INGLEWOOD, Calif. — The Rams have been assembled for this to occur now, not later.
The Bengals hoped they may get right here later. Who might have anticipated it to be now?
Groups hardly ever get to the Tremendous Bowl on schedule, because the best-laid plans usually turn out to be the worst-realized failures.
Roster machinations, attainable team-chemistry turbulence, future salary-cap ramifications be damned, all of it will increase the urgency that the Rams made a run this season. That they're in Tremendous Bowl LVI was definitely not a foregone conclusion, however it's proof that generally dwelling for in the present day and never obsessing about tomorrow could be wholesome for a franchise.
The Bengals are one yr faraway from a four-win season and have been 2-14 simply two seasons in the past. Constructing round gifted younger quarterback Joe Burrow provided promise of higher issues to return. That they're Tremendous Bowl LVI fuels the aspirations of the legion of dropping groups and pissed off fan bases that discover it troublesome to see such an illuminating gentle by way of such a seemingly darkish tunnel.
It was not speculated to be the Bengals popping out of the AFC, however they upset the No. 1 seed Titans in Nashville and outlasted Patrick Mahomes and the favored Chiefs in Kansas Metropolis. The final time the Bengals made it this far was 34 years in the past, greater than a decade earlier than Burrow, their cool and calm quarterback, was born.
The Rams performed in and misplaced a Tremendous Bowl three years in the past, and so they reloaded to get by way of this gauntlet, which took them to Tampa and necessitated beating Tom Brady and defending-champion Buccaneers, sending Brady off into retirement. Every week later, it was a tense 20-17 victory over their arch nemeses, the 49ers, catapulting Lions refugee Matthew Stafford and Giants castoff Odell Beckham Jr., amongst others, into their first Tremendous Bowl.
“I’m simply blissful that I’m in place to play for a Tremendous Bowl, and I simply hope that I can provide one last-ditch effort to carry residence that trophy,” Beckham mentioned.
The Rams will really feel at residence, taking part in at their magnificent and new SoFi Stadium, and it may very well be a strain cooker in additional methods than one. The Nationwide Climate Service has issued an extreme warmth watch, with a temperature forecast of 87 levels at kickoff, which might make it the most popular Tremendous Bowl ever. The sector is roofed, however that is an open-air stadium and will probably be toasty.
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That is the primary time in Tremendous Bowl historical past each groups are No. 4 seeds, however this unquestionably has the texture of a squad that anticipated to be right here (Rams) versus a gaggle that shocked everybody, together with themselves, to get right here (Bengals).
The 2 quarterbacks are former No. 1-overall draft picks, separated by 10 years. Burrow, 25, completed up his second NFL season and is seeking to be part of Ben Roethlisberger (23), Mahomes (24) and Tom Brady (24) among the many youngest quarterbacks to win a Tremendous Bowl. Burrow got here again from reconstructive knee surgical procedure to set Cincinnati franchise single-season data for passing yards (4,616), touchdowns (34) and passer score (108.3). He was first within the league in completion proportion (70.4) and has earned a number of nicknames: Joe Cool, Joey Franchise and Joe Brr (for his icy jewellery, such because the “JB9” diamond chain he sported after beating the Chiefs within the AFC Championship recreation).
Stafford turned 34 final Monday and will star in a film entitled “Escape from Detroit.’’ His 12 seasons with the Lions produced 282 landing passes, 144 interceptions, a regular-season file of 74-90-1 and 0 playoff wins in three appearances. The Rams gave former quarterback Jared Goff a contract price $130 million, however they scored simply three factors in dropping to the Patriots in Tremendous Bowl LIII following the 2018 season and believed they might not get the place they wished to go along with him. In a blockbuster commerce, the Rams dealt Goff, two first-round draft picks and a third-round decide to the Lions for Stafford.
To date, so good. Stafford turned again the clock and set profession highs in completion proportion (67.2) and passing touchdowns (41) this season. Yet another victory and Stafford can have attained precisely what he got here out west to perform.
Stafford was the linchpin of a concerted effort by the Rams to play and plan for in the present day. They shipped draft picks across the league to amass move rusher Von Miller and working again Sony Michel. In addition they signed Beckham after the previous Giants first-round decide labored his method out of Cleveland. These additions, plus the commerce in 2019 for cornerback Jalen Ramsey, imply the Rams is not going to have a first-round decide from 2017-23.
It would all be price it for the Rams in the event that they money in on Sunday. They're the place they have been constructed to be: Standing of their method are the Bengals, the group that received right here fairly unexpectedly.
4 Downs
Lethal duel: You are taking a man with the No. 5-overall decide and also you anticipate him to contribute. Yeah, Ja’Marr Chase contributed as a rookie, to the tune of 81 receptions for a franchise-record 1,455 yards and 13 touchdowns. Of all NFL receivers with at the very least 500 receiving yards this season, Chase’s common of 18.0 yards per catch was second solely to the 18.2 of the 49ers’ Deebo Samuel. Chase will see loads of CB Jalen Ramsey, a three-time All-Professional and five-time Professional Bowler. Ramsey’s bodily type usually overwhelms opposing receivers, and he has the expertise issue on Chase, who has been good (20 receptions for 279 yards and one TD), however not game-breaking in his three playoff video games.
Persistence pays off: The final time the Rams have been in a Tremendous Bowl, their quarterback was Jared Goff and their quarterbacks coach was Zac Taylor. At age 35, Taylor was the shock rent by the Bengals as their head coach, and he went 2-14 and 4-11-1 in his first two years. Joe Choose, employed by the Giants at age 38, went 10-23 in his first two seasons and was fired. The Bengals caught with Taylor and are reaping the rewards. Taylor directed one of many biggest turnarounds in NFL historical past, going from 14 losses one season to the Tremendous Bowl in three years.
This Kupp runneth over: The good cash is on one of many two beginning quarterbacks to win the Most Useful Participant award, as quarterbacks have received it 31 instances in 55 Tremendous Bowls. There have been seven huge receivers to take residence MVP honors — most not too long ago Julian Edelman three years in the past. This yr’s recreation options Cooper Kupp, a particular contender. Kupp’s 145 receptions and 1,947 yards each rank second all-time for a single season (sure, there was a seventeenth recreation in 2021). His full comeback from ACL surgical procedure is exceptional, and if his mixed totals up to now two playoff video games — 20 receptions for 325 yards and three TDs — are any indication, Kupp is surging to the end.
Residence job: Earlier than final yr, no group had ever performed and received the Tremendous Bowl in its residence constructing. The Buccaneers did it in Tremendous Bowl LV at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, and the Rams will try to duplicate that feat at SoFi Stadium. It figures to be a partisan-Rams crowd, given the space from Inglewood to Cincinnati and the actual fact the Bengals will not be precisely a nationwide model.
In contrast to the Bucs, although, the Rams are the designated visiting group — the Tremendous Bowl residence group alternates every year between the NFC and AFC. However they received’t have to make use of the visiting locker rooms. SoFi has residence locker rooms for each the Rams and Chargers. The Bengals will use the Chargers’ locker room, so the Rams will have the ability to use their regular residence locker room.
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