A look back at the NFC and AFC Championship Games, and brief Super Bowl LX Preview; Australian Open Predictions in Pro Tennis; Scottie Scheffler’s dominance and a Preview and Prediction for the Farmers Insurance Open on the PGA Tour

The Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots both advanced to Super Bowl LX, representing the NFC and AFC, respectively. Super Bowl 60 will be played at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, CA. on February 8th and will be broadcast by NBC, The Seahawks defeated the LA Rams, 31-27, while the Patriots defeated the Denver Broncos, 10-7.

The Seahawks prevailed over the Rams behind superb play from quarterback Sam Darnold, who completed 25-of-36 passes for 346 yards with 3 TDs against 0 ints. He finished with a quarterback rating of 127.8, which is outstanding. Quarterback ratings are rated from 0-158.3, with below 75, poor; 75-85, below average; 85-95, average to above average; 95-105, very good; and above 105, excellent. Passer rating takes into account completion percentage, yards per attempt, TD rate and int rate. Another popular metric, QBR (Quarterback Rating), is ranked from 0-100, with 70+ very good, 80+ elite and 90+ MVP-like. It rates QBs on passing efficiency, rushing contributions, down, distance, score, opponent strength and clutch plays. There’s a penalty for turnovers. Darnold was at 82.9 against the Rams. The great Matthew Stafford of the Rams was right there with him. Stafford, this year’s more than likely Most Valuable Player in the NFL, completed 22-of-35 for 374, with 3 TDs and 0 ints. His rating was 127.6 and his QBR was 81.5, both outstanding. For the season, Stafford was 412-of-639, 65%, for 4,707 yards, 46 TDs against 8 ints. His rating for the season was 108.2, which is an MVP rating. His QBR was 71, also very good to outstanding.There is an argument that Patriots quarterback Drake Maye should receive the MVP. Maye completed 354-of-492, 72%, with 31 TDs and 8 ints. He rushed for 4 TDs and 169 more yards. Maye’s passer rating was 113.5 and his QBR was 77.1, both excellent numbers. I just like the 37 soon to be 38 year old (Feb. 7th), to be the MVP. He just had more of an impact this season than Maye did, in my opinion. And his numbers were better. I’ll take the Tampa native who played at the University of Georgia from 2006-2008. Darnold completed 323-of-477, 68%, for 4,048 yards, with 25 TDs against 14 ints. His passer rating was 99.1, pretty solid, and his QBR was 55.7, 19th in the league. He had a very good season and Coach Mike McDonald and Seattle offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak are elated that he’s a Seahawk, after Darnold spent last season with the Minnesota Vikings before signing a 3 year/$100.5 million contract with the Seahawks after the 2024 season, which included a $55 million guaranteed contract and a $37.5 million signing bonus. I’d say that’s worked out well for both parties so far.

But Maye is still playing after his team’s victory over the Broncos in blizzard-like conditions by the end of the third quarter last Sunday at Mile High. Before I get to that, I want to say that Seattle’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba, the 23 year old, 3rd year wide receiver from Ohio State, looks to be the best wide receiver in the National Football League. He was a dominant player on Sunday at Lumen Field in Seattle. JSN caught 10 passes for 153 yards and a six. He was unstoppable and is a key reason the Seahawks are going to Santa Clara for a rematch from Super Bowl 49, in which the Patriots defeated the Seahawks, 28-24, punctuated by a interception by cornerback Malcolm Butler, who played at West Alabama. The Seahawks were on the New England one yard line second and goal and running back Marshawn Lynch was going to carry all 11 Patriots defenders into the end zone if given the opportunity. But Pete Carroll didn’t give him the ball! Instead, Carroll elected to let Russell Wilson throw it. It was one of the most catastrophic coaching decisions in Super Bowl history. He relied on his offensive coordinator, Darrell Bevell, who completely blew it with that play call. Lynch was not going to be stoppedd, but Carroll and Bevell cost their franchise a second straight Super Bowl after they won it in 2014. They haven’t ever gotten back until now. Interestingly, I read a book about Bill Belichick titled, Belichick: The Making of the Greatest Football Coach of All Time, written in 2006 by Ian O’Connor, in which O’Connor, of the New York Post and ESPN fame, described Bill as watching Carroll during the final drive, and wasn’t calling timeouts because he knew Carroll would blow it; which he did. Belichick won six Super Bowls with Tom Brady, but was denied election into the Pro Football Hall of Fame yesterday, a surprising move to many. I think it’s poetic justice for Spygate, and his disloyalty to women. He dropped his wife for a younger woman, then dropped her for a 24 year old. Belichick is 49 years older than Jordan Hudson, his now girlriend. He’s struggling at UNC now, too. Let him sweat a little.

The Patriots play outstanding defense under Coach Mike Vrabel. They have a solid offense with Maye under center and the great Josh McDaniels coaching the offense as offensive coordinator. It’s a tougher call on MVP because of Maye’s help in turning this team around the Patriots from 4-13 in 2024, to 14-3 in 2025, finishing in the second spot in the AFC behind Denver, which they defeated last Sunday on the road. Great stuff from the Patriots. I like Stafford though. Maybe I like the older guy, but the stats don’t lie, either. Should be a riveting Super Bowl. Will break it down and predict it next Thursday, 2/5.

Record

This past weekend, AFC/NFC Championship Games: Straight up: 2-0; overall: 6-6; ATS: 2-0, 5-7; O/U: 2-0, 5-7.

The 114th Australian Open/Predictions

Men’s Semifinals: Coverage begins Thursday at 9:30 P.M. CT/10:30 ET on ESPN for the first semi; and at 2:30 A.M. CT/3:30 ET Friday for the second semifinal match on ESPN.

Jannik Sinner over Novak Djokovic 7-5, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3

Carlos Alcaraz over Alexander Zverev, 5-7, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4

Men’s Final, Sunday, 2:30 A.M. CT/3:30 A.M. ET, ESPN

Sinner vs Alcaraz

These are the two dominant players in tennis right now and for the foreseeable future. The 24 year old Sinner from South Candido, South Tyrol, Italy, and the 22 year old Alcaraz from El Palmar, Murcia, Spain, split the majors in 2025 with Jannik winning the Australian, going back to back, and Wimbledon, and Carlos winning the French Open and the U.S. Open. They have put on epic matches. Jannik has won the 2024 and 2025 Australian, 2025 at Wimbledon, and the 2024 U.S. Open. Carlos has won six majors, the ’24 and ’25 French Opens, 2023 and 2024 at Wimbledon, and the 2022 and 2025 U.S. Opens. His deepest run in the Australian is the quarters, so he’s advanced beyond that this year. This is one phenomenal rivalry in sports. It’ll be a classic.

Sinner over Alcaraz, 5-7, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4, 3-6, 7-5.

Women’s Final, Saturday, 2:30 A.M. CT/3:30 ET Saturday

Elina Svitolina vs. Elena Rybakina

I like Elina, the Ukrainian, to defeat Russian Aryna Sabalenka in the semis tomorrow morning at 2:30 CT/3:30 ET, and for Rybakina to defeat American Jessica Pegula after that. Both will be tough matches. Elina will be locked in to defeat Sabalenka. It’s personal for her. In the Final, I look for another classic with the 31 year old from Odessa, Ukraine emerging and capturing her first Grand Slam.

Svitolina over Rybikana, 4-6, 6-4, 7-5

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Scottie, Farmers Insurance Open Prediction

The question in 2026 is: can Scottie Scheffler be stopped? Doesn’t look that way after he shot 27 under to capture the American Express last Sunday in La Quinta, CA. and was four shots clear of four, second place finishers. The amazing Scheffler won the PGA Championship and the Open Championship in 2025, at Quail Hollow and Royal Portrush, respectively. After his victory last Sunday, the 29 year old from Dallas, who will be 30 on June 21st, is only the third player to win 20 PGA Tour events before turning 30, joining Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus. Now that’s elite. He won’t play this week at the Farmers, but will play next weekend, Super Bowl weekend, at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, a spectacle in golf. Scheffler has four majors to his credit; two Masters titles, in 2022 and 2024, and the 2025 PGA Championship and British Opens. He’s an unstoppable force on Tour. He has all the tools in his bag, and the mental game to go along with it. Very grounded guy. Happily married, deeply pious, has a son, and plays golf to be successful, and what he means by that is winning tournaments and winning majors. He’s also won the Players Championship in 2023 and 2024, and the Arnie in 2022 and 2024, among his 20 victories. As long as his putter is clicking, he’s a juggernaut on the course. There is a lot of competition out there including Rory, who finally won the Masters in 2025, and the great competitor J.J. Spaun, who ground out a 1 under score at the impossible Oakmont Country Club in 2025 to earn the U.S. Open victory, which included a 64 foot birdie putt on 18 to seal it. J.J. was iron. But Scheffler is the Secretariat of golf right now. Brooks Koepka is back on tour. I’m happy about it. He stands to lose 10’s of millions of dollars in future earnings due to his defection to the LIV in 2022. But he’s playing at the Farmer’s. He’s a pretty wealthy guy already, too, so it’s not as major to him as it would be to some other lesser known LIV players. Patrick Reed is coming back and should be eligible later this season and full time in 2027. Looks like Jon Rahm, Bryson and Cam Smith are staying put on the LIV. LIV golfers have until February 2nd to come back to the PGA Tour or the offer is over for this year. These are for LIV players who won a major or the Players since 2022. Reed, who won the Masters in 2018, will play as a non-member and aim to regain full time status in 2027.

The 90th Masters will be played April 9th-12th at Augusta National, the 108th PGA Championship will be played at Aronimink Golf Club in Newton Square, PA., just outside of Philly, May 14th-17th. This’ll be the second time the PGA Championship has ever been played at Aronimink. The first was in 1892? That was before Francis Ouimet played (the 1913 U.S. Open champ at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts). Been a minute. The 126th U.S. Open will be played at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, New York on Long Island, June 18th-21st. This will be the sixth time the Open will be played at Shinnecock with the other years, 1896, 1986, 1995, 2004 and 2018. The 154th British Open (Excedrin wants me to call it the British Open instead of the Open Championship, so will go with E) will be played at Royal Birkdale in Southport, England July 16th-19th. This will be the 12th British Open at Royal Birkdale. The 52nd Players Championship, with the biggest purse in golf, a $25 million purse, with $4.5 million going to the winner, will be played at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra, March 12th-15th.

The 8 Signature events are: 1. the AT&T Pebble Beach February 12th-15th, 2. the Genesis Invitational, Feb. 19th-22nd, 3.the Arnie, March 5th-8th, 4. the RBC Heritage April 16th-19th, 5. the Miami Championship at Doral, April 30th-May 3rd, 6. the Truist Championship (at Quail Hollow), May 7th-10th, 7.the Memorial, June 4th-7th and 8. the Travelers Championship, June 25th-28th. I’ll have more details on the Signature events, location, etc., forthcoming in upcoming weeks. The Signature Events have $20 million purses with $3.6 going to the winner and nice earnings for the top 70 players and ties who make the cut.

Winner at the Travelers Championship

At Torrey Pines North and South Courses in San Diego. North, 7,258 yards, Par 72. South, 7,667 yards, Par 72.

Defending champion: Harris English

Defending Genesis Invitational Champion played at Torrey Pines in 2025 due to wildfires in Pacific Palisades, CA.: Ludvig Aberg.

Weather-Looks good as of now. Could change on the Pacific Coast, but right now calling for mid to high 70’s Thursday through Sunday with winds at 5-10 gusting probably to 15-20 at times. Marine Layer in the morning can cause issues with getting the round started as there is a lot of fog. No big deal for the most part though it can delay play.

The rough will be up to four inches, and the Bentgrass/Poa annua greens will be stimping at 13. The players will play the North and South Courses Thursday and Friday, with each player playing the South one day, and the North the other. After the cut on Friday, the players will play the South exclusively Saturday and Sunday. There are 147 players in the field. The cut is top 70 and ties. For the iconic South Course, No. 16 is a 227 yard, par 3, with two bunkers up front. The prevailing wind will make it more difficult to get it close. No.17 is a 443 yard, par 4, with fairway bunkers on the right that require a high draw to clear. The green is undulating, demanding precision to negotiate the slopes on ir. Front bunkers add to the challenge, and the canyon on the left is another obstacle off the tee. No.18 is a 570 yard, par 5. A major risk/reward hole. With a solid, 3 hundge yard drive, the players will go for it on their second shot and have to clear the pond in front of the green. A lot of hearts have been broken in that pond. The rubber meets the road on Sunday on holes 16 through 18.

TV:

Thursday-Friday, 11 A.M.-2 P.M. CT, 12-3 ET, ESPN. Broadcasting regular events again. At least this one. Golf Channel: 2-6 P.M. CT/3-7 ET; Saturday: 12-2 P.M CT/1-3 P.M. ET Golf Channel. 2-5:30 P.M. CT/3-6:30 ET, CBS. Sunday: 12-2 P.M. CT/ 1-3 ET GC; 2-5 P.M. CT/3-6 ET, CBS.

Odds: Xander Schauffele: 13/1; Aberg: 17/1; Patrick Cantlay: 19/1; Cam Young: 22/1; Hideki: 25/1; Maverick McNealy: 27/1; Si Woo Kim: 27/1; Jason Day: 27/1; Chris Gotterup: 27/1-Sony Open winner; J.J. Spaun: 27/1; Taylor Pendrith: 30/1; Will Zalatoris: 33/1; Samuel Stevens: 35/1; Wyndham Clark: 35/1, Harris English: 40/1; Keegan Bradley: 45/1; Sahith Theegala: 45/1; Adam Scott: 50/1; Justin Rose: 50/1; Max Homa: 55/1; Koepka: 55/1; Davis Thompson, 55/1.

Winner

I’m going to take the 35 year old from L.A. via San Diego State University. He’s won twice on tour, at the 2022 Valero Open in San Antone, and at the 2025 United States Open at the brutal Oakmont, 15 miles northeast of downtown Pittsburgh. If you can win at Oakmont, you can win anywhere. Like Frank Sinatra sang about making it there and making it anywhere. Torrey Pines, Torrey Pines, give me:

J.J. Spaun

Give me John Michael “J.J.” Spaun to capture the Farmers. (Photo courtesy of The South Pasadenan).