Red River Sunday: The 'Union' Defense vs. The Sooner Bellcow
This Sunday (Jan 25), the road to the Super Bowl runs directly through the Red River rivalry.
While the teams wearing the jerseys are from Denver, New England, Seattle, and Los Angeles, the key matchups feature former Longhorns and Sooners in pivotal roles.
The Denver Experiment: United in Orange
AFC Championship: New England Patriots at Denver Broncos (3:00 PM ET)
For decades, Texas and Oklahoma fans have been oil and water. But in the Mile High City, they’ve been mixed into jet fuel.
The Broncos’ defense has become a fascinating case study in rivalry synergy. Nik Bonitto (Oklahoma) has evolved into one of the league’s premier speed rushers, a chaos agent off the edge. But his aggression is only possible because of the safety valve behind him: Brandon Jones (Texas).
Jones has played the “eraser” role to perfection this season, cleaning up mistakes and allowing Bonitto to take calculated risks. It’s a symbiotic relationship—the Sooner creates the pressure, the Longhorn locks down the chaos results. They call it the “Union” defense locally, but for us, it’s a Red River Team-Up.
The Matchup: They face a familiar foe in Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson (Oklahoma). Stevenson is the engine of the New England offense. It’s strength vs. speed: Bonitto trying to crash the edge before Stevenson can get a head of steam.
NFC West Warfare
NFC Championship: Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks (6:30 PM ET)
In Seattle, Byron Murphy II (Texas) faces his stiffest test yet.
The rookie defensive tackle was dominant in the Divisional Round destruction of the 49ers, but the Rams’ offense is a different schematic beast. Murphy’s ability to collapse the pocket internally will be the X-factor. If he can force the Rams’ QB off his spot, Seattle’s secondary can feast.
This isn’t just about making the Super Bowl; it’s about establishing who the premier young defensive lineman in the NFC West truly is.
Prediction
We expect a Broncos vs. Seahawks Super Bowl—a matchup that would feature major Red River representation on both defensive lines.
