Super Bowl LVI, the triumph of the Los Angeles Rams! The Cincinnati Bengals defeated 23-20

The Rams triumph at home, like Tampa 12 months ago. They win Super Bowl 56 in a sprint, as favorites, over Cincinnati, with lots of thrills and at least one favorable and questionable referee call. At SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles it ends 23-20. The touchdown on the Stafford-Kupp axis decides the refrain of the triumphant season of a team built to win immediately. The all in franchise, with the crucial additions in progress by Beckham and Von Miller, paid off. The return to California, after the recent past in Saint Louis, crowned by confetti right on the stage of Inglewood.

The three tenors

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Matt Stafford manages to do what Goff missed in the grand final as a quarterback for the Rams three years ago: win a match in the balance at the photo finish. He consecrated himself as champion at 34: he had never won a playoff match before, he won 4 in a row: superb and icy with everything in the balance, against Tampa, San Francisco and precisely Cincy. Cooper Kupp, former offensive player of the year, wins the MVP by seizing the last decisive attack drive: 5 touches, 46 yards and the decisive goal, his second match, the staple on a sumptuous performance from 92 yards of took. Aaron Donald, arguably the best NFL defender, wins his first title by signing the last play of the game: derailing the Bengals’ fourth down midfield, putting his hands on Burrow. Betrayed, as was easy to predict, by his offensive line, that he conceded 7 sacks. Donald, Von Miller, Floyd: it was a manhunt, the technical key to Coach McVay’s boys’ success in a defensive Super Bowl.

Regrets Bengals

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The revelation was ahead up to 1’25 “from the end of a memorable season. Joe Burrow didn’t shiver, Chase and Higgins placed key plays in attack, Coach Taylor rummaged through Mary Poppins’ bag of tricks, pulling out a Joe Mixon touchdown pass, the excellent running back. And the defense suffered madly with Beckham on the pitch, but after his injury held up. Until the final, when at the most beautiful, thanks to at least one penalty that will make people talk, and three consecutive against, in a game in which very few yellow handkerchiefs had been seen, she gave up. The team core is young. If his attacking line is improved, Burrow will have more chances at the Super Bowl.

The match

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Stafford starts strong 9/10 for two tries, first for Beckham and then for Kupp. 13-3 after the additional unconverted point. But the Bengals are holding on to the game with plan B, or maybe Z: Mixon’s throw for Higgins: 6 yards and 6 points. An impromptu Philly Special that allowed the Eagles to surprise New England at the 2018 Super Bowl. Cincy doesn’t give up. With 4 ‘to play in the second quarter, Beckham then hurts his left knee. His game ends prematurely. A mockery. 13-10 at the interval. The Rams are deadly when ahead halfway through the game: Coach McVay is now 48-1 under these circumstances. At the usual interval, a spectacular musical show, this time in a hip hop theme. With Snoop Dog, 50 cent, Dr Dre, Kendrick Lamar, Eminem and Mary J. Blige. Certainly there is no lack of energy. LeBron James, at the match, is enthusiastic about it, he says.

I reach out to Cincy

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12 seconds of the second half and Cincinnati puts the arrow. Higgins got rid of Ramsey’s bads, with a face mask penalty that had to be called, and Burrow triggers him for 75 yards and the 17-13 touchdown: Bengals ahead for the first time. Another 10 seconds, and another crucial game. Stafford is intercepted by Awuzie after Skowronek drops. McPherson’s kick from 38 is worth 20-13. The Rams react: Gay’s football from 41 yards shortens the distance: 20-16.

Defense and Kupp

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It is the recipe with which the Rams made their own Super Bowl. Now Burrow piles up sacks one after the other, and finds himself with a sore right knee. In the last offensive drive the Rams play a 4th down & 1 on their 30. Not closing it would mean seeing the opponents celebrate: Kupp runs and extends it. Then a slight withholding from Wilson to Kupp avoids the Rams a further dramatic fourth down and becomes via flag pioneer of the usual Stafford-Kupp co-production masterpiece. For just a yard, but the most important of their careers. Double overtaking, with 1’25 “to play. Burrow has 2 time outs, Cincy arrives in the middle of the field, but does not close the 4th down with 1 yard to take. Donald has the last word, the Rams have the last word.