NFL:
It will be the Seattle Seahawks against the New England Patriots in Super Bowl 49 in Arizona. The Seahawks advanced by pulling off the greatest halftime comeback in conference championship history. The Patriots did it with an old-fashioned blowout.
Tom Brady threw for three touchdowns and LaGarrette Blount ran for three others as New England blasted Indianapolis 45-7 in the AFC championship game. Brady and Bill Belichick are going to the Super Bowl for the sixth time, more than any other quarterback-coach combination in league history. Colts quarterback Andrew Luck was just 12 of 33 for 126 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions.
Seattle is going back to the Super Bowl after Russell Wilson hit Jermaine Kearse for a 35-yard touchdown at 3:19 of overtime to complete the Seahawks' 28-22 win over the Green Bay Packers in the NFC championship game. The Seahawks trailed 19-7 before scoring two touchdowns 44 seconds apart in the final 2:09 of regulation. Seattle won despite Wilson's four interceptions and a 16-0 halftime deficit.
NBA:
In the NBA, Oklahoma City blew out Orlando 127-99, New Orleans beat Toronto 95-93, and it was San Antonio over Utah 89-69.
NHL:
Over on the ice, the Rangers bested Pittsburgh 5-2, Dallas doubled up Chicago 6-3, and it was Winnipeg over Arizona in a shootout 4-3.
The New York Rangers and Marc Staal have agreed on a contract extension, keeping the defenseman off the free agent market this summer. The 28-year-old has two goals and six assists in 43 games for the Rangers this season.
MLB:
Multiple media outlets are reporting that 2013 AL Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer has agreed to a seven-year contract with the Washington Nationals.
Scherzer, a 30-year-old right-hander, is a free agent after spending the past five seasons with the Detroit Tigers. He turned down an offer from Detroit last March that would have paid him $144 million from 2015-20.
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