RAMS WIN SUPER BOWL 56!

 What a game! The Los Angeles Rams will hoist the Vince Lombardi Trophy for the second time in team history and the first time in the 2000s. What a win and what a season.

Game Recap:

The Rams won this game just like they won pretty much all of their games in the post-season, not completely convincingly and trailing in the 4th quarter. The game started out their way. They forced a bunch of stops on the usually red-hot Cincinnati defense and took advantage of some bad coverage by Cinncy defenders on two red-zone strikes. One to OBJ and the other to Cooper Kupp. They led 13-3. The Bengals answered back just before half with an unlikely TD pass from Joe Mixon on a trick pitch play to WR Tee Higgins.

Much of the second half did not go their way. The Bengals took all of 14 seconds to score a 50+ yard TD to Tee Higgins again and then picked off Stafford on the first pass of the ensuing Rams drive. It was looking like the Bengals were about to snatch the momentum back like they usually do, but the Rams held UP. Even with the Bengals stuffing the run at an elite level, the Rams were able to shift almost solely to passing the football, and it worked out. OBJ missed the second half with what now looks to be a torn ACL but Cooper Kupp continued on his tear of a 2021-22 season. Going into the final 4 minutes of the game, the Rams embarked on a drive that would end up going down as the game-winning drive, and one that would immortalize both Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp in LA forever. They connected many times, including on a 4th & 1 with the game in the balance to convert and then go down and score. I'm pretty unhappy with the soft holding call that the refs made in the red-zone, which gifted the Rams a TD and quite possibly the Super Bowl itself, but it is what it is and that is what happened.

The Rams scored the TD and went up 23-20 with just over 1 minute to go in the game. This vaunted Rams defense needed just one more stop to be champions...and they did. After giving up a big play to Ja'Marr Chase and then to Tyler Boyd, the Rams defense held at mid-field. They forced an incompletion on 2nd and 1 and then stuffed Samaje Perine on a 3rd and 1. On 4th and 1, with the Super Bowl on the line, the Bengals made the egregious decision to pass the ball again, despite how bad their pass protection for Joe Burrow had been all game long. That sealed their fate. Aaron Donald shed his way into the pocket almost instantaneously and dragged Joe Burrow to the ground as he attempted to throw it out to Perine for the first down. The ball hit the turf incomplete, and just like that, the Rams were Super Bowl champs! 

While Cooper Kupp got a pretty well deserved Super Bowl MVP with almost 100 yards on 8 catches and 2 TDs, Aaron Donald probably deserved it. He was the main stopgap on this elite defense that absolutely harassed Joe Burrow all night. Burrow was sacked 7 times, 2 of which were credited to Donald. What an impact he had. At 30 years old, Donald is already an 8-time pro bowler, 7 time first team All-Pro, 3x DPOY winner, and now a Super Bowl champ. He may just be the best defensive player in NFL history, and he's just 30. Rumors shockingly surfaced before the game that if they win, he could ride out into the sunset as a winner. A true shock if it is true. After the win, he wouldn't comment on it, saying he just wanted to enjoy the moment. It appears there is a true chance he goes out here. The game really could lose the GOAT and the best defensive player in one off-season...

As for the Bengals, this loss stings. They made some bad calls and had some bad luck that cost them a ring. They fall to 0-3 all-time in the Super Bowl. Joe Burrow had another damn good game. This time, he finally couldn't overcome this O-line. Heading into the off-season, there still has to be a ton of optimism. The fact that this team came about 40-50 yards from a title with the offensive line that they have and as young of a team as they do is an incredible achievement. Burrow and the Bengals will be back! They have a ton of cap space this off-season and not many pending FA's, they will be able to bring in some reinforcements on the O-line. What a game, and what a win for the Rams.

Notable players who received their first SB rings: Odell Beckham Jr (WR), Matthew Stafford (QB), Eric Weddle (S), Aaron Donald (DT), Robert Woods (WR), Jalen Ramsey (CB)

Rams MVPs:
-Cooper Kupp, WR: 8 receptions, 92 yards, 2 TDs receiving (6 rush yards on 4th & 1 play)
-Aaron Donald, DT: 2 sacks, 4 tackles
-Odell Beckham Jr., WR: 2 receptions, 52 yards, 1 TD (in just one half)
-Matthew Stafford, QB: 283 yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs
-Von Miller, DE: 2 sacks, 2 TFL, 1 pass deflection

Bengals MVPs:
-Joe Mixon, RB: 15 carries for 72 yards rushing, 1/1 passing for a 6 yard TD
-Tee Higgins, WR: 4 receptions for 100 yards, 2 TDs receiving
-Ja'Marr Chase, WR: 5 receptions for 89 yards receiving
-Logan Wilson, LB: 9 total tackles, 3 TFL, 1 pass deflection
-Joe Burrow, QB: 263 yards, 1 TD passing