Super Bowl LVI is the 56th installment of the NFL’s title match; the first AFL-NFL Championship game, as it was known then, ended with the Green Bay Packers defeating the Kansas City Chiefs 35-10, their first of the franchise’s four successes.
Sunday’s match between the fourth-seeded Cincinnati Bengals of the AFC and the fourth-seeded Los Angeles Rams of the NFC will kick off at 6:30 p.m. ET this Sunday, February 13. This will be the Bengals’ third appearance in a Super Bowl. Having fallen short in both of their previous tries, while the Rams will be searching for the organization’s second Lombardi Trophy.
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals had a memorable run to the Super Bowl LVI, first starting with a surprising AFC North pennant. Cincy overcame the odds after being projected to finish last in what many considered one of the two toughest divisions in the entire NFL.
Their 10-7 regular-season record earned them the fourth-best spot in the AFC. Setting up dates with the fifth-ranked Las Vegas Raiders, number-one Tennessee Titans, and finally, an AFC Championship game against last year’s Super Bowl representative Kansas City Chiefs.
Quarterback Joe Burrow has captured the hearts of Americans with his heroic plays, stoicism under fire. And most importantly, his level of “cool” factor that has earned him the nicknames “Joe Cool,” “Joe Brr,” and “Joe Sheisty.” His top target is rookie Ja’Marr Chase, who has already set rookie regular-season and playoff records for receiving yards. Joe Mixon leads the backfield unit and can run between the numbers, bounce it outside, and haul in short-intermediate passes.
Cincy’s offensive line was one of the worst in football but was much better in the AFC Championship. Limiting the Chiefs to just one sack. On the flip side, their defensive line can create pressure. And help feed their secondary that forced a drive-ending interception in overtime the last time it was on the field.
Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams were the champions of the other consensus hardest division in football, the NFC West. After enduring a three-game skid in the middle of their campaign. They overcame their doubters as the NFC’s fourth seed with wins over the #5 Arizona Cardinals, #2 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and two weekends ago, the #6 San Francisco 49ers.
The story of the Rams’ season has been the performance of QB Matthew Stafford. Who was acquired via trade with the Detroit Lions for former gunslinger Jared Goff and a couple of first-round draft picks. Stafford finished his first year of a West Coast tenure ranked third in passing yards, second in touchdowns, and fourth in Quarterback Rating.
L.A.’s top wideout is Cooper Kupp, whose triple crown-winning season is culminating in one of the most historic receiver seasons ever. His partner outside the numbers is Odell Beckham Jr., who L.A. picked up in the mid-year after he was released by the Cleveland Browns. Beckham Jr. has been a huge target in the red zone. And has grown in comfort seemingly every week since his arrival, racking up 113 yards on nine catches in the NFC Championship. The BParlay.com team have a dedicated area that provides weekly NFL Picks for our readers to enjoy.
No defense in the NFL has the name recognition that the Rams do between three-time Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald. Former Super Bowl MVP Von Miller, and the league’s best shutdown cornerback, Jalen Ramsey. Having one of these playmakers at every level makes them a matchup nightmare with no real weakness to target.
The Matchup
The Rams head into Super Bowl LVI as a 4.5-point favorite, according to most sportsbooks. The general consensus is that L.A. is also the smart pick to win the Super Bowl. But many are rooting for the underdog Bengals because of their charismatic QB.
L.A. will be benefiting from playing in their home stadium and in front of their loyal fans. (The second time and also the second consecutive time that this has happened in Super Bowl history) Which will be a big advantage in tense moments. Check out the ESPN Super Bowl history page for some more interesting Super Bowl facts.
Because both teams were built around impact players, and thus, explosive plays, this contest is likely to be decided by an incredible play as opposed to a sustained, blue-collar effort.
Just a few more days until the final professional football game for over half a year…
