It has been a wild football season, capped with an incredible postseason. Whether it’s been upsets or nail biter finishes, this postseason has been one of the best in recent memory. And it all comes down to two of the most likable quarterbacks in Super Bowl 56 to crown a champion.
How did the Bengals get here?
Joe Burrow. I could end right there, and all would be justified but it is true that since Burrow was selected by Cincinnati first overall in the 2020 NFL draft, the Cincinnati Bengals franchise has done a complete turnaround. During week 11 of the 2020 season in a game against the Washington Football Team, the star quarterback torn his ACL and MCL. He was able to get healthy for week one of the 2021 season and has not looked back. He is only behind Dak Prescott in odds to win the NFL comeback player of the year award.
In the 2021 draft, the Bengals took Burrow’s favorite target when at LSU, WR Ja’Marr Chase. He has blazing speed and is one of the best route runners in the NFL. Chase continuously makes defenders look silly all while putting up 1,455 total receiving yards with 13 TDs. Those are good for fourth and third best in the league, respectively.
It would be criminal for me not to mention the only kicker taken in the 2021 NFL draft, Evan McPherson. He was taken with the 149th overall pick and has prover the Bengals right time and time again. He has hit an astounding five game-winning kicks this season, including a 31-yarder to send the Bengals to the Super Bowl. McPherson has even earned the title “Money Mac” in Cincinnati.
This Bengals team has as many weapons around their start quarterback as any team in the NFL right now. Alongside Ja’Marr Chase, Burrow has a second 1,000-yard receiver in Tee Higgins accompanied by Tyler Boyd with Joe Mixon running downhill in the backfield.
There weren’t many people outside of Cincinnati who picked this team to go to the Super Bowl even just a few months ago. After cruising over the Raiders in Cincinnati during the Wild Card round, the Bengals had to go on the road to visit the top seeded Tennessee Titans. The game was a nail biter, but it was kicker Evan McPherson who sent the game winning 52-yard field goal through the uprights. In the AFC Championship, Joe Burrow went toe-to-toe with Patrick Mahomes and shocked the Chiefs in Arrowhead Stadium in overtime. It was the Chiefs who won the overtime coin toss, which with these overtime rules, coin toss winners were 10-1 in the post season. The Bengals were able to stop Mahomes and the Chiefs high-powered offense and gave Evan McPherson a 31-yard game-winning field goal attempt, which he drilled.
How did the Rams get here?
Head coach, Sean McVay is a football mastermind. At just 30 years old, he was hired by the Rams in 2017, making him the youngest head coach in NFL history. While many questioned the move at the time, no body questions the move now. At 36 years old and in his fifth season as head coach of the Rams, he is headed to his second Super Bowl appearance. He led the team to Super Bowl 53 but fell just short, losing to Tom Brady and the Patriots 13-3.
After the 2020 season, McVay and the Rams decided it was time to move on from QB Jared Goff and make a blockbuster trade for Matthew Stafford. Many people questioned the move as the Rams moved two first round picks to acquire Stafford, leaving them without a first round pick until 2024. Unless something changes, that will make it 7 straight drafts without the Rams having a first round pick.
After playing for 12 seasons in Detroit, and not winning a single playoff game, Matthew Stafford was ready to prove himself as a winning quarterback. He did just that leading the Rams to a 12-5 record and an NFC West division title. On the way, Stafford threw for 4,886 yards and 41 touchdowns. That’s good for third and second most, respectively, in the league.
In 2012, Stafford was the quarterback for Calvin “Megatron” Johnson when he set the single season receiving record with 1,964 yards. In Stafford’s first year with LA, he and WR Cooper Kupp came just 17 yards short of Johnson’s record. Nonetheless, Kupp has been one of, if not the best wide receiver in the NFL this season. At 6-foot 2, he is not oversized like Megatron, however with his perfect technique off the line and his incredible route running ability, he is able to be just as dominant. Much of the Rams’ success this season is thanks to Cooper Kupp who accounted for over 30% of the Rams total offense.
Kupp is not Stafford’s only big-name weapon. The Rams signed free agent WR Odell Beckham Jr. back in November after he was released by the Cleveland Browns. Since joining LA, OBJ has 5 touchdowns and 305 yards in 8 games. Unlike when he was with the Browns, OBJ looks like he’s having fun playing football again, making spectacular plays and drawing the defense away from star receiver Cooper Kupp.
The Rams’ defense this season has been spectacular. It all starts with DT Aaron Donald. The three time defensive player of the year wreaks havoc on all offensive lines he plays against. He totaled 12.5 sacks and 84 tackles this season. As shown by the chart, Donald is in a league of his own when it comes to winning at the line of scrimmage. This defense also has one of the best CB in the game in Jalen Ramsey. He is great in coverage and has been a guy who always wants to go against the best. Yesterday he even said, “I’ve been the best in the game for years now.” Every matchup Ramsey plays is a fun one to watch so watching Ramsey try to shadow Ja’Marr Chase for four quarters will be spectacle.
Super Bowl 56 Preview
This Super Bowl matchup is one of my personal favorites; two quarterbacks who are playing for their first Super Bowl title and who people rally around. For the last two decades, it feels like we’ve heard the same names over and over: Brady, Manning, and Roethlisberger. Now, we have a new generation of quarterbacks who want to leave their mark on the NFL. Burrow is trying to make history as the first quarterback to win a college national championship, a Heisman trophy, and a Super Bowl. And Stafford is trying to prove that he can win when surrounded by a competitive team, unlike his time in Detroit.
Although this quarterback matchup is a good one, I believe that Cincinnati’s offensive line is the X-factor in this game. The Bengals have struggled protecting Joe Burrow this season, giving up the third most sacks in the league, 55. And the offensive line’s job won’t get any easier facing the likes of Aaron Donald and Von Miller. If the Bengals can give Joe Burrow enough time in the pocket to quickly make his reads, I see no reason why Cincinnati can’t shock LA and win.
On the flip side, I see why the Rams are the odds-on favorites to win on Sunday. Matthew Stafford is red hot and I’m not sure the Bengals secondary can contain Cooper Kupp and Odell Beckham Jr. That will be a monumental task itself, not to mention Cam Akers getting closer and closer to 100% after returning from a torn Achilles.
Laz's Pick
Cincinnati Bengals beat LA Rams 27-24
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