The NFL playoffs are intensifying as the final four teams prepare to battle for a place in the Super Bowl. The remaining contenders are the Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Rams, Denver Broncos, and New England Patriots. This exciting playoff season has already seen the elimination of the Buffalo Bills and Chicago Bears, both of whom fought valiantly but fell short in overtime last weekend.
With the AFC and NFC championship games set for Sunday, fans are bracing for a thrilling showdown. The Broncos will host the Patriots at noon local time, marking a decade since the Broncos last defeated the same team to secure a Super Bowl appearance in 2016. In that memorable game, Vallejo native C.J. Anderson contributed a touchdown, helping Denver on their path to victory.
This year, the Broncos face a significant challenge without their starting quarterback, Bo Nix, who suffered a fractured ankle last week and is now out for the season. Taking the helm will be Jarrett Stidham, who has not started a game since 2023. He will make history as the first quarterback since Roger Staubach in 1972 to make his first start of the season in a conference championship game.
On the other side, the Patriots are led by rookie quarterback Drake Maye, who hopes to guide New England to its first Super Bowl appearance since 2019, the last season with Tom Brady at the helm. Maye threw for 179 yards against the Houston Texans last week and aims for another standout performance.
Both the Broncos and Patriots have an impressive history, combining for nine Super Bowl victories—six for New England and three for Denver. However, they also share a history of Super Bowl losses, with the Patriots losing three times and the Broncos five times. Should the Seahawks defeat the Rams, a rematch of the 2014 Super Bowl could be on the horizon, while a win for both the Patriots and Seahawks would replicate the 2015 Super Bowl matchup.
As the excitement builds for the championship games, fans are also looking forward to local sports action. In the Tri-County Athletic League standings for boys soccer, both Bethel and Vallejo High are in a tight race with just one loss and a tie each. Vallejo has four games remaining, while Bethel has three, making every match critical as the season heads into its final stretch.
On the girls’ side, Vallejo is contending with Hercules for first place, as both teams have also managed just one loss. Key matchups this week include Vallejo hosting Kennedy and St. Pat’s playing against Salesian.
In the world of hockey, the San Jose Sharks are currently tied for third place in their division, trailing the Edmonton Oilers and Las Vegas Knights. The Sharks are on a road trip this week, facing Florida and Tampa Bay before returning home for a critical matchup against the New York Rangers.
Meanwhile, in the NBA, the Golden State Warriors are riding a three-game winning streak and are just two games behind the struggling Los Angeles Lakers in the Pacific Division. Fans can catch the Warriors at home against the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday before they hit the road for games against the Dallas Mavericks and Minnesota Timberwolves.
As college basketball heats up, an anticipated rivalry game is set for Saturday, with Stanford hosting California. Both teams are performing well, boasting a 14-5 record overall, making this matchup one not to be missed.
With a weekend full of sports action across multiple leagues, including hockey, basketball, and soccer, fans have plenty to look forward to as they prepare for the championship games and the excitement of the playoff season.
