The Patriots punched their ticket to Super Bowl LX with a 10-7 win over the Broncos in the AFC Championship. The two teams combined for the second-lowest point total in AFC title game history (Dolphins 14-0 over Jets in 1982).
The Patriots are headed to the Super Bowl for an NFL-record 12th time, and to get there, Drake Maye did something that Tom Brady never did: He won a playoff game in Denver. Brady went 0-3 in his career in the Mile High city with two of those losses coming in an AFC title game.
On Seattle’s end, the Seahawks earned their way to the Super Bowl by beating the Rams in a 31-27 thriller. Sam Darnold threw for 332 yards and three touchdowns in the win. The Seahawks are now headed to the Super Bowl for the fourth time in franchise history and the first time since the 2014 season when they faced the Patriots.
Madden NFL 26 Super Bowl 2026 simulation: Seahawks and Patriots are in for another instant classic
Tyler Sullivan
In that game, Russell Wilson was famously picked off by Malcolm Butler at the 1-yard line with under 30 seconds left to play in a game that the Patriots ended up winning 28-24.
Super Bowl LX will feature the AFC’s highest-scoring offense going up against a Seahawks defense that gave up the fewest points in the NFL this year. Not only that, but the matchup on the other side of the ball should also be solid with the NFL’s third-highest scoring offense in Seattle going up against a Patriots defense that surrendered the fourth-fewest points in the league this year.
A great AFC offense vs. a great NFC defense? A great AFC defense vs. a great NFC offense? We could be in for another classic, just like the two teams gave us in Super Bowl XLIX.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at the full playoff schedule.
Sunday, Feb. 8
Patriots vs. Seahawks — Levi’s Stadium (Santa Clara, California), 6:30 p.m. ET (NBC)
Championship Sunday
Sunday, Jan. 25
AFC Championship
(2) Patriots 10-7 over (1) Broncos. This was a dominant performance by a New England defense that has now played three straight dominant games in the playoffs. The Broncos scored on their second possession of the game, but after that, the Patriots’ defense shut Denver down. The biggest play of the game came in the second quarter when the Patriots forced a Jarrett Stidham fumble that New England recovered at Denver’s 12-yard line. Drake Maye scored on a 6-yard run just two plays later to provide the Patriots’ only touchdown of the game. Maye didn’t put up huge numbers, but he came up big with his legs: Not only did he score, but he also iced the win with a 7-yard run on third-and-5 with under two minutes left to play in the fourth quarter.
NFC Championship
(1) Seahawks 31-27 over (5) Rams. With a trip to the Super Bowl on the line Sam Darnold came up big for the Seahawks. Darnold threw for a season-high 346 yards along with three touchdowns to propel Seattle to the win. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who has been Darnold’s favorite weapon all season, had another huge game. JSN caught 10 passes for 153 yards and a touchdown. The Seahawks defense struggled some against Matthew Stafford, but the unit also came up with a huge stop on a fourth-down play from Seattle’s 6-yard line in the fourth quarter that essentially sealed the win.
Divisional Round results
Saturday, Jan. 17
(1) Broncos 33-30 (OT) over (6) Bills. The Broncos have had one of the best defenses in the NFL all year and Josh Allen found out firsthand why they’re so good. The Bills turned the ball over five times with four of those coming from Allen. The Bills QB threw an interception in overtime that set up Denver’s game-winning drive. Bo Nix also came up big for the Broncos, throwing for 279 yards and three touchdowns in the win.
(1) Seahawks 41-6 over (6) 49ers. Rashid Shaheed returned the opening kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown and this game was essentially over after that. The Seahawks defense absolutely suffocated the 49ers, forcing three turnovers while sacking Brock Purdy twice. They also kept San Francisco out of the end zone for the second straight time after also holding the 49ers without a touchdown in Week 18. With Sam Darnold dealing with an oblique injury, the Seahawks put their offense in the hands of Kenneth Walker, who rushed for 116 yards and three touchdowns.
Sunday, Jan. 18
(2) Patriots 28-16 over (5) Texans. The Texans’ defense was the best in the NFL all season, but it was the Patriots’ defense that stole the show in this game. The Patriots forced five turnovers, including a pick-six from Marcus Jones in the second quarter that gave New England an early 14-10 lead. Drake Maye had some fumbling problems, but he also came up with some huge plays, including a 32-yard touchdown pass to Kayshon Boutte in the fourth quarter that iced the win. The Texans are now 0-7 in the divisional round in franchise history and are the only team in the NFL that has yet to make it to the conference title game.
(5) Rams 20-17 (OT) over (2) Bears. The Rams pulled off a dramatic win that wasn’t decided until Harrison Mevis drilled a 42-yard field goal in overtime. The only reason the game made it to overtime is because Caleb Williams threw a miraculous 14-yard touchdown pass on fourth down with under 30 seconds left to play. The Bears looked like they were going to pull out the win in overtime, but Williams threw an interception that set up the Rams’ game-winning drive.
Rams vs. Panthers recap: The Panthers almost pulled off the upset, but they couldn’t stop Matthew Stafford with the game on the line. With the Rams trailing 31-27, Stafford engineered a 71-yard game-winning scoring drive that ended when he hit Colby Parkinson with a 19-yard touchdown with just 38 seconds left to play. Stafford threw for 304 yards and three touchdowns in the win.
Packers vs. Bears recap:The Bears pulled off the third-largest fourth-quarter comeback in NFL history. Going into the final quarter, the Bears were trailing by 15 points, but they were able to erase that deficit during a miracle quarter where they outscored the Packers, 25-6. Caleb Williams threw for more yardage (184) in the fourth quarter than he did in the first three quarters combined (177). Williams capped things off with a 25-yard score to DJ Moore with just 1:43 left to win the game.
Bills vs. Jaguars recap:For the first time in his career, Josh Allen led a game-winning drive in the fourth quarter of a playoff game. The Bills’ franchise quarterback scored the game-winning touchdown on a 1-yard run with just one minute left to play. Allen also threw a 15-yard TD pass in the fourth quarter to help propel Buffalo to the win. Allen totaled 306 yards and three touchdowns in the win. For the Bills, it was their first road playoff win in 33 years.
49ers vs. Eagles recap:The 49ers pulled off a shocker by going on the road and knocking off the Eagles. After losing George Kittle, the 49ers had some unlikely heroes, including Demarcus Robinson, who caught six passes for 111 yards and a touchdown. Christian McCaffrey also came up big with two touchdowns, including the game-winning score, which came on a 4-yard pass from Brock Purdy with just 2:54 left to play.
Chargers vs. Patriots recap:The Patriots defense took over and carried New England to the win. Justin Herbert was sacked six times as the Patriots kept the Chargers out of the end zone and held them to fewer than 210 total yards.The offense didn’t light up the scoreboard, but Drake Maye was impressive in his first career postseason start, throwing for 268 yards and rushing for 66 more. The Patriots are headed to the divisional round for the first time since 2018.
Texans vs. Steelers recap. The Texans had the best defense in the NFL during the regular season, and that unit carried them to a win against Pittsburgh. The Texans defense sacked Aaron Rodgers four times, held the Steelers to just 175 yards and scored two touchdowns, which both came in the fourth quarter. The first one came on a 33-yard fumble return by Sheldon Rankins, and then Calen Bullock followed that up with a 50-yard pick six with just 2:39 left in the game. It was a defensive masterpiece by a Texans team that picked up its first road win in franchise history
CAPE TOWN, South Africa — CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — China and South Africa signed a framework agreement for a new trade deal on Friday as Africa’s leading economy looks to other options following the high import tariffs imposed on it by the U.S. and its diplomatic fallout with the Trump administration.
South Africa’s Ministry of Trade and Industry said the agreement would start negotiations over a deal that would give some South African goods, such as fruit, duty-free access to the Chinese market. The ministry said it expected the trade deal to be finalized by the end of March.
In return, the trade ministry said China will get enhanced investment opportunities in South Africa, where its car sales have seen rapid growth.
The U.S. slapped 30% duties on some South African goods under President Donald Trump’s reciprocal tariffs policy — one of the higher rates applied across the world. South Africa has said it is still negotiating with the U.S. for a better deal.
The China-South Africa deal follows others looking for alternatives to U.S. partnership in the face of Trump’s aggressive trade policies.
China is already South Africa’s largest trade partner for both imports and exports, while Chinese economic influence across the African continent continues to grow and it dominates in the extraction of Africa’s critical minerals that are key components for new high-tech products.
“South Africa looks forward to working with China in a friendly, pragmatic, and flexible manner,” the trade ministry said.
Trade and Industry Minister Parks Tau, who traveled to China to sign the agreement, said the deal would benefit South Africa’s mining, agriculture, renewable energy and technology sectors.
U.S.-South Africa diplomatic ties have plunged to their worst point in decades after the Trump administration accused South Africa of pursuing an anti-American foreign policy and allowing the violent persecution of a white minority group at home. South Africa’s government has denied allegations that white Afrikaner farmers are being killed in a widespread effort to seize their land as baseless.
Trump has also barred South Africa from taking part in meetings of the Group of 20 rich and developing nations this year in the U.S.
South Africa’s biggest exports to China are gold, iron ore and platinum-group metals, while Chinese cars have quickly grown their market share in South Africa. Industry groups estimate Chinese brands have grown from around 2.8% of the South African market in 2020 to between 11% and 15% last year.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – U.S. Route 491, formally U.S. Route 666, running through New Mexico is known to have had many casualties. This caused the highway to be claimed as cursed with its association with the number of the devil being the proof. In this episode of New Mexico Strange, Cody Polston joins KRQE News 13 […]
Under Armour expects revenue to fall at the milder end of its fiscal 2026 forecast, even as weak demand in its key North American and Asia-Pacific markets and tariff pressures persist into the new year.
As the Winter Olympic break arrives in the NHL, the awards picture has really come into sharp focus.
There are clear leaders for some trophies and clear top-threes for others. But with one glaring exception, there’s still time for players to shake up these races.
Could the Olympics play a role in that? Please recall in 2009-10 that Buffalo Sabres goaltender Ryan Miller won the Vezina Trophy in the same season he backstopped Team USA to an overtime loss in the gold medal round at the Vancouver Games. It’s not that Miller was an unworthy winner in what was his most dominant NHL season. But it’s hard to ignore his margin of victory (23 out of 30 first-place votes from the general managers) and not think there was an Olympic halo effect.
Just something to keep in mind if, you know, Macklin Celebrini scores a winning goal in overtime to hand Canada a gold medal over the United States …
Welcome to the NHL Awards Watch for February. We’ve polled a wide selection of Professional Hockey Writers Association voters anonymously to get a sense of where the wind is blowing for the current leaders. We’ve made sure it’s a cross section from the entire league, trying to gain as many perspectives as possible.
Keep in mind that the Professional Hockey Writers Association (PHWA) votes for the Hart, Norris, Calder, Selke and Lady Byng finalists, broadcasters vote for the Jack Adams, and general managers handle the Vezina. All stats are from Hockey-Reference.com, Natural Stat Trick and Evolving Hockey. (editor’s note: statistics are through games on Feb. 3)
This is the third straight month MacKinnon has topped the MVP balloting. He has led the Avalanche to the top of the NHL standings, although at a slightly less historic points pace than earlier this season — Stathletes has the Avs projected for 117 points.
The projections remain historic for MacKinnon personally. Stathletes has him finishing with 56 goals, which would be a career high and a record for the Avalanche, topping Mikko Rantanen’s 55 in 2022-23. If we include the Quebec Nordiques — and we might as well since the Avs are dressing like them — then MacKinnon has Michel Goulet’s 1982-83 record of 57 goals in his sights.
“Most even-strength points in the league, plus-44 rating. Yeah, still good,” one MacKinnon voter said.
MacKinnon, seeking his second Hart after winning in 2023-24, earned 59% of the first-place votes from our panelists, which is up from his vote share last month (just over 50%).
One interesting factor in MacKinnon’s candidacy this season: The distance between him and the next-highest scorer on the Avalanche, Martin Necas (62 points in 52 games). MacKinnon (91 points) is 29 points clear of him. Colorado fans who are still bitter about MacKinnon losing the 2017-18 Hart Trophy to New Jersey’s Taylor Hall because of this metric will no doubt find this a bit ironic.
That said, the distance between Celebrini (81 points in 54 games) and the next-highest scorer on the Sharks (39 points) is greater than that and quite frankly preposterous. The San Jose center and Canadian Olympian leads the team with 28 goals, 11 more than Will Smith, and leads all forwards in average ice time (21:12). He has done everything in his power to keep the Sharks circling around a wild-card playoff spot.
It’s a star-making season for Celebrini, who earned around 24% of the first-place votes from our panelists, and it could end with some awards love. Those Sidney Crosby comparisons aren’t going away any time soon if Celebrini also wins league MVP in his second season, the way Crosby did in 2006-07.
But there’s one huge caveat here that the other finalists probably won’t face: Celebrini’s efforts might not ultimately result in his team qualifying for the playoffs.
“Celebrini is lingering, but Sharks need to be more securely above the playoff line to get my vote,” said one voter who didn’t have Celebrini in their top three.
“If the Sharks were actually in a playoff spot, I might give this to Macklin Celebrini. But MacKinnon still leads the field given not only how good he is, but how strong the Avalanche have been all year long,” a MacKinnon voter said.
The final finalist is Kucherov with around 12% of the first-place votes, just nudging ahead of Connor McDavid this month.
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Nikita Kucherov gives the Lightning an early lead
Nikita Kucherov rips one past the goalie to give the Lightning a 1-0 lead.
The Tampa Bay star had the spotlight of the Stadium Series shining on him during the voting, but the numbers don’t lie: In his past 27 games, Kucherov has 58 points (18 goals, 40 assists) for an absolutely absurd 2.15 points per game. Kucherov (90) trailed McDavid (95) in points entering Wednesday’s games but had the NHL lead in points per game average (1.80). McDavid was the only other player to receive a first-place vote, once again leading the NHL in points in seeking his sixth scoring title. For whatever problems the Oilers face, McDavid is usually the solution. Since Dec. 1, he has 59 points in 31 games, 12 more than Leon Draisaitl for Edmonton.
McDavid fell out of the top three after being second in the voting last month. But that’s just illustrative of how tight this race is.
“This isn’t a Nathan MacKinnon slam dunk anymore, at least not for now. Connor McDavid is doing McDavid things in Edmonton and Nikita Kucherov can’t stop putting up points in Tampa,” one MacKinnon voter said.
These three were the finalists for the award last season. Makar won the Norris last season over Werenski, who finished second in the voting, and Hughes, who was third. Obviously, the big change here is Hughes swapping the irrelevance of the Vancouver Canucks for the surging Wild via that blockbuster trade, which could be a factor eventually in the voting.
But the Norris is Makar’s to lose for now.
The Colorado defenseman had 56 points in 54 games this season, skating to a plus-27 for the juggernaut Avalanche. He’s averaging 25:05 in total ice time and plays in all situations. Makar has been a finalist for the Norris for the past five seasons, winning the award twice (2022, 2025).
Makar earned around 53% of the first-place votes this month. That’s down significantly from his leads over the past two months for the Norris, in which he was a unanimous choice in December and earned all but two first-place votes in January. Werenski is a big reason for that.
“It’s still Cale Makar, but objects in the rearview mirror are closer than they appear in the form of Zach Werenski,” one voter said.
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Zach Werenski nets goal for Blue Jackets
Zach Werenski nets goal for Blue Jackets
The Columbus defenseman has 61 points in 51 games, including 19 goals. He’s second in average ice time per game (26:27) and plays in all situations. He’s a rock for the Blue Jackets on the back end, a suddenly ascendent team in the Eastern Conference after hiring coach Rick Bowness — although they aren’t the playoff given that the other finalists are.
“If the Blue Jackets were in a playoff position, then Zach Werenski deserves serious consideration here. As it is, Makar is just too good,” one Makar voter said.
“If Columbus was in a playoff spot, I might have Zach Werenski over Makar,” another said.
Werenski earned around 35% of the first-place votes.
Hughes was the only other defenseman to receive first-place votes. He could win a Norris for his team in Minnesota alone: 32 points in 25 games, including 29 assists for a plus-10 rating. He’s averaging an astonishing 28:16 in ice time per game since the trade. Overall, Hughes has 55 points in 51 games this season between Minnesota and Vancouver. Interestingly, Hughes averages only five seconds of short-handed ice time per game this season, unlike his counterparts.
One player to watch here, who was mentioned on multiple ballots: Seider of the Red Wings, who has been a defensive rock for them but might not have the point total (37 points in 57 games) to dazzle voters. Cue the “there should be an award for defensive defensemen!” outcry.
Usually when an award is unanimous, we extrapolate who the finalists could be based on the support they received down the ballot. But that becomes a bit challenging when we receive ballots like this:
“Calder: Schaefer, Schaefer and Schaefer.”
The Islanders 18-year-old rookie phenom has 39 points in 57 games, skating to a plus-7. The No. 1 pick in last summer’s NHL draft is averaging 24:05 in ice time per game, killing penalties while running the Islanders’ power play.
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Matthew Schaefer lights the lamp for Islanders
Matthew Schaefer lights the lamp for Islanders
He is nine goals and 17 points clear of Carolina rookie defenseman Alexander Nikishin (22 points in 55 games), and no other rookie forward or defenseman comes close to his ice time.
Schaefer received 85% of the first-place votes last month. Now, he’s the unanimous choice.
“Ridiculous how good he’s been as a teenager at the toughest position to play in the game,” one voter said.
“Maybe the only lock on any ballot. No notes. No disrespect to Demidov. Schaefer being this good at 18 as a defenseman is just wild,” another voter said.
If there’s one skater who could make this interesting, it’s Demidov. After 56 games, he had the lead in the rookie points race (46) over forward Beckett Sennecke of the Anaheim Ducks (44 points, including an NHL-best 18 goals among rookies). He entered the NHL with so much hype. Winning the rookie scoring race could make things interesting.
As one voter broke it down: “Schaefer, by a whisker over Ivan Demidov, with Fraser Minten applying some pressure on Beckett Sennecke for the third spot.”
Minten is a center for the Boston Bruins with 29 points in 56 games this season.
“Demidov has been great lately, but Schaefer is still playing major minutes and thriving. That he’s on pace to have a historic season by an 18-year-old defensemen cannot be overlooked. It is harder to do what he is doing at his position and he’s playing the hardest minutes out of any rookie,” said one voter.
Wallstedt, aka the Wall of St. Paul, has been the best goalie in a rather deep pool of rookie netminders this season. After being unbeatable earlier this season, the Wild goalie settled in and has gone 14-5-4 with a .914 save percentage and 2.72 goals-against average. He’s the clear No. 2 to Filip Gustavsson in Minnesota, which might limit his games played. But his named popped up on enough ballots that he’s clearly the third choice here.
Due respect to the other rookies: Schaefer is the heaviest favorite among all NHL awards races at the moment.
Vezina Trophy (top goaltender)
Note: The NHL’s general managers vote for this award.
No race suffered a more dramatic shift then the Vezina, as all three of the finalists from last month’s NHL Awards Watch have been replaced by new candidates. Gone are Logan Thompson (Capitals), last month’s leader, along with Jesper Wallstedt (Wild) and Scott Wedgewood (Avalanche).
Vasilevskiy earned around 59% of the first-place votes, powering the Lightning to the top of the Atlantic Division. Through 36 games, he’s 26-7-3 with a .918 save percentage and a 2.14 goals-against average. Money Puck has him at 19.6 goals save above expected, second in the NHL this season.
He has been on an absolute heater in 2026: 11-0-1 with a .926 save percentage and a 1.78 GAA.
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Goalie fight breaks out at Stadium Series after scrum in front of Bruins’ net
Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman gets involved in a scrum in front of the net, which sends Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy to the other side of the ice to fight Swayman.
Vasilevskiy won the Vezina once in 2018-19 but has been a finalist five times, finishing second for the award last season.
“Leads the league in GAA, save percentage, second in wins and by far the best goalie pugilist in the league,” one voter said after the Stadium Series game.
“The Big Cat is back, and boy do he and the Lightning look like a well-oiled machine again,” another said.
But it’s not a lock for the Lightning goalie.
“I’ve got Vasilevskiy right now by the slimmest of margins. This now looks like a two-horse race between him and Ilya Sorokin,” one voter said.
Sorokin earned around 35% of the first-place votes, going 19-13-2 with a .915 save percentage and a 2.48 goals-against average in 34 games. Money Puck had him at 26 goals saved above expected, best in the NHL this season. He also had a league-best six shutouts.
Gibson was the only other goaltender to receive first-place votes from our panel. The Red Wings netminder is 22-11-2 on the season with a .905 save percentage and a 2.60 goals-against average. The analytics are less kind to him, as Gibson is 17th in goals saved above expected (8.2). But he’s 9-3-1 with a .925 save percentage since Jan. 1.
Other goalies named by our voters included Thompson of the Capitals and Carolina goaltending savior Brandon Bussi.
Aleksander Barkov is skating again and could return to the Panthers during the regular season. Alas, he won’t have enough runway to win his third straight Selke Trophy — and the way Suzuki has collected votes this season, it might be his time anyway.
The Canadiens center earned around 53% of the first-place votes for the Selke from our panel, up from 30% last month. It’s his third straight month as the Selke leader. The Habs give up only 1.91 goals per 60 minutes when Suzuki is on the ice. He wins 49.4% of his faceoffs and also contributes to the penalty kill.
“Suzuki is still above and beyond,” one voter said.
“Continuously impressed with the evolution of his two-way game. An heir apparent to Barkov and [Patrice] Bergeron,” another voter said.
Suzuki has never been a Selke finalist. Neither has Hintz, whose best finish was sixth in 2023-24. The Dallas forward has been his usual stout defensive self this season, as the Stars average 1.67 goals against per 60 minutes and have a .930 team save percentage when he’s on the ice. He doesn’t play a ton of short-handed time (33 seconds per game on average) but his 5-on-5 play — including a 59.2% faceoff winning percentage — is stellar.
Both Hintz and Reinhart earned around 12% of the first-place votes behind Suzuki. The Panthers’ forward was second to his teammate Barkov for the award last season, the first time he was a finalist. It has been a ragged season for the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions, but Reinhart has been good. He also plays more short-handed time than the other two finalists (2:04 on average per game).
Also receiving first-place Selke votes in a typically crowded field: Lightning center Anthony Cirelli, Flyers forward Noah Cates, Capitals forward Aliaksei Protas and Colorado star Nathan MacKinnon.
“He doesn’t give up much and scores a lot,” the MacKinnon voter said.
Players mentioned down the ballot for the Selke included Vegas center Jack Eichel.
Lady Byng Trophy (gentlemanly play)
This is the part where I mention that the Lady Byng Trophy for gentlemanly play should be voted on by the league’s on-ice officials or by the NHL Players’ Association instead of the PHWA.
Traditionally, this award goes to a player with a top-20 point total and the lowest penalty minutes among those players.
Among the candidates: Florida’s Sam Reinhart (54 points in 55 games with 8 PIMs), Montreal’s Nick Suzuki (65 points in 56 games with 10 PIMs) and Vegas center Jack Eichel (64 points in 48 games with 10 PIMs).
Jack Adams Award (best coach)
Note: The NHL Broadcasters’ Association votes on this award.
Cooper didn’t win the Jack Adams by coming out dressed as Tony Montana for the NHL Stadium Series game in Tampa. No, he won the Jack Adams when he came out in that outfit for the second period, with the temperatures dropping and his team getting mauled by the Boston Bruins after the opening 20 minutes. That’s dedication.
OK, Cooper’s Ybor City tribute costume theoretically shouldn’t factor into his Jack Adams candidacy. The fact that he has led the Lightning through incredible injury adversity to the top of the division should be a factor. And so should the fact that the person many consider to be the NHL’s best coach has never won the Jack Adams despite two Stanley Cup wins and four conference titles in his 1,015 games with the Lightning.
Our panelists gave him a whopping 82% of the first-place votes. And yes, they loved the outfit.
“It’s Jon Cooper and not just because of his gangster look for the outdoor game,” one voter said.
“How many other coaches could have pulled off his Stadium Series outfit? None, which matches the number of Jack Adams awards he’s won in his career,” another voter said.
“The Winter Classic sealed the deal for Coop. Between the Tony Montana outfit, sticking with Vasilevskiy after he gave up five goals so we could get the goalie fight, then coming back to win in a shootout. That, and Tampa has won 17 of 19 despite managing injuries to several key players,” another voter said.
Muse has a classic Jack Adams case: a first-year coach taking a team many believed would miss the playoffs and turning it into a postseason contender. He unlocked something in the Penguins’ supporting cast, and voters have taken notice. He earned around 12% of the first-place votes.
Lambert earned first-place support for doing much like Muse has: taking the Kraken and making them a playoff contender. It’s also a redemption story for Lambert after his first NHL head coaching gig with the Islanders didn’t pan out.
The only other coach to receive a first-place vote was Avalanche bench boss Jared Bednar, who was among the finalists last month with Anaheim Ducks coach Joel Quenneville. It would follow past history if Bednar missed out on coach of the year in a season in which Cooper won it, considering how many times Cooper was snubbed for the award because his teams were too good.
“Bednar will probably get it, but what Cooper has done with the Lightning missing so many top players is Jack Adams-worthy. So is his suit from the Stadium Series,” one voter said.
Other coaches mentioned down the ballot included Todd McLellan of the Red Wings; Rod Brind’Amour of the Hurricanes; and Lindy Ruff of the Sabres, who we imagine might get a longer look next month if Buffalo keeps this up.
The Super Bowl can’t come soon enough for supporters of the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots. New York Jets fans, however, might choose to skip the game altogether.
They’ll witness one of two scenarios play out Sunday: Either their former quarterback and presumed savior of the franchise, Sam Darnold, will lead Seattle to its first NFL championship since 2014 or New England, their hated rival, will add to its stuffed trophy case.
For Jordan Kamzan, a 34-year-old from Long Beach, New York, it’s not a difficult choice.
“It could be anyone playing the Patriots,” he said, “I would be cheering for him.”
Connor Hughes, an NFL reporter who covers the Jets and New York Giants for SNY, put it more bluntly.
“If the Patriots win the Super Bowl, that’s when the whole world will just come crashing down on the Jets fan.”
The rivalry between the two teams dates to 1960, when both franchises played in the American Football League. It continued once the league merged with the NFL in 1970 and the Jets and Patriots squared off multiple times a year as members of the AFC East.
While the Patriots lead the all-time series 77–56–1, New England has been even more dominant in recent seasons. Since 2000, the Patriots are 40-12 in regular-season games. They also boast six Super Bowl wins and 18 divisional titles over that span.
Jets fans thought their rival’s reign was over when legendary quarterback Tom Brady left the franchise in 2020 and coach Bill Belichick parted ways in 2024, but they were wrong. Just two years later, the Patriots are back in the Super Bowl. And they now have a young stud quarterback and coach who figure to cause problems for the foreseeable future.
Drake Maye, a second-year signal-caller out of North Carolina, is in the NFL MVP conversation after taking a 4-13 team last season to the title game. He threw for 4,394 yards with 31 touchdowns and only eight interceptions this year. New head coach Mike Vrabel, a former Patriots linebacker who won three Super Bowls as a player, has also been instrumental in the quick turnaround.
New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel speaks with Drake Maye after the AFC championship game against the Denver Broncos in Denver on Jan. 25.Ashley Landis / AP
The worst part is that the Jets nearly had Vrabel themselves.
“They did everything they could to get him,” Hughes said. “So much so that when he was driving to take the Patriots job, they called him and was basically like, ‘Is there anything we can do to get you out of that car? Is there anything we can do to get you to take our job? We’ll give you more money. We’ll give you full control. We’ll do anything to get you over here.’”
Vrabel didn’t budge. The Jets were forced to pivot to former Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, who led New York to a 3-14 season in his first year.
“So they are sitting there stuck with Aaron Glenn coming off a three-win season, picking second overall (in the upcoming NFL draft) and having absolutely no hope,” Hughes added.
New York has not made the playoffs in 15 straight seasons.
“People can say they are lovable losers, but they are not even that,” Kamzan said. “What’s there to love?”
Jets fans thought things would turn around in 2018 when they drafted Darnold at No. 3 overall. Instead, Darnold went 13-25 as a starting quarterback and had multiple bizarre incidents off the field that turned into viral memes.
One was when a graphic was shared of Darnold with the words “Out Indefinitely: Mononucleosis” next to him, which was mocked online.
Another was when Darnold said he was “seeing ghosts” while wearing a live microphone during a 33-0 loss to the Patriots on “Monday Night Football” in 2019. Both teams’ fans still bring up the now-famous line.
He left the team after the 2020 season and was considered by many to be a bust.
But despite the lackluster play, many fans and analysts don’t place the blame squarely on Darnold.
“Everything you could possibly do to make a quarterback fail is pretty much what the Jets did,” Hughes said. “You can look at the players he was throwing to, to the guys that were blocking for him and the coaching. It was all bad. … I don’t think there was ever a world, when you really look at it, where Sam has success with the Jets.”
He always had promise in the league if those other aspects — better talent around him, an offensive coach who can make the game easier — came together. And he’s proven that since.
Darnold, after a brief stint as a backup with the San Francisco 49ers, has thrived as a starter with the Minnesota Vikings and now the Seahawks. He was efficient all season, passing for 4,048 yards and 25 touchdowns, and has found a perfect connection with elite receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
In the NFC championship against the Los Angeles Rams, Darnold completed nearly 70% of his passes for 346 yards and three scores with no interceptions.
“It’s hard not to feel good for the guy,” Corey Celt, a 36-year-old from Commack, New York, said. “As a Jets fan, I don’t hold any hard feelings against Darnold. It’s a choice between the Patriots and Sam Darnold, and I think picking Sam Darnold is an easy one.”
Kamzan didn’t hesitate when asked if there are “what-ifs” surrounding Darnold.
“Of course. There’s the what-if of, ‘If we just had better management, could this guy have been the franchise quarterback?’ But what are you going to do? It’s the Jets.”
A convicted man will serve more than two decades in prison following an accessory to murder charge.Cordney Cooper was sentenced to 21 years in late January following his guilty plea. The fatal shooting happened in July 2023.Clovis police responded to Ninth and Davis Streets for reports of a shooting. Police found Anival Ulloa-Salguero, who was working as a roofer in Clovis.Your neighborhood: Local news from KOAT Action 7 NewsThe police investigation found that two masked people tried to rob Ulloa-Salguero, which led to him being shot and killed. Officers found him dead from a gunshot wound during the response.Cooper previously pleaded guilty to being an accessory to second-degree murder and being a felon in possession of a firearm.Ninth Judicial District Attorney Quentin Ray said his office will continue to seek justice for violent crime happening in eastern New Mexico.”This case serves as a sobering reminder of the real consequences for those involved in ongoing criminal activity no matter their role,” Ray said. “Our community has had too many senseless deaths and the District Attorney’s office will continue to seek justice for victims of crime and holding those involved in shootings accountable.”Action 7 News On The Go: Download our app for free
CLOVIS, N.M. —
A convicted man will serve more than two decades in prison following an accessory to murder charge.
Cordney Cooper was sentenced to 21 years in late January following his guilty plea. The fatal shooting happened in July 2023.
Clovis police responded to Ninth and Davis Streets for reports of a shooting. Police found Anival Ulloa-Salguero, who was working as a roofer in Clovis.
The police investigation found that two masked people tried to rob Ulloa-Salguero, which led to him being shot and killed. Officers found him dead from a gunshot wound during the response.
Cooper previously pleaded guilty to being an accessory to second-degree murder and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Ninth Judicial District Attorney Quentin Ray said his office will continue to seek justice for violent crime happening in eastern New Mexico.
“This case serves as a sobering reminder of the real consequences for those involved in ongoing criminal activity no matter their role,” Ray said. “Our community has had too many senseless deaths and the District Attorney’s office will continue to seek justice for victims of crime and holding those involved in shootings accountable.”
Centene swung to a fourth-quarter loss despite logging higher revenue, as the company continues working to restore profitability and stabilize its Medicaid business.
The first events at the 2026 Winter Olympics are already underway, with a packed schedule of competition ahead, American viewers tuning in will need to take note of the time difference between the U.S. and Italy, where the Milano Cortina Games are taking place.
The opening ceremony is set for Friday, Feb. 6, but some early rounds of competition began two days earlier. Events are set to continue through the closing ceremony on Feb. 22. The Paralympics will take place the following month, from March 6 to March 15.
The venues in Italy are six hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time and nine hours ahead of Pacific Standard Time.
Here’s what you need to know about the schedule for these Winter Games.
What is today’s schedule for the 2026 Winter Olympics?
Friday, Feb. 6, features both the opening ceremony and competitions across several sports.
The day kicks off with men’s and women’s training events for Alpine skiing. That’s followed by several round robin sessions of curling, with the U.S. scheduled to face Canada in one round.
There are also team events in ice dancing, pair skating and women’s single skating. Also on the ice, there will be several women’s preliminary rounds of ice hockey.
Training runs are scheduled for luge and ski jumping.
Live coverage of the opening ceremony begins on NBC at 2 p.m. ET and is expected to last for about three hours. There will also be an encore later Friday at 8 p.m. ET.
What is tomorrow’s schedule for the 2026 Winter Olympics?
The schedule for Saturday, Feb. 7, features several types of skiing: Alpine, cross-country, freestyle and ski jumping.
There will also be several round robin sessions of curling, including a matchup between the U.S. and Great Britain. Viewers can also catch men’s single skating and ice dance, along with ice hockey, luge, snowboarding and speed skating
When are the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2026 Olympics?
The opening ceremony for the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Games is on Friday, Feb. 6, two days after sporting events began. The event will feature performances from Mariah Carey, Laura Pausini and Andrea Bocelli.
The ceremony, produced by Balich Wonder Studio, will take place at the Milano San Siro Olympic Stadium, with additional events around Milan and athlete parades in Predazzo, Livigno and Cortina d’Ampezzo.
The ceremony will start at 8 p.m. Central European Time (2 p.m. EST).
The Verona Arena will host the closing ceremony for this year’s Winter Olympics on Feb. 22.
What is the 2026 Winter Olympics figure skating schedule?
Figure skating events begin on Feb. 6. Competition will continue daily through Feb. 11. There will be a break on Feb. 12, but there will be additional figure skating events on Feb. 13, 15, 16, 17 and 19.
While the Olympics opening ceremony is on Friday, Feb. 6, events for the Winter Games actually started two days earlier on Feb. 4. The closing ceremony, along with several medal events, will be on Feb. 22.
While a full schedule is available online, the Milano Cortina Games organizers note that it is subject to change.
Wednesday, Feb. 4
Thursday, Feb. 5
Friday, Feb. 6
Saturday, Feb. 7
Sunday, Feb. 8
Monday, Feb. 9
Tuesday, Feb. 10
Wednesday, Feb. 11
Thursday, Feb. 12
Friday, Feb. 13
Saturday, Feb. 14
Sunday, Feb. 15
Monday, Feb. 16
Tuesday, Feb. 17
Wednesday, Feb. 18
Thursday, Feb. 19
Friday, Feb. 20
Saturday, Feb. 21
Sunday, Feb. 22
Will the Olympics TV schedule be live or delayed?
There will be both live and tape-delayed coverage of the Olympics airing on TV. Viewers in the U.S. can watch on NBC and Peacock. According to the NBC Olympics website, NBC will have a minimum of five hours of live event coverage starting each morning and continuing on through the afternoon. Viewers can check NBC local listings here.
