The Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Rams will face off in Super Bowl LVI after coming back from behind their AFC and NFC title games.
The Bengals were down 21-3 late in the second quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs who were seeking their third consecutive AFC title, but the Bengals came back to tie the game and won in OT. Despite losing the coin toss, Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes threw a critical interception and moments later Evan McPherson kicked a field goal to give the Bengals their first AFC championship in 33 years.
The Bengals have been in two Super Bowls and lost both times to the San Francisco 49ers when Joe Montana was at the helm. It appeared the Bengals would be facing off their old nemesis once again, but the 49ers blew a 10-point lead in the 4th quarter and the Rams responded with 13 unanswered points winning the game 20-17. Even after the Rams rallied back, the 49ers still had a chance but QB Jimmy Garoppalo tossed a costly interception and it was all over.
The Rams last won the Super Bowl 22 years ago when the team was based in St. Louis and Kurt Warner was their QB and Marshall Faulk ran roughshod in the Greatest Show on Truf. Having since returned to Los Angeles, the team is only three years removed from their last Super Bowl appearance when they fell to the New England Patriots.
But the Rams have an entirely new look. In the off-season, the Rams traded QB Jared Goff to the Detroit Lions for their longtime QB Matthew Stafford. The Lions also received three draft picks including two number one draft picks for this year and next year. Stafford is in his 13th NFL season and will turn 34 six days before the Super Bowl. Conversely, Ohio born Bengals QB Joe Burrow is only in his second NFL season.
The Rams will be heavy favorites against the Bengals as the game will take place in SoFi Stadium, a facility they share with the Los Angeles Chargers.
However, I am inclined to root for the Bengals as they have never won a Super Bowl and Cincinnati hasn't had a championship parade since the Reds won the World Series in 1990. Since 1990, the Lakers have won 6 NBA titles, the Kings have won two Stanley Cups while the Dodgers won a World Series. On the other hand, Los Angeles hasn't had a Super Bowl winner in 38 years when the Raiders bested Washington Redskins in Super Bowl XVIII and the Rams never won a title during their first tenure in L.A. Still, I believe Cincinnati is overdue for a celebration.
The game takes place two weeks from now on February 13th.
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