The Cincinnati Bengals and the Los Angeles Rams are set to face off this Sunday at SoFi Stadium in Super Bowl 56. The two teams in this year’s matchup couldn’t be more different. 

The Bengals, led by quarterback Joe Burrow and star rookie wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, defied all odds to reach the Super Bowl. 

The Rams, on the other hand, were one of the favorites to reach the Super Bowl at the beginning of the season with the off-season acquisition of Matthew Stafford and an elite receiving core that includes the NFL’s leading receiver Cooper Kupp. 

As we get ready for Super Bowl LVI, here are some keys for the big game for each team:

Cincinnati Bengals: 

The Bengals have made it to the Super Bowl with excellent offense and are poised to bring a Super Bowl title to the city of Cincinnati for the first time ever. Before this season, the Bengals had not won a playoff game since 1990. The keys for the Cincinnati Bengals in this game are what got them to this point in the first place: Burrow and the red-hot Bengal offense. 

Burrow has set franchise records for Cincinnati this year in passing yards (4,616) and touchdowns (34), which helped propel the Bengals to a division title, conference championship and now a possible Super Bowl victory.

Burrow will need to continue to play at his best in the Super Bowl for the Bengals to end their magical season with a title. 

The Bengals’ weakness in this matchup – as it has been all season – is their offensive line. While the line has improved, Burrow has still been taking big hits throughout the regular season and playoffs and will most likely be taking hits on Sunday against one of the league’s best defenses. Burrow’s ability to move out of the pocket and scramble for extra yards will be a key on crucial third-downs, especially if this game is close late in the fourth quarter.

Los Angeles Rams:

The Rams, at the beginning of the season, were one of the favorites out of the NFC to make it to the Super Bowl. The off-season trade for Stafford, mid-season trades and signings for Odell Beckham Jr. and Von Miller and the league leader in receiving yards in Kupp have helped propel LA to where it stands now.

The Rams are looking to win their first Super Bowl since 1999 when they were back in St Louis. The ultimate key for a Super Bowl win for the Rams is the play of Stafford. Before these playoffs, many critics doubted Stafford’s ability to perform at a winning level in the playoffs, due to his reputation of not winning a single playoff game in his 12 years in Detroit. Stafford’s ability to keep the Rams’ offense moving downfield with Kupp, Beckham Jr. and Van Jefferson will be key in late drives in the fourth quarter. 

The Rams have one of the best defenses in the league led by Aaron Donald and Miller. Their ability to pressureBurrow in the pocket and force sacks will stop Cincinnati’s offense from getting in a rhythm.

Prediction:     

This year’s NFL playoffs have been one of the more entertaining playoffs that we have seen in a while, and many are expecting the Super Bowl to live up to the hype. 

This game will be a shootout with multiple lead changes heading late into the fourth quarter. The difference, in the end, will be the Rams’ defense.

Rams 34, Bengals 30