(Inglewood) The Rams suffered from the absence of Odell Beckham for a good part of the game before finding solutions and Los Angeles triumphed at home in the 56and Super Bowl on Sunday, beating the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20.
Posted at 10:01 p.m.
Updated at 10:23 p.m.
Cooper Kupp had 92 receiving yards, including crucial gains late in the game.
He notably grabbed a one-yard touchdown pass which, with the convert, took the score to the final account, with 1: 25.
Matthew Stafford had 283 passing yards, 20 more than Joe Burrow. The latter was the victim of seven sacks, including two each for Von Miller and Aaron Donald.
Beckham injured his left knee on an incomplete pass in his direction, with 3:50 on the clock in the second quarter. He did not return to the match afterwards.
Tee Higgins shined for Cincinnati with 100 receiving yards, 11 more than Ja’Marr Chase.
The Bengals tried to convert a fourth down and a yard on their first possession of the game, without success.
When the Rams got the ball back, Kupp was a big help with a 20-yard reception, mostly after the catch. A few plays later, Stafford joined Beckham with a 17-yard pass into the end zone, down the right flank.
Late in the first quarter, the Bengals made their first big play by taking 46 yards, courtesy of a Chase catch. Evan McPherson wrapped up the push with a 29-yard field goal.
The Rams responded quickly. Beckham grabbed a 35-yard pass down the right flank, and Darrell Henderson threaded a 25-yard pass down the left side.
Kupp then caught an 11-yard touchdown pass. A very well disguised play where Kupp then made a late hook to the right, in the corner of the pay zone.
The Rams therefore took the 13-3, the convert having been missed.
The Bengals then took their time (7:04), but they came within three points. The highlight play was Joe Mixon’s six-yard touchdown pass to Higgins.
A poor decision by Stafford could have backfired on the California clan, with around two minutes to go in the second quarter.
On a third down and 15 yards, he threw from mid-court to the end zone, towards Van Jefferson, but the ball came short and Jessie Bates III intercepted it. The Tigers let slip the opportunity and they quickly had to release, on the other hand.
The half ended with the Rams up 13-10.
Cincinnati hit hard early in the third quarter, with Higgins catching a 75-yard touchdown pass. His roofer Jalen Ramsey fell; the replay showed Higgins grabbing his face protector, but the referees did not crack down.
Immediately after, a pass of acceptable quality slipped from the hands of Ben Skowronek of the Rams to those of Chidobe Awuzie of the Bengals. Donald calmed the game with a sack, but the Bengals still pulled a field goal out of it, taking a 20-13 lead.
Midway through the third quarter, Matt Gay made things worse with a 41-yard field goal. Three straight passes from Stafford netted 43 yards but on a trick play on third down and five yards, Kupp threw too high with Stafford as his target, near the sidelines.
Los Angeles then stopped the Bengals, thanks in part to a sack from Ernest Jones, but the Rams were muzzled on their next run.
A very timely sack from Miller led to another chance for the Rams but again their offense went quiet.
Early in the final quarter, the Rams got another chance to turn the tide of the game, without making any real progress.
With 6:13 on the clock, it was yet another opportunity for the Mouflons: it was the right one. The effort concluded with Kupp’s paid reception.
Beckham’s girlfriend Lauren is due to give birth to their first child any day now.
It was the second Super Bowl in a row taking place at the stadium of one of the clubs involved. Last year, the Buccaneers beat the Chiefs 31-9 in Tampa.
The Bengals were in their third Super Bowl game.
In 1982 they were beaten 26-21 by San Francisco. In 1989, the Niners prevailed 20-16.
During their time in St. Louis, the Rams won the Super Bowl in 2000, 23-16 against Tennessee. However, they were defeated in 2002 (the Pats, 20-17).
Returning to LA from the 2016 season, the Rams reached the Super Bowl again in 2019, but New England won 13-3.
Inaugurated in September 2020, the SoFi Stadium cost around five billion.
The stadium is very close to the old Forum, where the Lakers and Kings have long played.
In the same corner, the Intuit Dome is being built, which will house the Clippers.
At halftime, D.r Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar and Mary J. Blige — and the unannounced 50 Cent — voiced hits like California Love, Lose Yourself, Family Affair and In Da Club.
Tennis legend Billie Jean King conducted the draw.
Just before kickoff, wrestling and film star The Rock presented the two clubs in presence, with all the verve that we know him.
Mickey Guyton and Jhené Aiko sang The Star Spangled Banner and America the Beautifulrespectively.
Celebrities at the game included LeBron James, Matt Damon, Charlize Theron, Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck, as well as Emmett Smith.