Super Bowl: In and Out
With eight receptions for 92 yards and two TD, Cooper Kupp deserved the mantle of the 2021-22 Super Bowl MVP after helping the Los Angeles Rams defeat the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20.
Introduction
From million-dollar TV spots to big-name half-time performances, the Super Bowl is one of the most anticipated events of the year. On the field, the Super Bowl is the culmination of the entire NFL season and reflects the entirety of the season. The Los Angeles Rams were the NFC representative while the Bengals were the AFC heavyweight in the Super Bowl. In a game that came down to the final minutes, the Rams proved they were as good as any other team in the NFL, while Joe Burrow and the Bengals hung around amid a bright future in Cincinnati.
The 2021-22 Best Team won the Super Bowl
In the offseason, NFL analysts and fans give their thoughts on who will win the Super Bowl, most often predicated by which team has the most talent on paper. With the addition of Matthew Stafford, who toiled his NFL career in Detroit with two playoff appearances to speak for it, the Rams were a team with Super Bowl aspirations. While turnovers and an adjustment period hung over Stafford, the future Hall of Fame Quarterback put any doubts to the cold side of the pillow by easing into the playoffs like the 13-year vet he is. Aided with one of the best seasons from a Wide Receiver all-time in Cooper Kupp’s triple crown, the Rams utilized their duo to put enough points on the board to outlast the Bengals.
Offensive Line is the Bengals Number One Off-Season Priority
At the beginning of the 2021-22 NFL season, many doubted Joe Burrow and the Bengals after spending the fifth overall pick on receiving phenom Ja’Marr Chase instead of brick wall Penei Sewell. The offensive line was the team's worst unit, and it hurt Cincinnati when it mattered most. Aaron Donald, Von Miller, and the rest of the best defensive line in the NFL sacked Burrow seven times. From the surface, it did not appear as though the Bengals utilized their Running Backs or Tight Ends in the pass protection game, and the Bengals’ coaching staff deserve blame for not finding ways to limit the Los Angeles pass rush. From here on out, the name of the game is protecting Joe Burrow or risk injury with the 2021-22 NFL Comeback Player of the Year in Joe Burrow.
Sean McVay will be a Hall of Fame coach when he retires
Most NFL coaches do not lead their teams to the Super Bowl multiple times, but Sean McVay is unlike the average NFL Head Coach. Now with a Super Bowl victory on his resume, McVay has a legitimate case to be an NFL Hall of Fame Coach if he decides to retire this offseason to spend more time with his family or further justify his candidacy with more playoff seasons under his belt. No matter what he decides, Sean McVay is one of the best Head Coaches in the NFL and deserves Canton status.
Conclusion
The NFL 2021-22 season was one of the best of all-time. With a spectacular team in the Rams, winning the Super Bowl, an up-and-coming team in the Bengals realizing their potential, and the legacy of a future Hall of Fame Quarterback and Head Coach put to justice, the NFL has a captivating product. Refereeing must improve, but when games are close, that is all a fan can want. The Super Bowl and the NFL remain as popular as ever and are always the pinnacle of sports entertainment.
Stats courtesy of Pro Football Reference and NFL.com
Images courtesy of Getty Images
Score information courtesy of NFL.com