SI:AM | Super Bowl Set

The Patriots and Seahawks will head to San Francisco to battle for the Lombardi Trophy.

TYLER LAULETTA Good morning, I'm Tyler Lauletta, filling in for Dan Gartland one more time before I hand him back the keys to the newsletter. It's been a delight to be in your inbox the past few mornings. If you enjoyed our time together, please give us a follow at our other morning newsletter, SI:CYMI. On to the show! In today's SI:AM: 🏒 A new USA-Canada beef 🏉 Patriots belief 🏌️Scheffler's fast start A fresh Super Bowl matchup Sunday was our second-to-last day of NFL football for the season, and oh what a day it was. The conference championships produced two worthy combatants for Super Bowl LX in two weeks, and each team will arrive in San Francisco by way of two very different wins. First, the Patriots outlasted the Broncos in a game that devolved into a snow brawl by the end of the fourth quarter. Denver backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham led the Broncos to an early 7–0 lead in the first quarter, but he would be shut down from there on out by New England's defense. The Patriots' offense didn't fare much better than the Broncos, with their only touchdown coming after Denver turned the ball over deep in their own territory. But as it had done against the Chargers and Texans this postseason, New England did enough to escape with a win even without a perfect performance. The Broncos had a chance to tie the game with a field goal attempt with less than five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. By that point, the conditions in Denver had moved past inclement to "find shelter and provisions" territory, and Patriots defensive tackle Leonard Taylor III blocked Wil Lutz's 45-yard attempt. Earlier in the game, coach Sean Payton had elected to go for it on fourth down in the red zone. The Broncos failed to convert, and those three points they passed up on would linger over the rest of the game until the score went final: Patriots 10, Broncos 7. CONTINUE TYLER'S COLUMN ON SI The best of Sports Illustrated Hockey's fiercest rivalry has intensified. Pat Forde lays out what's happening between the U.S. and Canada, both on and off the ice. It's time to believe in Mike Vrabel's Patriots. Albert Breer has more on New England, Seattle and coaching situations around the league in his championship Sunday takeaways. A team led by defense and special teams survived the NFL's best division and is now one more win from a championship. Greg Bishop writes about how the Seahawks embraced the darkness and became Super Bowl favorites. Matt Verderame explains that the Patriots will need Drake Maye to play like the MVP candidate he was during the regular season to defeat Seattle.  Gilberto Manzano argues that Sean McVay and Les Snead must prioritize fixing the Rams' obvious flaws to put the Rams in a position to return to the Super Bowl. Sean Payton passed up three points in a game where points were scarce. Conor Orr dives into a decision that swung the AFC championship. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler started his year off with a dominant victory and again put himself in the same conversation with Tiger Woods, Max Schreiber writes. Get the print edition of Sports Illustrated delivered to your door. Click to subscribe! 👀 The top five ... … things I saw this weekend: 5. Nothing was going to stop George Kittle from enjoying some offseason golf, especially not a torn Achilles. 4. Texas Tech coach Grant McCasland shouts out all the grounds crew and support staff that helped make sure his team was able to play this weekend—a sentiment I would like to second across the entire sports landscape. 3. No one turns the tennis court into a fashion runway like Naomi Osaka. 2. Kiyan Anthony throws down a dunk with his pops, Carmelo in the building. 1. Jordan Chiles, a perfect 10. The best of SI Video The Pistons are red hot in the Eastern Conference with their excellence inside the three-point arc, but Chris Mannix and Rachel Nichols explain why Jayson Tatum and the Celtics are coming for them. Sign up for SI Newsletters Stay ahead of the game—sign up for all of SI's newsletters, from golf and soccer to MMQB, and never miss a moment. Get it in your inbox We may receive compensation for some links to products and services included in this email. Sports Publishing Solutions Inc. 155 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 202 New York, New York 10013 You are receiving this email because you are subscribed to the SI:AM newsletter. You can unsubscribe here . Privacy Policy – Terms & Conditions © 2025 Sports Publishing Solutions Inc. All rights reserved. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC. All betting and gambling content included in the SI:AM newsletter is intended for individuals 21+ (18+ in DC, KY, NH, RI, and WY). 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