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Los Angeles Rams Win Super Bowl LVI

Rams Super Bowl
Los Angeles Rams celebrating their win. | Image by @NFL on Twitter

Last season, the Los Angeles Rams bet the farm, trading two first-round picks and a third-round selection to sign Matthew Stafford from the Detroit Lions. The gamble paid off on February 13 as the Rams defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20 to win their first Super Bowl since relocating to Southern California.

The Los Angeles Rams offense sputtered throughout much of the game, particularly after receiver Odell Beckham Jr. went down with a knee injury late in the second quarter. Beckham scored the game’s first touchdown and had 52 yards receiving when the injury happened.

The game-changer for LA was Aaron Donald, Von Miller, and the defensive line that consistently harried Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow. The Rams had seven total sacks, the most in Super Bowl history, and prevented Burrow from making plays out of the pocket in the second half.

Cooper Kupp, the break-out wide receiver for the Los Angeles Rams, was named the Most Valuable Player. Kupp had two touchdowns, including the game-winning score that came with just 1:25 remaining in the game. Kupp also caught several big-time plays throughout the game, finishing the day with eight receptions on 10 targets for 92 yards.

“Man, just so proud of this team, the way we prepared, the way we loved on each other, trusted each other,” Kupp told NBC’s Mike Tirico after the game. “I don’t know. I just don’t feel deserving of this. God is just so good. I’m just so thankful for the guys I get to be around, for the coaches, for my family. I don’t know what to say.”

The Rams’ first game score came on their second drive after the Bengals went for it on fourth-and-one at midfield and failed to convert, setting up a short field for Stafford, who connected with OBJ six plays later. Stafford added six more points early in the second quarter when he connected with Kupp from 11-yards to give the Los Angeles Rams a 13-3.

The Bengals’ first touchdown came in the second quarter on a trick play involving running back Joe Mixon. Mixon took a hand-off from Burrow and headed for the right side of the line only to pull up short and float a pass over the defense into the waiting arms of receiver Tee Higgins.

Following halftime, the Bengals captured the game’s momentum, and it looked like the Rams would be defeated. On the second play of the second half, Burrow hit Higgins again for a 75-yard score that came with tons of controversy. On replay, it appeared that Higgins grabbed the face mask of defender Jalen Ramsey to create separation. Ramsey went to the ground, leaving Higgins uncontested down the field for the score.

The following Los Angeles Rams drive ended with an interception by Stafford on the first play. The Bengals would go on to score a field goal and take the lead 20-16 going into the fourth quarter.

Both defenses got stingy as the game wound down. The Rams and Bengals would combine for seven punts on the final nine drives of the game. Just when it seemed like Cincinnati could win its first franchise Super Bowl, Stafford and Kupp engineered a 19-play, 72-yard drive capped off by the go-ahead score that left just over one minute for the Bengals to attempt a comeback.

Fittingly, it was Rams defender Aaron Donald who stopped Burrow and the Bengals on fourth-down, ending an attempt at last-second fireworks. Instead, it was the Los Angeles Rams hoisting the Vince Lombardi trophy at SoFi Stadium as blue and gold confetti rained down.

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