The Los Angeles Rams became just the second team to win the Super Bowl at their home stadium after they came from behind to beat the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20 to lift the Vince Lombardi trophy for the first time since 2000.
Super Bowl LVI first half
Both defences started in good form as the Bengals forced Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford to punt on his first Super Bowl drive, but his opposite number Joe Burrows gave the ball back quickly after failing to convert on fourth down.
Stafford soon found his feet and opened the scoring when he threw an arcing ball to his star receiver Odell Beckham Jr. for a 17-yard touchdown after Cooper Kupp had found some room down the left wing for a 20-yard gain.
Ja’Marr Chase, still in his rookie season, then produced a moment of magic as he somehow drove and caught a 46-yard pass to bring the Bengals to the 11-yard line. Kicker Evan McPherson then put the Ohio side on the board with a field goal.
Stafford returned to the field and marched up it with passes to Beckham and Darrell Henderson to make 60 yards in just two receptions. He threw his second touchdown pass of the game to Kupp from 11 yards out to establish a 10-point lead early in the second quarter.
After a nervy start, Burrow found his accuracy and led his team down the field with some neat passing before running back Joe Mixon threw the ball to Tee Higgins from 14 yards out to score the Bengals first touchdown and reduce the scoreline to 13-10.
Beckham Jr. then had to come out of the game after his leg appeared to buckle with no one around him. The Rams seemed affected by the injury and Stafford immediately threw an interception to Jessie Bates III with two minutes of the half remaining.
The famed half-time performance didn’t disappoint as Dr Dre, Snoop Dogg and Mary J. Blige helped Eminem, 50 Cent and Kendrick Lamar headline an unforgettable show.
Super Bowl LVI second half
The Bengals came out for the second half looking energised and within 12 seconds had taken the lead. Burrow launched the ball up field to Higgins for a 75-yard touchdown and, despite calls for a facemask pull from Jalen Ramsey, the receiver sauntered into the end zone for a 17-13 lead.
Ten seconds later, the Bengals had the ball back as Stafford saw his pass to Ben Skowronek tipped up and intercepted by Chidobe Awuzie in midfield, which allowed McPherson to kick for another three points to make it 20-13.
Stafford recovered from a rocky start to the third quarter and led the Rams to the 30-yard line before Matt Gay reduced the deficit to just four points.
The Bengals offence struggled to keep up its electric start and the writing on the wall started to appear when Burrow seemed to get injured in the fourth quarter as he was sacked for a seventh time.
With only two minutes left of the game Stafford finally got a drive going and, after a series of fouls by the Bengals’ defence, found Kupp again with 90 seconds left on the clock to give the Rams a 23-20 lead.
The Bengals’ lost their last chance at salvaging something from the game when Burrow was sacked with just 40 seconds left by Aaron Donald on fourth down and the team from California erupted in celebration.
The Bengals left the field with their hearts broken as the Rams became just the second team to win the Super Bowl in their own city.
By Joshua Stewart
