Super Bowl recap: Bengals vs Rams
This Sunday was the Sunday that every NFL fan waits for every year. It’s the Sunday that every football player dreams of playing since they were little kids. Sunday, February 13 was Super Bowl 56.
This was the anticipated matchup between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Los Angeles Rams in Sofi stadium. This was a game that surely did not disappoint. The Bengals won the coin that toss and chose to defer, so the Rams started the series off with the ball. Both defenses started off red hot as the Bengals and Rams both went one and done on each of their first drives. However, it would not take long for there to be points in the board as Matthew Stafford connected with Odell Beckham Jr. for a 17 yard touchdown with 6:22 left in the first quarter. Unfortunately, he later suffered a knee injury in the second quarter that kept him out of the rest of the game.
The Bengals next drive seemed very hopeful as Ja’Marr Chase made a highlight reel one hand catch off a 46 yard throw from Joe Burrow to put them in red zone territory. Unfortunately they couldn’t capitalize and had to settle for a field goal. On the next drive Stafford is able to march the team down the field and connect with the Cooper Kupp on wide open post corner route for a touchdown. Due to a missed field goal attempt, the score was now 13-3. After a couple of smart throws from Burrow, the Bengals were able to score their first touchdown on a trick pass from Joe Mixon to Tee Higgins to bring the score to 13-10 and the end of the half.
The Bengals started off the second half red hot as Joe Burrow connected with Tee Higgins for a 75 yard touchdown to put them up. It was a very controversial play because the replay did show Higgins pulling at Jalen Ramsey‘s face mask as he went for the ball. But as they say if the ref doesn’t see it, it didn’t happen. The Rams only had the ball the next drive for 22 seconds as Matthew Stafford was picked off by Chidobe Awuzie. The Bengals did their best to take advantage of that interception but could only put up three points after Burrow was sacked by Aaron Donald. The third quarter was a standoff between both teams as their defenses were playing like absolute units in this game.
Joe Burrow suffered a knee injury after getting sacked from Von Miller but did return to play the rest of the game. Unfortunately, the Bengals were not able to convert on third down as Tyler Boyd dropped a crucial pass from Burrow. The fourth quarter was Cooper Kupp time. After helping his team convert on a fourth a one play with five on the clock, he was able to make three more key catches before the two minute warning to put them in scoring range. After multiple holding penalties, Matthew Stafford found Cooper Kupp on the back shoulder fade for a touchdown.
With 1:15 left, it was time to see if the Bengals can make one more great comeback. Unfortunately after going for it on fourth and one, Burrow was once again sacked by Aaron Donald which sealed the game for the Rams. Joe Burrow was sacked seven times that game tying the Super Bowl record. The Rams beat the Bengals 23-20 and are now you’re 2022 Super Bowl champions. The Super Bowl MVP award went to none other than Cooper Kupp. He finished the game with eight catches, 92 yards and two touchdowns.
