Super Bowl LVI Preview

Los Angeles Rams (12-5) @ Cincinnati Bengals (10-7) | February 13, 2022 | 6:30 PM ET | NBC | LA -4.5 |

The Rams are now the second team ever to play in the Super Bowl while hosting it, the Buccaneers were first last year. Preseason the Rams had the 7th best odds to win the Super Bowl while the Bengals were all the way down at 29. The Rams are currently 4.5 point favorites to win the big game due to being the more talented team and most players having Super Bowl experience on their roster. The current favorites to win Super Bowl MVP are Matthew Stafford, Joe Burrow, Cooper Kupp, Aaron Donald, and Ja’Marr Chase rounding out the top 5. The halftime show is set to be headlined by Dr. Dre, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg, and Mary J. Blige. This is the first time a rapper has ever headlined the halftime show. The game kicks off at 6:30 on NBC.

Los Angeles Rams

Last season the Rams went 10-6 and lost in the Divisional round to the Green Bay Packers. In the offseason they made a blockbuster trade sending QB Jared Goff, a 2022 and 2023 first round pick, and a 2021 third round pick to the Lions for QB Matthew Stafford. Stafford was the QB for the Lions for his entire career and put up great stats, but had never won a playoff game. The trade was seen as a risk by some, and genius by others. Stafford had great year with the Rams and so would midseason additions former All-Pro Odell Beckham Jr. and former Super Bowl MVP Von Miller. The Rams had previously traded many of their draft picks to go “all in” and compete for a Super Bowl and this year was the same. The Rams were in Super Bowl LIII (53) and lost to the Patriots, and since then, they have made big trades trying to get back and have finally made it back. They won the NFC West and defeated the Cardinals, reigning Super Bowl champion Buccaneers, and 49ers on the road to the Super Bowl

Cincinnati Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals on the other hand have not had success in recent years and this year’s Super Bowl appearance was out of nowhere. Last season the Bengals went just 4-11-1 with star rookie QB Joe Burrow tearing his left ACL and MCL and partially tearing his PCL and meniscus in week 11. Many fans were questioning the Bengals team building because they had a rookie QB with one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL and believed that was the reason Burrow suffered the injury. In the offseason they made moves to improve their team like signing pass rusher Trey Hendrickson and also drafting star LSU receiver Ja’Marr Chase. Fans were worried that drafting a wide receiver over an offensive lineman would not be good for Burrow but it was the exact opposite. Burrow and Chase played together at LSU and dominated, and that continued in the NFL. Chase had an All-Pro season and will win Offensive Rookie of the Year. The Bengals ended up winning the AFC North for the first time since 2015 and knocked off the Raiders, Titans, and reigning AFC champion Chiefs en route to Super Bowl LVI.

Prediction

This game is going to come down to who can win at the line of scrimmage. The Bengals have the 31st ranked offensive line while the Rams line is ranked 6th. Burrow has been sacked 12 times in the playoffs to Stafford’s 5. The Rams also have the number 1 ranked defense in terms of pass rush win rate and rush stop win rate. The Bengals sit at 25th in both categories, I do believe their defense is better than that ranking but this matchup heavily favors the Rams. If the Rams can keep Stafford protected and give him time to find the likely Offensive Player of the Year in Cooper Kupp, the Bengals won’t be able to answer. I like the Rams to win 24-14 and Aaron Donald to win Super Bowl MVP.