Even facing an 18-point deficit in the AFC Championship Game wasn’t too deep of a hole to climb out of. It had the longest odds to win its division. Cincinnati’s preseason win total was 6.5 games. What’s one more game? After all, they’ve been in this spot since the summer. The Bengals are well-versed by now in being the underdog. The Rams’ front will need to get after Joe Burrow (sacked 51 times in the regular season), and keep the lid on what can quickly become an explosive passing game. It’s been able to find other ways to get off the field, holding its three playoff opponents to 6-of-32 on third down. Los Angeles had the third-most sacks this year (50) and only has five in the playoffs. But this could come down to whether or not the Rams’ defense can be disruptive. The Rams are just 4-of-11 in the red zone over their past two games, an area the Bengals have defended exceptionally well this postseason. We know Stafford and Cooper Kupp will produce in a game of this magnitude, but those numbers need to translate to touchdowns. Stafford’s thrown for 905 yards and eight total touchdowns this postseason heading into a matchup with a Cincinnati defense that has struggled to defend the air most of the year. But Matthew Stafford led three scoring drives in the last 15 minutes and Travin Howard sealed the win with a late interception. In the NFC Championship Game, it entered the fourth quarter down 10 to the 49ers. Los Angeles survived the Divisional Round after blowing a 24-point lead to the Bucs. Los Angeles is making its second Super Bowl appearance in four years. The Rams had the fourth-shortest championship odds coming into the year (a month ago their odds were 18-to-1) and will now host Super Bowl LVI in their home stadium, opening as favorites against the Bengals. The NFC champions leveraged one blockbuster deal after another before and during the regular season, acquiring Matthew Stafford, Odell Beckham Jr., Von Miller, Sony Michel and more to bolster what was already one of the league’s stronger teams. There’s plenty of props, analysis on the game, and more to check out in the final day leading up to kickoff.
Now begins the final countdown to Super Bowl LVI.
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