The All-In approach pays off for the Los Angeles Rams with a victory in Super Bowl LVI.
Forget the high school pep rally, SoFi Stadium is a better place to celebrate, and it doesn’t disappoint as the Los Angeles Rams stand alone atop the NFL.
A 23-20 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI gives Los Angeles their first football championship since the LA Raiders brought it home in 1984.
The main hero? You would think Aaron Donald after he and Von Miller fused to take home the bacon, but in this case, the nod goes to Cooper Kupp, the newly minted Super Bowl MVP. Also, can we give some love to Sean McVay, now the youngest coach to ever win the Super Bowl?
Matthew Stanford finished the night 26-40 for 283 yards, two touchdowns, and two picks. He struggled, without question, but throwing the game-winning touchdown in the Super Bowl is a pretty good way to cap off the night.
Kupp finished with 92 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winner. He looked like an NFL MVP Candidate for sure. Forget the NFL MVP; he’s the Super Bowl MVP. Odell Beckham Jr? A quiet 52 yards and one touchdown. Though he left with an injury early, he still gets to call himself a champion.
Bengals QB Joe Burrow had a rough night, finishing 22 of 33 for 263 yards and a touchdown. Plus, can we please stop comparing him to Tom Brady? Burrow has potential, but he’s still too young, being in his second year.
Rookie sensation Ja’Marr Chase was held in check for much of the game, catching five passes for 89 yards. Joe Mixon couldn’t get in rhythm behind a porous offensive line, finishing with 72 yards. As for the offensive line, again, need we say more? The evidence was displayed for the world to see. Seven sacks. That should be a message to Zac Taylor and the Bengals front office this offseason.
Defensively, for the Rams, Donald earned his props after a two-sack performance, including the game-winning pressure on Burrow. Miller came up big himself, as did safety Eric Weddle (five total tackles), who now heads back to retirement and with a shiny piece of bling in his hands. Jalen Ramsey can also celebrate, as he now gets some extra jewelry to shine whenever and wherever he hits the streets.
Logan Wilson led Cincinnati with nine tackles, and safeties Jessie Bates III and Vonn Bell contributed with 13 total tackles combined, the former snagging an interception. Defensive end Trey Hendrickson and fellow pass rusher Sam Hubbard were neutralized, combing for one sack.
The Los Angeles Rams took significant risks, and it all paid off with a Super Bowl trophy.
Waiting for football glory has been a long road for Rams fans in Southern California, having watched them fall to Pittsburgh back in Super Bowl XIV, move to St. Louis, go to two Super Bowls, winning one, and then come back to LA and lose another Super Bowl.
In the case of Stafford, years of frustration in Detroit overshadowed what kind of quarterback the former Georgia Bulldog was. It almost seemed like any time Stafford had an opportunity to thrive, he wilted. But not anymore. Now, he, along with several other Rams players who desperately sought a ring, can fly high above the city of Angels and bask in their glory.
The same can’t be said for Cincinnati, who saw their glass slipper shatter at the hands of Lady Tremaine, or in this case, the Los Angeles Rams, who had their way with them all day. We can’t say we aren’t surprised. Los Angeles’ dominance on the line of scrimmage proved to be the story, as was the case a year ago with Tampa Bay against Kansas City.
Nothing went right from the first quarter on as it had done for the men in stripes for the past three games. Even when Cincinnati took a 20-13 lead, their line could not hold up. It was not exactly what Tennessee delivered, but it was strong enough to break the will. Cincinnati may recover from this, but given how the AFC looks, there’s no guarantee that Burrow and friends will ever return to the big game.
Meanwhile, football glory has finally returned to Los Angeles. As for Stafford, though he is not a Hall of Famer just yet, he can at least walk around with satisfaction. He now beams knowing that he not only knocked Tom Brady out of the playoffs and into retirement, but he beat two other strong divisional opponents and a rising young superstar in Burrow to cement his place as a world champion.
A true Hollywood ending to a remarkable season. Los Angeles is officially the capital of the football world.