The championship round of the NFL playoffs, containing the NFC and AFC Championships have come to an end which means it is time for Super Bowl LX. Several people’s predictions have been right on the money, while others have been far from right. From the lockers to the Lombardi trophy, which team did the students of Ledyard High School think would win it all in the Super Bowl on Sunday, February 8th?  

To give a run down of the playoff picture, the AFC’s number 1 seed was claimed by the Denver Broncos, who were led by their young star quarterback Bo Nix and their top three defense in the league. This number 1 seed allowed them to get a bye, skipping the wild-card round and qualifying for the divisional round. This applied to the NFC’s number 1 seed as well in the Seattle Seahawks, who trudged the way with their also dominant defense and star wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. For the rest of the NFC, the number 2 seed Chicago Bears would take on their division rival, the number 7 seed Green Bay Packers. The number 6 seed San Francisco 49ers would go against the former Super Bowl champions in the number 3 seed Philadelphia Eagles. Lastly, the number 5 seed Los Angeles Rams, with front-runner for MVP Matthew Stafford, would battle the number 4 seed Carolina Panthers who barely snuck into the playoffs. 

To finish off the AFC, the number 2 seed New England Patriots, also led by a nominee for MVP in Drake Maye, would face off against the number 7 seed Los Angeles Chargers. The number 3 seed Jacksonville Jaguars, with first year coach Liam Coen would compete with last season’s MVP Josh Allen, and number 6 the Buffalo Bills. Finally, the number 5 seed Houston Texans and their outstanding defense including edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. would compete against the number 4 seed Pittsburgh Steelers with veteran, Super Bowl champion, and 4-time MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Now, what has happened in the playoffs so far? 

So far for the wild card round, in the NFC, the San Francisco 49ers have defeated the Philadelphia Eagles in a 23-19 win. Their division rival, the Los Angeles Rams, also won against their opponent, the Carolina Panthers, who put up a great fight considering their 8-9 record in a 34-31 loss, even holding the lead at some points. The Chicago Bears made an amazing 21-3 comeback in their victory against the Green Bay Packers, despite being down 18 points until the 4th quarter. In the AFC, the Los Angeles Chargers and New England Patriots had a great defensive game, with the Patriots ultimately coming out on top with a score of 16-3. The Jacksonville Jaguars faced a devastating 27-24 loss against the Buffalo Bills. They had a chance to score on their final drive but the Jaguars’ quarterback Trevor Lawrence was intercepted by the Bills’ safety Cole Bishop. Lastly, the Houston Texans destroyed the Pittsburgh Steelers with a score of 30-6. 

After the divisional round, the Buffalo Bills endured a crushing 30-33 loss against the Denver Broncos with multiple controversial calls from the referees. This game wasn’t only upsetting for Bills fans, though, as the Bronco’s star quarterback Bo Nix came out of the game with a broken ankle, meaning he will not be able to play for the rest of the season. The New England Patriots came out on top against the Houston Texans with a score of 28-16, which featured a strong defensive performance, intercepting quarterback CJ Stroud four times. The San Francisco 49ers lost 6-41 in a blowout against the Seattle Seahawks, who had a powerful offense come to play, although their running back Zach Charbonnet came out of the game with his ACL torn. In closing, the Los Angeles Rams conquered the Chicago Bears with an overtime victory of 20-17. 

The AFC Championship went as expected with the Broncos starring their backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham. The Patriots took care of the Broncos in a 10-7 win in a purely defensive game with Drake Maye scoring a rushing touchdown early. For the NFC Championship, it was the opposite, being purely offensive. The Seahawks just barely beat the Rams with a score of 31-27. The Rams could not march down the field for a game-winning touchdown after star wide receiver Puka Nacua failed to get out of bounds. Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold had a notable performance, passing for 346 yards and 3 touchdowns. Looking back on the predictions before the first round of the playoffs, who did the Ledyard High School students believe would be champions or first-round exits? Which students still have a chance for their team to make it all the way?

The Los Angeles Chargers have, without a doubt, been an impressive team this year, even though they did not win the AFC West division. Although most people had doubts in them, as they have been known for notoriously choking in the playoffs. Back in the 2023 postseason, they had a 27-0 lead against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but ultimately lost with a score of 31-30 in a historic comeback. That did not stop Junior Tyler Sajkowicz, a student at Ledyard High School, from believing that they could win it all. When asked about his playoff predictions, he answered with no hesitation, “I think the Chargers are going to win the Super Bowl this year. Even though their offensive line has been struggling, I think their whole defense will make up for it, as it has been dominating the league.” The Chargers ended up losing their wild card game, but still put up a great defensive fight, as Sajkowicz mentioned how their defense was elite with star players like safety Derwin James Jr. and edge rusher Khalil Mack but in the end, it was not enough.  

There are some teams in the league who have been more fortunate, though. The New England Patriots are historically one of the best teams in the NFL, having six Super Bowl wins. Their dynasty with players such as Quarterback Tom Brady, Wide Receiver Julian Edelman, and Tight End Rob Gronkowsk,i controlled the whole league. Every NFL fan thought that this was the end of an era for the Patriots and their success. They weren’t totally wrong; the Patriots have entered a new era with Drake Maye, but would still remain with their succession. They now hold a place in the AFC Championship against the Denver Broncos with a chance of making the Super Bowl. This fueled sophomore Logan Mondor’s belief in the team. When asked about the 2025-2026 NFL postseason, Mondor responded, “I think it will be a rematch of Super Bowl 49, the Seahawks against the Patriots, with the Patriots coming out on top once again. Both teams are well-rounded and playing amazingly this season. It would be awesome to see this happen.” Mondor’s predictions were somewhat correct, with Super Bowl 60 being a rematch of Super Bowl 49, the Seattle Seahawks against the New England Patriots. If the Patriots do come out on top after this match, then Mondor’s predictions would be right on the money. Although the Patriots have an outstanding team that has been performing excellently, the Seahawks are out for revenge in this rematch. 

Nyela Whitney, Staff Writer

Junior Nyela Whitney is a staff writer for the 2025-2026 Colonelnews Site. She likes writing, spending time with her friends, and playing video games.