The Cincinnati Bengals are one of 12 teams that have never won the Super Bowl. Can they get that elusive win when they take on the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LVI?
The game will feature two outstanding quarterbacks going head-to-head as Matthew Stafford of the Rams goes up against Joe Burrow from the Bengals.
A quarterback is one of the most important players in any NFL team, so whoever wins the battle of the quarterbacks will have a big say on what team wins the Super Bowl.
Bengals’ young gun Burrow has had an outstanding season and in just his second professional season, he has completed an NFL-high 70.4 per cent of his passes.
In recent times, Burrow has found life difficult after being sacked 12 times in the playoffs, including nine times in the divisional round against the top-seeded Tennessee Titans.
The stats suggest Stafford is a big-game player and stands up when his team needs him the most.
NFL research says Stafford has the NFL’s best completion percentage (72.0), yards per attempt (8.7) and passer rating (125.9) in the fourth quarter this year, including in the playoffs.
The Rams head into the Super Bowl as slight favourites, with many pundits split on who they think will win.
FOX Sports analysts Skip Bayless is tipping a Bengals win with Burrow to steer his team to victory.
“The Bengals will win this game. This is my bottom line to this game: There’s just something about Joe Burrow. There’s something magical. There’s something special. I believe he is going to arrive on the biggest stage. It’s made for him,” Bayliss said.
However, fellow analysist Marcellus Wiley disagrees and believes the Rams will win because they are a ‘better team’.
“The Rams will win the Super Bowl simply because they’re a better team. Joe Burrow is in regression this postseason compared to his regular-season effort. The Rams are a better team that is actually playing better going against a team that’s star players are in regression,” Wiley explained.
Football Outsiders’ team rating metric DVOA had the Rams as the fifth-best team this NFL season after going 12-5 and winning the NFC West division.
The Bengals in contrast only ranked 17th in the entire NFL, after going 10-7 and winning the AFC North division.
Super Bowl LVI will be held at the SoFi Stadium in California. The venue is home to the LA Rams, however the Bengals will technically be the ‘home’ team for the Super Bowl.
SoFi Stadium is the world’s most expensive stadium and was built at a cost of $US5.5billion.
“Such a great setting,” LA Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford told the media this week.
“Such a great place to have such an important game.”
So, who will win Super Bowl LVI? My tip is the LA Rams in a hard fought match. The Rams are owned by Stan Kroenke who also owns Arsenal FC. As a die-hard Arsenal fan, this author would love nothing more than a Rams win and for Kroenke to pour some of his billions into the mighty Gunners! Spend Stan, spend! COYG!
