Cincinnati Bengals vs. LA Rams: Who will win Super Bowl LVI?

Curtice (Rams)

The Los Angeles Rams reside in the 'tough' NFC West, where three of the four teams reached the playoffs this season. They had to fight through the NFC West just to reach the playoffs. Then they had to beat two of their division rivals, Arizona and San Francisco, plus Tom Brady's Buccaneers to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. They have been tested.

For starters, the Rams will be the first team in NFL history to play both the conference championship and the Super Bowl in their home stadium. That offers them a distinct advantage. They have a veteran team with key players acquired through trades, such as Matthew Stafford, who struggled for 12 years in Detroit as a good player on a really bad team, and mid-season pickups Vonn Miller and Odell Beckham, Jr. 

Offensively, Stafford has a reliable and productive receiver in Cooper Kupp. Their running attack is just good enough to support their passing game. Aaron Donald is the best defensive player in the league, and the Cincinnati offensive line will struggle to handle the Rams pass rush. Add Jalen Ramsey in the Rams secondary, and it could lead to a long game for Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrows.

Additionally, the Rams have a dynamic young coach in Sean McVay. Simply put, the Rams are built to win now. The Bengals, just two years removed from a 2-14 season, are a young team, built mostly through the draft. They no doubt accelerated their timeline by reaching the Super Bowl this season. They will be good for the foreseeable future, but this is not their year to win it all.

Tyler (Bengals) 

Just two years removed from winning the NCAA National Championship together, Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase find themselves on the game's biggest stage. Ja'Marr Chase just completed a record-breaking rookie season in which he hauled in 81 passes for 1,455 yards and 13 touchdowns. Chase has an unspoken connection with Burrow, who he has been working with since 2018. While the two are on the same page, the rest of the league is still unfamiliar with their tendencies and are lagging far behind. 

Although the Bengals have an inexperienced offense, they have arguably formed the most formidable wide receiver core in the NFL. The trio of Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Tyler Boyd each have managed to haul in at least 65 receptions and five touchdowns. Pro Bowl running back Joe Mixon serves as an astounding complement to the trio. The Oklahoma product passed the 1000 yard rushing mark for the 3rd time in his career this season.

Defensively, the Bengals are headed by Trey Hendrickson, who finished in the top 5 in sacks this season. Veteran Vonn Bell serves as the leader of the Bengals secondary, finishing with a career-high 114 tackles in 2021. After the surprise win over the Kansas City Chiefs, the Cincinnati Bengals are poised to defeat the Los Angeles Rams in this Super Bowl.