On February 13, 2022, the stage is set for the biggest sporting event this year. The clash between the Rams and Bengals will be held at the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. Indeed, many fans will have their eyes on this momentous event.
With that said, let’s take a look at the teams that’ll be participating in this year’s Super Bowl event. From the AFC, the Cincinnati Bengals will be making just their 3rd appearance in the Super Bowl. On the NFC’s side, the Los Angeles Rams enter the event for the 4th time. Here’s a look at each team’s journey towards the Super Bowl:
The Tough Road
It’s been 33 years since the Bengals will be making their 3rd appearance in the Super Bowl. Going into this significant event, the Bengals are heavy underdogs. They haven’t won a Super Bowl since the franchise started way back in 1967. This 2022, the Bengals will make every play count as they face a tall order in the Los Angeles Rams.
For the Bengals, the road towards the Super Bowl was far from easy. Far from being a simple coin toss, fans who love Super Bowl Betting and several other bookmakers had the Bengals at 150 to 1 odds of making it to the Super Bowl. Since 1977, only 12 teams have made it to the Super Bowl with such a possibility.
Giant Killers
Bengals fans are especially going wild since their team had to overcome several giants along the way. First, the Bengals dispatched the no.1 AFC seed, the Tennessee Titans. With a score of 19-16, Cincinnati fought a defensive battle against Tennessee. On the last play, the Bengal’s Logan Wilson intercepted a pass. The interception set up Kicker Evan Mcpherson for a game-winning field goal just as time expired.
This win definitely came in as a shocker as many fans and experts alike had the Titans a 3.5 to 1 favorite over the Bengals. The challenges didn’t stop there as the red-hot Bengals faced the no.2 AFC seed Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs, led by their superstar Quarterback Patrick Maholmes, were considered by many to win the Super Bowl.
On January 31, 2022, another shocker came along as the Bengals defeated the Chiefs in overtime with a score of 24-7. Although Maholmes played the best he could, it wasn’t enough for the Chiefs to take the game. The Bengals managed to squeak past the Chiefs with intelligent plays from Joe Burrow. Two challenges down, one more to go.
Will the Cincinnati Bengals defeat the Rams and complete their Cinderella story to win it all?
Perseverance
The Los Angeles Rams’ road towards the Super Bowl was quite different from their AFC counterparts. Going into the season, the Los Angeles Rams were at +1500 odds to go to the Super Bowl. These odds meant they were the 7th favorite team to go there. The Bengals, on the other hand, had +12000 odds of going. The Bengals were the least expected to make it.
The Rams had to go through the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to make it to the Super Bowl. As we all know, the Bucs had the GOAT Tom Brady on their side. In that game, the Rams were steamrolling the Bucs. Leading by 24, it would seem that the Rams were in for an easy game.
The GOAT, however, didn’t want to go down without a fight. Down 24, Tom Brady’s stellar play poised the Bucs for a comeback. The Bucs had actually tied the game 27-27 with only 42 seconds left to play. Battered and bruised, the Rams persevered and eliminated the Bucs. A field goal from the Ram’s Kicker Matt Gay would seal the game 30-27.
Familiar Foe
After a grueling match with the Bucs, the Rams faced a familiar opponent to punch their ticket to the Super Bowl. Waiting for them were the San Francisco 49ers, the 3rd best team in the NFC West. The 49ers were hot, as they eliminated another powerhouse in the Green Bay Packers. A clash between the Rams and the 49ers ended up with the Rams winning 20-17.
The Rams certainly didn’t do it in a good way, as they had another scare during the game. The Rams had to face a possible comeback from the 49ers. With two touchdowns from the Ram’s Cooper Kupp, the Rams endured and finally booked their ticket to the Super Bowl. Perseverance is truly the name of the game for the Rams.
Come Super Bowl, will the Los Angeles Rams be able to cap off their run by defeating the Bengals?
Final Words
The Bengals and the Rams had to overcome some serious difficulties to get to the Super Bowl. Defeating favorites and defensive play were the keys to the Bengals winning. On the other side, eliminating the GOAT and enduring comebacks were the highlights for the Rams. The Super Bowl is fast approaching, and a match between these two teams will definitely entertain us all.