The Seattle Seahawks defeated the Los Angeles Rams in a shootout to set up a Super Bowl rematch with the New England Patriots.
Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold outdueled Rams counterpart Matthew Stafford in a 31-27 thriller to clinch the NFC championship.
The victory sends Seattle into a repeat of their epic 2015 Super Bowl against the Patriots, who prevailed in a blizzard-hit 10-7 AFC championship victory over the Denver Broncos.
The Seahawks’ win marked the latest milestone in what has been a fairy-tale campaign for Darnold, who has enjoyed a renaissance with Seattle this season after a rocky start to his career.
"It’s amazing, to be able to do this with these guys in this locker room, with this coaching staff – it means the world to me,” said Darnold, who played for four different clubs before arriving in Seattle last year.
The 28-year-old finished yesterday’s classic with three touchdowns, 346 passing yards and no interceptions.
The game effectively tilted in Seattle’s favor when a late Rams drive to the Seahawks’ six-yard line came away with nothing.
The Super Bowl will be played in Santa Clara, California, on February 8 – 11 years after the Seahawaks lost to a Patriots team led by Tom Brady in the NFL showpiece.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
