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Los Angeles Rams vs Cincinnati Bengals Preview & Tips - Bengals on handicap in Super Bowl

Gary Emmerson

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Last updated: 07 Feb 2022

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Gary Emmerson 07 Feb 2022

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Los Angeles Rams vs Cincinnati Bengals tips for Sunday, February 13
Super Bowl LVI gets underway at 23:30 GMT at SoFi Stadium
Preview, stats & tips

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Vince Lombardi Trophy (Getty Images)

Los Angeles Rams vs Cincinnati Bengals Preview & Tips
Head To Head
Los Angeles Rams Recent Form
Cincinnati Bengals Recent Form
Los Angeles Rams vs Cincinnati Bengals Super Bowl FAQ

Los Angeles Rams vs Cincinnati Bengals Preview & Tips

Cincinnati are tipped to cover in Super Bowl LVI.

The Bengals have thrived in the role of underdog in the playoffs and are playing well in all three phases.

Los Angeles, meanwhile, have made hard work of their last two wins and have been unreliable against the spread at SoFi Stadium.

The Rams do have a loaded roster, but Cincy are backed to at the very least keep this game close.

Cincinnati Bengals have covered in their last 7 games
Cincinnati Bengals have covered in 8 of their 11 games as a betting underdog
Cincinnati Bengals have covered in 8 of their 10 road games
2 of Cincinnati Bengal’s 3 road losses were by less than 4 points
Los Angeles Rams have covered in just 3 of their last 8 home games
Los Angeles Rams have covered in only 7 of their 17 games as a betting favourite

Head To Head

Cincinnati Bengals lead the all-time series 8-6
Los Angeles Rams won 24-10 when the teams last met in October 2019

Los Angeles Rams Recent Form

Los Angeles missed out on the #1 seed after losing in Week 18, but that did not prevent them from making it to the Super Bowl on their home turf.

The Rams bounced back from the loss to San Francisco in the regular season finale with a 34-11 win over Arizona on Super Wildcard Weekend.

They then followed that up with an upset win over defending champions Tampa Bay on the road.

LA took a 27-3 lead midway through the third quarter, only to suffer a huge collapse that allowed the Buccaneers to come storming back.

The Bucs tied it at 27-27 when Leonard Fournette rushed in from nine yards with only 42 seconds to go.

That was enough time for Matthew Stafford though, and he guided the Rams into range for Matt Gay to convert a game-winning field goal as time expired.

That set up NFC Championship Game clash with San Francisco, who had won each of the last six meetings.

The 49ers looked like they could be on course to make it seven-in-a-row when George Kittle’s touchdown gave them a 17-7 lead into the fourth.

LA fought back though and Cooper Kupp hauled in a TD catch before Gay drilled home a 40-yarder and a 30-yard to give the Rams a 20-17 lead with just under two minutes remaining.

Travin Howard then sealed the win when he picked off Jimmy Garoppolo 30 seconds later.

QB Stafford has thrown for 905 yards, six touchdowns and an interception through Los Angeles’ three playoff games so far.

Kupp, as he was during the regular season, has been his favourite target, hauling in 25 of his 32 targets for 386 yards and four TDs.

Odell Beckham Jr has started to make an impact in the passing game too and he has 236 yards and a score through three postseason games so far.

Cam Akers, despite his two fumbles against Tampa, remains the lead back and now has 213 yards from scrimmage in this season’s playoffs.

Defensively the Rams have been shutting down the opposition’s run game, keeping all three postseason opponents below 62 yards on the ground.

Aaron Donald, Von Miller & Co. are also allowing just 18.3 points per game in the postseason so far.

Cincinnati Bengals Recent Form

Cincinnati have completed their remarkable run to the Super Bowl and they have done it in impressive style.

The Bengals clinched the AFC North title despite losing three of their final six games, and they have showed their nerve through three close playoff games.

Their sole home game in the postseason saw them fend off Las Vegas in a 26-19 victory at Paul Brown Stadium.

That earned them a trip to Nashville to face the #1 seeds, Tennessee, and as I predicted they pulled off the upset.

Defeat or overtime appeared to be on the cards when the Titans held the ball with just under 30 seconds to.

However, Logan Wilson picked off Ryan Tannehill and Joe Burrow then hit Ja’Marr Chase to give Evan McPherson a shot at a 52-yard walk-off field goal.

McPherson held his nerve to snatch a 19-16 winner, and it would not be the last time in Cincy’s run to the Super Bowl that the kicker was called upon.

The AFC Championship Game saw them visit a Kansas City team that they beat in the regular season, but the Chiefs looked set for revenge early on.

KC raced out to a 21-3 lead midway through the second quarter before Samaje Perine found the endzone to get Cincinnati back in the game.

The Chiefs then passed up on the chance to kick a field goal before halftime as they failed to add another touchdown before the break.

That came back to haunt them as Cincinnati reeled off 14 unanswered points to go 24-21 up in the fourth quarter.

The defense then held firm to deny Kansas City a game-winning touchdown and force a kick to take the game into overtime.

The Bengals lost the coin toss, but Vonn Bell picked off Patrick Mahomes in OT and the trio of Burrow, Joe Mixon and Tee Higgins took the visitors into field goal range.

That gave McPherson the chance for another postseason winner and he sent his 31-yard field goal through the uprights to clinch a 27-24 victory.

QB Burrow has thrown for 842 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions in his playoff debut.

Ja’Marr Chase had a quiet game against KC but he did score his first postseason touchdown and he does now have 279 yards receiving and 28 rushing yards off five carries.

Tee Higgins was Burrow’s go-to-guy as the Chiefs focused on stopping Chase, and he took his postseason tally to 209 yards off 23 receptions.

And in the backfield, Mixon remains a hugely important weapon for this Cincinnati offense. He has 296 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown.

It has not all been about offense either – the Bengals defense have allowed 19.7 points per game in the playoffs so far while racking up seven takeaways.