LA Rams Win Super Bowl LVI Against Bengals
INGLEWOOD, CA — The Los Angeles Rams use a comeback effort and a late Cooper Kupp touchdown reception to win Super Bowl LVI against the Cincinnati Bengals in SoFi Stadium.
For the first time since 1999 (when they were based in St. Louis), the Los Angeles Rams won the Super Bowl, by the score of 23-20, thanks to wideout Cooper Kupp’s one-yard reception TD from Matthew Stafford, with 1:25 remaining.
The Los Angeles Rams may have been the designated away team for the Super Bowl, but they wouldn’t allow the Cincinnati Bengals to ruin their home turf.
The Rams seemed to be in control at the beginning of the game, thanks to a 13-3 lead at 12:51 of the second quarter, thanks to touchdowns from Odell Beckham and Cooper Kupp. However, the Bengals battled back when wideout Tee Higgins scored a six-yard touchdown reception pass from running back Joe Mixon at 7:04 remaining in the second quarter when they were trailing 13-10.
The Bengals used the third quarter to gain control of the game, thanks to Joe Burrow’s pass to Tee Higgins and a field goal by kicker Evan McPherson, which had them in the driver’s seat, leading 20-13 at the conclusion of the period.
Thanks to Cooper Kupp’s two touchdowns (especially the game-winner) and eight receptions for 92 yards, he was named Most Valuable Player for the game.
Los Angeles played most of the game without star receiver Odell Beckham, as he injured his knee with 3:50 remaining in the 2nd Quarter. While he did not return, he still earned his Super Bowl ring for the first time in his eight-year career.
This was the first Super Bowl appearance for Cincinnati since the 1988 season, when they lost to San Francisco 49ers by the score of 20-16 in Super Bowl XXIII (23) in Miami, Florida on Sunday, January 22nd, 1989. The Bengals also lost to Cincinnati in Super Bowl XVI (16) in Pontiac, Michigan on Sunday, January 24th, 1982. On the other hand, it was the first-ever Super Bowl victory for the Los Angeles Rams being based in Los Angeles, after losing Super Bowl XIV (14) to the Pittsburgh Steelers and Super Bowl LIII (53) to the New England Patriots. However, when the Rams were based in St. Louis, Missouri from 1995-2015, they won Super Bowl XXXIV (34) over the Tennessee Titans, while losing Super Bowl XXXVI (36) to the New England Patriots.
This was also the second consecutive year a Super Bowl-winning team has won in their host stadium, as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers won Super Bowl LIV (54) over the Kansas City Chiefs at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.