," Mendoza said. "It wasn't the perfect coverage for it, but I trust my linemen, and everybody in that entire offense, that entire team had a gritty performance today."

The Hoosiers sealed the victory when linebacker Jamari Sharpe intercepted Miami quarterback Carson Beck with 44 seconds left. Indiana led throughout the contest but never dominated, as Miami closed within 24-21 on a 22-yard touchdown pass from Beck to Malachi Toney with 6:37 remaining.

Indiana's roster featured eight 4- or 5-star players compared to Miami's 45 highly-ranked recruits. The Hoosiers outscored opponents by 473 points this season, tying 2019 Clemson for the most entering a national championship game in College Football Playoff history.

"Are there eight first-round draft choices on this team? Probably not, no, there aren't," Cignetti said. "But this team, the whole was greater than the sum of its parts."

The victory marked the Big Ten's third consecutive national championship, the first time since 1940-42 that the conference accomplished that feat.

The New England Patriots advanced to the AFC Championship Game with a 28-16 divisional round victory over the Houston Texans on Sunday, forcing five turnovers in snowy conditions at Gillette Stadium. The Patriots will face the Denver Broncos next Sunday at 3 p.m. ET in their 16th conference championship appearance.

"They're really good for a reason, but our guys are prideful men," Patriots coach Mike Vrabel said after the win. "They deserve the recognition that they're going to get. They're a top-five defense for a reason, as well."

New England's defense tied the franchise postseason record with four interceptions while limiting Houston to 48 rushing yards on 22 carries. Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud completed 20 of 47 passes for 212 yards with one touchdown and four interceptions.

Cornerback Carlton Davis III recorded two interceptions, while cornerback Marcus Jones returned a pick 26 yards for a touchdown. Rookie safety Craig Woodson also intercepted Stroud, and cornerback Christian Gonzalez forced a fumble by running back Woody Marks in the third quarter after Houston had closed within 21-13.

The Patriots held Houston to just eight rushing yards on 12 carries in the first half, allowing consistent pressure on Stroud. Jones' pick-six was set up by outside linebacker K'Lavon Chaisson's aggressive pass rush.

"Props to our defense, they played great," said Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, who finished 16-of-27 for 179 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. "It was tough. Battle of the elements. We knew they were going to be a good defense. Our defense helped us all night."

Maye was sacked five times and lost two fumbles as New England relied heavily on its defensive unit. Safety Jaylinn Hawkins celebrated with Vrabel in the tunnel postgame, asking "Who's the best defense?"

"It definitely fueled the whole defense. Nobody has been talking about our defense all year. We'll see what they say today," said defensive tackle Milton Williams, who won a Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles last year.

The victory marks New England's first conference championship appearance since appearing in eight consecutive from 2011 to 2018 under Bill Belichick and Tom Brady. This season's team has engineered one of the NFL's most surprising turnarounds after consecutive four-win campaigns.

"They're playing well together," Vrabel said. "I feel like they're complementing each other, and our turnovers are created by more than one guy. There's some great efforts."

The Patriots have surrendered only one touchdown across two playoff games, becoming the first team to allow one or fewer touchdowns in a two-game postseason stretch since the 2006 Indianapolis Colts, who won the Super Bowl. New England opened as a 4.5-point road favorite against Denver, which will start backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham in place of injured Bo Nix.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold's oblique injury became an afterthought Saturday as his team dominated the San Francisco 49ers 41-6 in the divisional round at Lumen Field. Rashid Shaheed returned the opening kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown, jump-starting a comprehensive victory that sends Seattle to the NFC Championship Game.

Darnold completed 12 of 17 passes for 124 yards and a touchdown with no turnovers before Drew Lock replaced him with nine minutes remaining. The Pro Bowl quarterback secured the first playoff victory of his eight-year career and earned an additional $500,000 in incentives.

"I felt great. Felt great," Darnold said when asked about his pain level following the win.

The injury occurred during a routes-on-air period at Thursday's practice when Darnold felt discomfort in his left side. He skipped pregame warmups to avoid preparing twice, instead throwing in the locker room before the game.

"I felt good, and if I did get hurt, I feel like you all would have probably known about it," Darnold said. "I felt really good the entire game. Any hits I did take I didn't feel it on that side."

Seattle's top-ranked scoring defense dominated San Francisco for the second consecutive game, forcing three takeaways and three more turnovers on downs. The Seahawks have kept the 49ers out of the end zone for eight straight quarters across their two recent meetings.

Linebacker Ernest Jones IV recorded a forced fumble in the first quarter and an interception in the third despite battling illness earlier in the week. Seattle pressured Brock Purdy on 19 of his 33 dropbacks, the second-highest pressure rate and most pressures Purdy has faced in his career.

"That's probably the most complementary game we've played up to this point," said coach Mike Macdonald, who will host either Chicago or Los Angeles next Sunday in the conference championship.

Kenneth Walker III rushed for 116 yards and three touchdowns on 19 carries, leading a ground attack that has rushed for at least 160 yards in four consecutive games. All three of Walker's scores came outside the tackles as Seattle totaled 175 rushing yards.

The victory marked the third-largest win by a head coach in his playoff debut in NFL history and handed San Francisco its most lopsided loss of the Kyle Shanahan era, which began in 2017. Macdonald replaced Pete Carroll in 2024.

Running back Zach Charbonnet missed the second half with a knee injury, though Macdonald said he was "optimistic" about the running back's status. Left tackle Charles Cross suffered a foot injury in the third quarter but was removed as a precaution with the game decided.

The 41-6 margin matched Seattle's 43-8 victory in Super Bowl XLVIII for the franchise's largest playoff win. Lumen Field hosted its first playoff game with fans in attendance in nine years.

"Really good team win from the first snap," Darnold said. "The kickoff, Shaheed taking it to the house, that was special. To hear that stadium rocking the way it was tonight, unbelievable. The 12s came out."

Denver Broncos cornerback Ja'Quan McMillian intercepted Josh Allen's deep throw in overtime, setting up Wil Lutz's 23-yard field goal in a 33-30 victory over the Buffalo Bills on Saturday. The top-seeded Broncos will host either New England or Houston in next Sunday's AFC Championship Game at Empower Field at Mile High.

McMillian secured Denver's fifth takeaway when he wrestled the ball away from Brandin Cooks at the Broncos' 20-yard line. A field goal would have won the game for Buffalo at that moment.

"We played a really good football team," quarterback Bo Nix said. "They played really well tonight. We found a way to win again, and our defense made stops. We're just never out of it."

Allen committed four turnovers after going six consecutive playoff games without a turnover. He threw two interceptions and lost two fumbles in the devastating defeat for Buffalo, which has failed to reach the Super Bowl in Allen's seven seasons as starter.

"Extremely difficult," a visibly emotional Allen said afterward. "I felt like I let my teammates down."

The Bills erased a 23-10 deficit when Allen threw touchdown passes to Keon Coleman and Dalton Kincaid to give Buffalo a 24-23 lead early in the fourth quarter. Former Broncos kicker Matt Prater tied the score at 30-30 with a 50-yard field goal with five seconds remaining in regulation.

Nix threw a 26-yard touchdown pass to Marvin Mims Jr. with 55 seconds left to give Denver a 30-27 advantage before Prater's kick forced overtime. The second-year quarterback also connected with Lil'Jordan Humphrey on a 29-yard scoring strike and found tackle-eligible Frank Crum for a 7-yard touchdown. Nix suffered a broken ankle in overtime and will miss the remainder of the season.

Denver scored 10 points in the final 22 seconds of the first half to take a 20-10 lead. Nik Bonitto's strip-sack of Allen, recovered by Malcolm Roach at the Bills' 17, led to a field goal that extended the margin to 23-10 early in the third quarter.

Sean Payton acknowledged his team's struggles in the red zone, where Denver went 1-for-4. The Broncos also received two pass interference penalties in their favor on the final drive of regulation.

Denver improved to 15-3 after tying a franchise record with 14 regular-season victories. The Broncos have won 14 of their past 15 games at home, where they will host the conference championship next week.

The Houston Texans defense held the Pittsburgh Steelers to 175 total yards in a 30-6 wild-card victory Monday night, sacking Aaron Rodgers four times and scoring two defensive touchdowns in what could be the quarterback's final career game. Houston became the second team in playoff history to score multiple defensive touchdowns without allowing an offensive score.

The Texans forced Rodgers into a 14.3 total QBR, his worst mark in 22 career playoff starts. It marked the only time in Rodgers' playoff career his team failed to reach the end zone.

Will Anderson's strip sack of Rodgers led to a fumble recovery and touchdown return by Sheldon Rankins, putting Houston up 17-6 in the fourth quarter. Safety Calen Bullock intercepted Rodgers' final pass and returned it for a touchdown before the quarterback was replaced by Mason Rudolph to finish out what could be the future Hall of Famer's final NFL game.

"I think everybody knows we are the best defense," Bullock said. "The whole world knows that."

Houston coach DeMeco Ryans called the performance the best in team history. According to ESPN Research, the Texans joined the 1940 Chicago Bears as the only playoff teams to score multiple defensive touchdowns without allowing an offensive score.

The defense has now forced three different MVP quarterbacks into multiple-turnover games this season, including Buffalo's Josh Allen and Kansas City's Patrick Mahomes.

Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud had five fumbles but became the first player to win a postseason game despite that many turnovers. He finished 21-of-32 passing for 250 yards with one touchdown to Christian Kirk.

"We had some problems with the snap, me catching them," Stroud said. "Got to find a way to take care of the ball."

Houston extended its winning streak to 10 games and will travel to New England to face the Patriots in the divisional round. The Patriots opened as 3-point favorites.

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye completed 17-of-29 passes for 268 yards with one touchdown and one interception in Sunday's 16-3 wild-card victory over the Los Angeles Chargers. The rookie signal-caller became just the second Patriots quarterback in 35 years to win his first career playoff start, joining Tom Brady.

"Wasn't pretty, that's for sure," Maye said after the game. "But this defense was so fun to watch. They won the game for us. I didn't throw very well. Need to be better."

Maye struggled in the first half, completing just 6-of-15 passes for a season-low 40% completion rate. He also lost one fumble while another was recovered by left guard Jared Wilson.

The North Carolina product improved dramatically after halftime, going 11-of-14 for 173 yards and a touchdown. His best throw came on a 28-yard touchdown pass to tight end Hunter Henry that gave New England a 16-3 lead with 9:52 remaining.

Patriots coach Mike Vrabel called the throw "elite" as Maye lofted the ball over Chargers safety Derwin James Jr. The score provided crucial breathing room in a defensive slugfest.

Maye led the Patriots in rushing with 66 yards on 10 carries, marking the first time a quarterback was New England's top rusher in a playoff game. His 37-yard run late in the second quarter set up a field goal that gave the Patriots a 6-3 halftime lead.

"I've got to give credit to Drake Maye. Every time we got him, he got back up. Every time he needed a play, he used his legs," James said.

The Patriots (15-3) will host either Pittsburgh or Houston in the divisional round on Sunday. New England's defense held Los Angeles to 207 total yards and recorded six sacks, tying the second-most in franchise playoff history.