If you asked the question halfway through the season, everyone would have said, "oh, the Rams are going to the Super Bowl". But Matthew Stafford and his team have struggled of late, so Seattle won the NFC West and claimed the NFC's top seed.

I was at the Rams' wildcard game at Carolina and they had a bit of an uphill battle. Now they're going against an incredible defence in Seattle. These guys are operating at every single level. You've got DeMarcus Lawrence up front, linebacker Ernest Jones, and then you go to cornerback Devon Witherspoon.

Seattle allowed the fewest points this season and led the league for third down defence. They're playing like the best defence in the league.

That's what [Seattle head coach] Mike Macdonald developed when he was at Baltimore. They had that clear identity and style of defence that really made the Ravens so special and is now making the Seahawks so special.

And as defensive co-ordinator, Aden Durde has played a big part. Good old Aden. I used to coach with him and it's incredible to see what a British coach has done - to work his way through the player pathway system, going to the Dallas Cowboys then the Atlanta Falcons. Now he's at Seattle and getting head coach interviews.

Mike Macdonald's the defensive play caller, but Aden still leads a room. He has to get the guys right - fundamentally, mentally, culturally - and this is also an Aden defence, right? He played linebacker and his style is one of the reasons Mike Macdonald chose him, because they have very similar philosophies in that sense, and we've seen that come to life with this defence.

It puts them in a position where Sam Darnold doesn't have to do anything spectacular. Seattle loves to run under centre play-action, so you hand the ball off, then can take your shots over the middle to Jaxon Smith-Njigba. I feel like that's kind of their gameplan for this.

But Darnold's had the most giveaways by a quarterback this season (20) and the Seahawks have lost that one-two punch with their running backs, because Zach Charbonnet is now out with a knee injury.

Kenneth Walker is going to carry a lot more of the load than he normally would, and this Rams defence will want to force the Seahawks into long and pretty much certain drop-back pass situations.

That's where we've seen Darnold struggle over the years. Chris Shula, defensive co-ordinator of the Rams, has had Darnold's number before, not just earlier this season but in last year's play-offs against his former team Minnesota.

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is the leading MVP contender. They've got Puka Nacua, plus Davante Adams, and then there's levels beyond that with the tight ends that step up big.

But Stafford has so much confidence, so much belief, and he's got the ability to throw the ball anywhere on the field. I think he is the difference-maker.

Coach Sean McVay has already led the Rams to a championship, and with his experience in these moments I think they will find an answer to shutting down Darnold.

I would love for the Seahawks to get it done. That would be such a great story, but for me it's a Rams-Broncos Super Bowl.

Denver have lost Bo Nix so Jarrett Stidham will be making a rare start, but I was at New England's game last weekend and Drake Maye struggled with his decision-making against a Houston defence which is very similar to the Broncos'.

Mile High is such a tough place to go and I just have a feeling that coach Sean Payton and the Broncos defence will do enough to get the win.

Denver's overtime win against the Buffalo Bills last week was a really tough way to end the season, and two days later coach Sean McDermott was let go.

It's all part of coaching but it was really tough to see. Sean did so much for the community of Buffalo and the Bills organisation, turning them around, and all the players saying what a great leader he is says so much - it carries a lot of weight.

He gave me an opportunity, plus many other people over the years, and he's a true believer in diversity, not someone that just says it.

I spoke with Sean's wife, Jamie. She's amazing. She's even gotten into coaching flag football in Buffalo, so I think there's just been a really big outpouring of support for the McDermotts as a whole from an organisational standpoint. I'm sure he will get a head coaching job somewhere else because he's done a phenomenal job.

There's a whole bunch of noise and pressure around the organisation now, but I've known the Pegulas for a long time and they don't just make rash decisions. They're great businesspeople - that's why they've done so well for all these years, so I'm fascinated to see what the future holds and how it works for Josh Allen.

I imagine you want an offensive-minded head coach because you're saying Josh Allen is the reason you're doing this, because the level that he's operating at is not forever so you're kind of on a short timeline.

He's had Sean McDermott as a head coach probably longer than anyone in his life so who do you bring in to, essentially, take you to a Super Bowl, because you're now saying that's the standard.

Phoebe Schecter was speaking to BBC Sport's Ben Collins.