I like this Bengals crew and this unbelievable Bengals fairytale. I’ve witnessed their two Tremendous Bowl defeats. It’s OK that we don’t get to swoon over Patrick Mahomes or Josh Allen, or shake our heads in amazement once more at Tom Brady. Joe Burrow will do.
Good for the Bengals, Bungles no extra.
I guess Pete Rose can be taking the factors.
It was Bengals defensive finish Trey Hendrickson who summed up exactly why Who Dey Nation can be carrying a “Ya Gotta Consider” banner painted orange and black into SoFi Stadium on Tremendous Sunday:
“With a quarterback like that,” Hendrickson mentioned, “we’ve at all times received a shot.”
Yup, they’ve received a greater shot than Broadway Joe and the Tremendous Bowl III AFL Jets have been thought to have towards the NFL Baltimore Colts, a greater shot than East Rutherford Eli and the Giants have been thought to have in Tremendous Bowl XLII towards Invoice Belichick, Tom Brady and the Good Patriots.
These irrepressible younger Bengals don’t know what they don’t know, which emboldens a fan base ravenous for its first Tremendous Bowl championship into rallying across the notion that there can be no stagefright on the largest and brightest stage. Stagefright? Joe Brrr? Ha!
However sorry, Underdog America.
Sorry, followers of “Rocky” and “Rudy” and “Hoosiers.”
I hope this gained’t ban me from the prospect to dig into the Steak Burrow — 16-ounce blackened prime ribeye with Creole crawfish sauce, $65 at Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse, $70 together with my tip — however I’m choosing the Rams.
A hoop finally for Aaron Donald.
A hoop finally for Matthew Stafford.
A ring finally for Odell Beckham Jr.
A hoop finally for Andrew Whitworth.
Let’s begin with the matchup between the irresistible power versus the immovable object:
Swaggy elite younger franchise quarterback versus Protection Wins Championships.
Discover out extra about Tremendous Bowl betting
- Discover out extra about easy methods to guess on the Tremendous Bowl
- Take a look at the finest Tremendous Bowl betting websites
Swaggy elite younger franchise quarterback prevailed over Protection Wins Championships two years in the past, when Patrick Mahomes led the Chiefs over the 49ers.
However what if Kyle Shanahan’s quarterback within the fourth quarter had been, say, Stafford as an alternative of Jimmy Garoppolo?
Edge: Protection Wins Championships.
The Bengals have an opportunistic protection, with a harmful defensive coordinator, Lou Anarumo.
The Rams have a predatory protection.
Edge: Rams.
I’m not anticipating the Rams to sack Burrow 9 occasions, the best way the Titans did within the AFC divisional spherical, and he’d in all probability gentle up a cigar between QB hits anyway.
However I preserve having flashbacks of Donald lighting a hearth below his protection on the sidelines down 10 to the 49ers within the NFC Championship, and I preserve listening to how his band of brothers is impressed by ensuring that he will get that elusive first ring he so richly deserves. And Von Miller, his predominant companion in crime, who has been a terror within the postseason, is aware of what it takes to win a Tremendous Bowl.
Burrow’s offensive line can be below nice stress, and the spectre of Jalen Ramsey shadowing Ja’Marr Chase will function a bit of kryptonite on a day when the Bengals will want Joey Franchise to be a 60-minute Superman. Graybeard security Eric Weddle, off his sofa for one final hurrah, is prone to flummox Burrow at inopportune occasions.
Memo to Bengals: Don't fall behind early.
“If we get behind early, we’re not gonna panic,” Burrow mentioned, “so perhaps a comeback’s gonna be crucial, however we’d like to leap out early and kinda management the sport.”
In fact Burrow can have his moments, and on these events when his safety holds up, or he must throw sizzling within the face of the blitz, he ought to look early and infrequently to 6-foot-4 Tee Higgins, who can have a 7-inch peak benefit on cornerback Darious Williams.
I don’t see the Bengals establishing a Floor and Pound, so search for Burrow to attempt to transfer the chains by concentrating on Joe Mixon (six catches, 51 yards towards the Titans) out of the backfield. Burrow can even be requested to make some performs along with his personal legs as effectively, which he can.
The Bengals boasted the fifth-best run protection in the course of the common season, so even with the Rams’ three-headed monster at operating again, with Miracle Man Cam Akers averaging solely 2.8 yards per dashing try within the postseason and linebackers Logan Wilson and Germaine Pratt at all times across the ball, Stafford shouldn’t rely on any deadly operating recreation.
However Cooper Kupp, a helpless spectator three years in the past in Tremendous Bowl LIII, is unguardable, and when Anarumo doubles him, OBJ is primed to do main injury, and Van Jefferson is a menace to go excessive of the Bengals’ protection at any given second.
And 40-year-old Whitworth, the Rams’ left sort out, seizing the second towards his former crew, will do an excellent job of maintaining the relentless Hendrickson off Stafford.
One more reason why the Rams will win: An enormous edge in expertise (Donald, Miller, Kupp, Beckham, Whitworth, Rob Havenstein, Weddle, Johnny Hekker, Sony Michel and Stafford).
And it at begins at head coach. An elite playcaller like Sean McVay discovered the error of his methods towards Belichick three years in the past and is pushed to redeem himself and change into the youngest coach to win the Tremendous Bowl. And this time, he brings Stafford with him as an alternative of Jared Goff. Bengals coach Zac Taylor was McVay’s quarterbacks coach in Tremendous Bowl LIII. Trainer over pupil.
The Rams haven’t been a dominant house crew, however sleeping in their very own beds and staying of their each day routine ought to have their our bodies rested.
I can’t low cost the potential of a Stafford interception with ball-hawking Jessie Bates III and Vonn Bell thirsting for one.
“Ball safety’s gonna be an enormous factor on this recreation,” Stafford mentioned.
Stafford has gotten the Massive Sport playoff monkey off his again (he was 0-3 as a Lion) and seems liberated and embracing the chance to win the Greatest One.
One in all sports activities analyst and handicapper Danny Sheridan’s Tremendous Bowl guidelines is when two perceived offensive juggernauts meet, guess the Below. And with Taylor implicitly trusting rookie Evan McPherson and McVay implicitly trusting Professional Bowler Matt Homosexual, don’t be stunned to see some form of area aim shootout.
To sum up: The Rams maintain benefits within the trenches on each side of the ball and in battle-hardened expertise.
The Bengals have been 150/1 preseason long-shots to win the Tremendous Bowl, probably an terrible lot of Skyline chili for the courageous Who Dey souls who dared to make that wager. They wish to consider the Bengals are a Crew of Future who will play loosey-goosey with nothing to lose one final time.
Besides they've a Tremendous Bowl to lose.
A Hollywood ending: Rams 26, Bengals 20.
Post a Comment