Super Bowl preview: Bengals vs. Rams
Photo from: actionnetwork.com
As Super Bowl 56 approaches this Sunday, two teams, the Bengals and Rams, have a chance to win the trophy at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. It’s a game that most fans would not expect to be a Super Bowl matchup, but both teams won their divisions, and how they are differently constructed makes the game more interesting to watch.
The Rams (12-5), the team was one of the favorites to headline the Super Bowl. The rams are built for championship aspiration to make a Super Bowl run by picking up prominent players like Von Miller, Matthew Stafford, Jalen Ramsey, Odell Beckham Jr., and Leonard Floyd to strengthen their roster combine with coach Sean McVay’s offensive philosophy.
For the Bengals (10-7), the team was considered by fans as a “bottom-tier” pick to represent AFC in the Super Bowl. The team was built through the draft by selecting integral players such as Joe Mixon (16th pick in 2017), Jessie Bates (54th pick in 2018), Joe Burrow (first pick in 2020), and Ja’Marr Chase (fifth pick in 2021). Bengals also signed more players to boost the pass rush like Trey Hendrickson, DJ Reader, and Larry Ogunjobi in free agency.
This Super Bowl would be the first time in a while that there is no No. 1 seed representation in the Super Bowl with the Rams and Bengals both as the number four seeds in their respective conferences. It would also be another instance where two first-round picks square off in the Super Bowl.
For the two starting quarterbacks for the Rams and Bengals, both can make history:
Photo from: Texas Monthly
Burrow’s 2021 stats: 4,611 yards, 34 touchdowns, 14 interceptions, and 54.2 quarterback rating
Burrow is the first player in history to go to the Super Bowl in his second season as the first overall pick and one of the youngest players to start in the event. He has a chance to be the first quarterback to win the Heisman and Super Bowl trophies.
Photo from: NFL.com
Stafford’s 2021 stats: 4,886 yards, 41 touchdowns, 17 interceptions, and 63.8 quarterback rating.
Stafford is on the list of multiple quarterbacks who made the Super Bowl in his first time with a new team and have a chance to be another quarterback to win the championship like Tom Brady last year. He also has a chance to make history in breaking the most passing yards and touchdowns in his first Super Bowl appearance.
Burrow vs Stafford, Burrow vs. Rams’ star-studded defensive line, Stafford and Cooper Kupp vs. Bengals’ underrated defense, Zack Taylor vs. McVay, and Chase vs Jalen Ramsey are some of the highlighted matchups that fans are looking forward to seeing.
The key game plans for both teams are to minimize penalties, take what the defense gives you, play through your strengths, and play disciplined football. If both teams follow these game plans, then they would have a chance to win.
It will take place at 6:30 pm Eastern Time the Rams are favored -4 to win and the Bengals are +4 underdogs.
