Bengals’ Cinderella Season Comes to an End as Rams Win Super Bowl

In 2019, the Cincinnati Bengals were 2-14. A year later, they were 4-11-1. This year they finished 10-7 and were the AFC North champs, making the playoffs for the first time since 2015. Then they beat the Raiders, Titans, and Chiefs to make it all the way to the Super Bowl.

But Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles was where it all came to an end as the Los Angeles Rams beat Cincinnati in a thriller 23-20. The Bengals led 20-16 with 1:25 left in the fourth quarter when Cooper Kupp scored on a 1 yard touchdown pass from Matthew Stafford for a 23-20 Rams lead. After the kickoff, quarterback Joe Burrow completed two passes for 26 yards to the Rams’ 49 yard line. But after an incomplete pass, a rush for no gain, and another incomplete pass on fourth down, the drive to the end zone and the Bengals’ season came to an end.

Burrow completed 22 of 33 passes for 263 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions. He was under pressure a lot, and was sacked seven times, including two each by Aaron Donald and Von Miller. Burrow, in just his second year, is on track to becoming an elite quarterback/ Running back Joe Mixon rushed 15 times for 72 yards and was the game’s leading rusher; he also threw a six yard touchdown pass.

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford spent 12 frustrating seasons with the Detroit Lions before being traded to the Rams last year. Stafford and the Lions made it to the post season just three times-all as a Wild Card-and lost all three games. Stafford put up some big numbers while he was in Detroit, but he did not have enough talent surrounding him for the team to make a serious post season run. The Rams went all in on winning this season, acquiring players like Matthews, Odell Beckham, Jr. , and Von Miller to get them that Super Bowl championship, and it paid off.

Here’s some highlights of the game.