The Los Angeles Rams defeated the Cincinnati Bengals, 23-20, in Super Bowl LVI on their home turf at SoFi Stadium, proving that their “Super Bowl or bust” attitude can be successful. Since acquiring Matthew Stafford in the offseason, the Rams have prioritized winning now over future draft picks and acquisitions. Today, the risk paid off as the Rams won their first Super Bowl since 1999 and their second in franchise history.
The Rams were trailing, 20-13, in the third quarter. But the defense stepped up, recording a record-tying seven sacks in the second half alone to stifle Joe Burrow and the Bengals offense. Stafford got the ball back with just over six minutes left to play in the game and led the Rams all the way down the field in a 15-play drive before connecting with Cooper Kupp for a 1-yard touchdown. The Bengals got the ball back with 1:25 left in the game, but the Rams defense managed one more stop to secure the victory.
This was the Bengals’ first Super Bowl appearance since the 1988 season. They are now 0-3 in Super Bowl appearances.
The Rams are the second team in as many seasons to win a Lombardi Trophy on their home turf. For Stafford, a 13-year veteran, the Super Bowl victory comes in his first season with the Rams and is the first of his career. Sean McVay becomes the youngest coach in history to win a Super Bowl.
Rams vs. Bengals final score, results, highlights
Final score: Los Angeles Rams 23, Cincinnati Bengals 20
4th quarter, 1:25 (LAR): Cooper Kupp Pass From Matthew Stafford for 1 Yard, M.Gay extra point is GOOD, Center-M.Orzech, Holder-J.Hekker.
3rd quarter, 6:02 (LAR): Matt Gay Made 41 Yrd Field Goal
3rd quarter, 10:15 (CIN): Evan McPherson Made 38 Yrd Field Goal
3rd quarter, 14:48 (CIN): Tee Higgins Pass From Joe Burrow for 75 Yrds, E.McPherson extra point is GOOD, Center-C.Harris, Holder-K.Huber.
2nd quarter, 5:47 (CIN): Tee Higgins Pass From Joe Mixon for 6 Yrds, E.McPherson extra point is GOOD, Center-C.Harris, Holder-K.Huber.
2nd quarter, 12:56 (LAR): Cooper Kupp Pass From Matthew Stafford for 11 Yrds
1st quarter, 0:31 (CIN): Evan McPherson Made 29 Yrd Field Goal
1st quarter, 6:22 (LAR): Odell Beckham Jr. Pass From Matthew Stafford for 17 Yrds, M.Gay extra point is GOOD
Rams vs. Bengals reaction and coverage
10:00 p.m. ET: And the Rams, a team built to win it all, win Super Bowl LVI on their home turf, 23-20!
9:57 p.m. ET: With 43 seconds left, the Bengals go for it on 4th and 1. Donald comes up with the sack to force the Bengals off the field.
AARON. DONALD!
(Via: @NFL)pic.twitter.com/HlAThUAhQF
— Super Bowl LVI on NBC (@SNFonNBC) February 14, 2022
9:51 p.m. ET: On the 15th play of the drive, Stafford connects with Kupp for a 1-yard touchdown in the top right corner of the endzone.
COOPER KUPP! RAMS ON TOP. #RamsHouse
📺: NBC, @Telemundo and @peacockTV
💻: https://t.co/g9yXNYTroJ pic.twitter.com/9NaCR5L1Js— Super Bowl LVI on NBC (@SNFonNBC) February 14, 2022
Bengals get the ball back with 1:25 left to play.
9:46 p.m. ET: On third-and-8 on the Cincinnati 8-yard line, a holding penalty on the Bengals allows the Rams to convert the first down.
Stafford connects with Kupp on a four-yard pass in the endzone but penalties on both teams offset and the Rams repeat the first down.
9:42 p.m. ET: And Stafford connects with who else but Kupp once again for a 22-yard pass. The Rams continue to drive down the field as we approach the two-minute warning.
Kupp has three catches on this drive alone and 91 yards on the day.
9:40 p.m. ET: And it’s the Rams’ turn to make a gutsy call as they elect to go for it on 4th and 1 on their own 30-yard line. Kupp converts the first down with a seven-yard run. Less than four minutes to play in the game.
9:30 p.m. ET: Burrow is back on the field for the Bengals’ next possession. But the Bengals punt for their fourth straight possession.
9:20m p.m. ET: And the Rams’ seventh sack of the game causes Burrow to limp off the field. That ties the record for the most sacks in a game – a record set by Roger Staubach in Super Bowl X.
The Rams get the ball back.
9:05 p.m. ET: And Von Miller sacks Burrow for the SIXTH sack by the Rams defensive line in the game. One of the biggest questions heading into this game was how the Bengals offensive line would hold up against the Rams pass rush. The Bengals offensive line held up a strong front in the first half, but the Rams defense is finding the holes.
Five of the Rams’ six sacks have come in the second half. Seven is the record for a team in a single Super Bowl.
That brings us to the end of the third quarter.
Von Miller comes up BIG for the @RamsNFL.
📺: NBC, @Telemundo and @peacockTV
💻: https://t.co/g9yXNYTroJ(Via: @NFL)pic.twitter.com/rOvDn8MTli
— Super Bowl LVI on NBC (@SNFonNBC) February 14, 2022
9:00 p.m. ET: Beckham has officially been downgraded to OUT with a knee injury, per the Rams.
8:52 p.m. ET: The Rams get fancy and have Kupp throw a pass to Stafford down the right sideline on third down, but are unable to make the play. L.A. settles for a field goal and pulls to within four, scoring for the first time since the first quarter.
8:40 p.m. ET: Momentum trends towards the Bengals as Stafford’s pass to Ben Skowronek is intercepted by Chidobe Awuzie. Keeping the pedal to the medal, the Bengals elect to go for it on 4th and 1 and this time, they convert successfully thanks to a run by Burrow up the middle.
Aaron Donald comes up with a big sack for a loss of nine yards to force the Bengals to kick a field goal. McPherson converts the 38-yard kick and extends the Bengals’ lead to 20-13. McPherson is now tied with Adam Vinatieri with the most field goals made in a single postseason with 14.
McPherson is the coolest under pressure.
.@McPherson_Evan is living his best life.@Bengals | #SBLVI pic.twitter.com/YMo9aE4p5z
— Super Bowl LVI on NBC (@SNFonNBC) February 14, 2022
8:36 p.m. ET: 12 seconds!!!
That’s how long it takes for Burrow to find Higgins on a 75-yard touchdown pass to open the second half. The Bengals take their first lead of the game.
75 YARDS TO OPEN THE HALF! BENGALS ON TOP. #RuleItAll
📺: NBC, @Telemundo and @peacockTV
💻: https://t.co/g9yXNYTroJ(Via: @NFL)pic.twitter.com/VDDqDxYai3
— Super Bowl LVI on NBC (@SNFonNBC) February 14, 2022
8:24 p.m. ET: Now that was fun. But back to the game.
The Rams are 47-1 when leading at the half, including the playoffs, with McVay as the head coach.
But the Bengals are no stranger to mounting a comeback. They trailed the Chiefs, 21-10, in halftime of the AFC Championship game and came all the way back to win.
ICONIC. #SBLVI pic.twitter.com/hwSI1rRY5q
— Super Bowl LVI on NBC (@SNFonNBC) February 14, 2022
8:10 p.m. ET: It’s THAT time.
What's going on here? 👀 #SBLVI
📺 : @nbc , @peacockTV , @Telemundo pic.twitter.com/QhHM1TS7tz— Super Bowl LVI on NBC (@SNFonNBC) February 14, 2022
7:59 p.m. ET: Some halftime stats…
The Rams lead, 13-10, at the half. Cincinnati converted nine first downs and L.A. converted eight. The rams recorded 184 yards in the first half and the Bengals collected 155. The run game lacked for both teams in the first half as the Rams ran for 26 yards and the Bengals rushed for 43 yards.
Stafford was 12 of 18 for 165 yards, two touchdowns and one interception in the half. Burrow was 12 of 18 for 114 yards.
The Rams controlled the time of possession battle, 16:10 vs. 13:50 for the Bengals.
7:56 p.m. ET: The Rams get the ball back with 30 seconds left in the half and one timeout remaining, but are unable to make anything happen. Both teams are headed to the locker room.
Beckham is listed as questionable at this point.
7:45 p.m. ET: Stafford tries to connect on the deep ball with Van Jefferson in the end zone, but the pass is intercepted by the Bengals’ Jessie Bates III. Bates had just one interception in the regular season, but continues his strong postseason today.
Stafford was tied for the league lead in interceptions in the regular season with 17. This is the first turnover of the game and it takes us to the two-minute warning.
7:40 p.m. ET: Beckham drops a pass over the middle of the field and comes up grabbing his left knee. He walks off the field with some help and is in the medical tent.
7:32 p.m. ET: And the Bengals respond quickly! Instead of relying on deep passing plays as they often do, the Bengals methodically drive down the field to set up a six-yard touchdown pass from Joe Mixon to Tee Higgins. The scoring drive is 12 plays, 75 yards and eats up over seven minutes of clock.
Mixon it up at QB at #SBLVI! pic.twitter.com/skDNq8BHFi
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) February 14, 2022
7:20 p.m. ET: Following Burrow’s explosive pass to Chase, the Rams respond with deep passing plays of their own to Beckham and Darrell Henderson. Then, Stafford connects with Kupp in the back right corner of the end zone to extend their lead. After a failed two-point conversion attempt by the Rams, the score stands at 13-3.
Friendly reminder that the Rams have already scored more points than they did against the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LIII in which they lost 13-3.
Cooper Kupp's EPIC season continues! #SBLVI
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💻: https://t.co/g9yXNYTroJ(Via: @NFL)pic.twitter.com/rOgkvehgcc
— Super Bowl LVI on NBC (@SNFonNBC) February 14, 2022
7:10 p.m. ET: Tee Higgins drops Burrow’s pass over the middle in the end zone. The ever-reliable Evan McPherson converts a 29-yard field goal to put the Bengals on the board.
7:07 p.m. ET: And one of the anticipated matchups of this game is put on display: Offensive Rookie of the Year Ja’Marr Chase vs. Pro Bowler Jalen Ramsey. Chase makes a one-handed 46-yard catch in man coverage against Ramsey to set the Bengals up on the 11-yard line.
THE DYNAMIC DUO! BURROW TO CHASE. 💪
📺: NBC, @Telemundo and @peacockTV
💻: https://t.co/g9yXNYTroJ(Via: @NFL)pic.twitter.com/kwSgn7MSba
— Super Bowl LVI on NBC (@SNFonNBC) February 14, 2022
6:50 p.m. ET: Cooper Kupp, who won the receiving Triple Crown in the regular season with the most receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns, makes his catch of the game as he hauls in a 20-yard pass from Stafford. The play sets up a 17-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to Odell Beckham Jr. down the sideline. OBJ now has seven receiving touchdowns since joining the Rams in November, including the playoffs. That equals Beckham’s total touchdowns scored in his three seasons with the Browns.
And the Rams strike first!
Welcome to the #SuperBowl, @obj!
The @RamsNFL strike first in #SBLVI.
📺: NBC, @Telemundo and @peacockTV
💻: https://t.co/g9yXNYTroJ pic.twitter.com/WUCtgSRJkn— Super Bowl LVI on NBC (@SNFonNBC) February 13, 2022
6:43 p.m. ET: On their first offensive possession of the game, the Bengals establish their aggressiveness by going for it on 4th and 1. They are unable to convert and the Rams get the ball at midfield.
6:35 p.m. ET: The Rams get the ball first on offense. Trey Hendrickson, who recorded 14 sacks in the regular season, records the first sack of the game to force a third and long that the Rams are unable to convert. Burrow takes the field.
Welcome to the #SuperBowl, Trey Hendrickson! #RuleItAll
(Via: @NFL) pic.twitter.com/wvOlYkfFXd
— Super Bowl LVI on NBC (@SNFonNBC) February 13, 2022
6:25 p.m. ET: Billie Jean King flips the coin and it is…heads! The Bengals win the toss and defer.
The last seven teams to win the coin toss in the Super Bowl have gone on to lose the game.
6:16 p.m. ET: Some firsts to consider…
Tonight will mark the first time two quarterbacks with losing regular season records meet in the Super Bowl. Matthew Stafford is 86-95-1 in the regular season and Joe Burrow is 12-13-1.
This Super Bowl will also feature the youngest coaches in Super Bowl history in Sean McVay (36) and Zac Taylor (38). This is McVay’s second Super Bowl appearance and the first for Taylor. Both are seeking their first Lombardi Trophy.
6:10 p.m. ET: The Rock welcomes us to “Super Gold Sunday,” the biggest night in sports!
Welcome to Super Gold Sunday: The biggest game of the year AND the biggest spectacle in sports – both on the same day.
And it all starts NOW on @NBC, @PeacockTV, and @Telemundo.
#SBLVI | #WinterOlympics | @TheRock pic.twitter.com/ccLB0z7ur3— Super Bowl LVI on NBC (@SNFonNBC) February 13, 2022
5:55 p.m. ET: The Rams are the favorites for the NBC team. Will the Bengals prove them wrong?
The #SuperBowl picks are IN!#RamsHouse | #RuleItAll pic.twitter.com/jH22tEQkv5
— Super Bowl LVI on NBC (@SNFonNBC) February 13, 2022
5:47 p.m. ET: The stars are in attendance! LeBron James, Magic Johnson, Sean Penn and Matt Damon have all been spotted at SoFi Stadium.
5:34 p.m. ET: Super Bowl LVI is about to kick off. Tune in to live to watch Mickey Guyton sing the national anthem soon.
"If he wins a #SuperBowl, there's a strong possibility that he could walk away from the game and retire."
Rodney Harrison on Aaron Donald and his future in football. #RamsHouse pic.twitter.com/tFzkHz8Axc
— Super Bowl LVI on NBC (@SNFonNBC) February 13, 2022
Who wins today? pic.twitter.com/FvSXPKBMLW
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) February 13, 2022
Who is playing Super Bowl halftime show 2022?
This year’s halftime show performance is expected to be one to remember. The cast of stars includes Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, and Kendrick Lamar.
Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, and Kendrick Lamar have released a total of 22 number one Billboard albums and have won 44 combined Grammy Awards. Eminem leads the way with 15 of his own while Kendrick Lamar has 13, Mary J. Blige has 9 and Dr. Dre has 7. The 2022 NFL Super Bowl Halftime Show will mark the first time the five artists perform on stage together.
What time and channel is the Bengals vs. Rams game on?
Coverage of the Cincinnati Bengals vs. the Los Angeles Rams game will start at 6:00 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock. Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth will call tonight’s game with Michele Tafoya and Kathryn Tappen as the sideline reporters.
RELATED: How to watch Super Bowl 2022: Live streaming options, TV channel, Peacock info
If you don’t have access to NBC via your TV provider, you can stream Super Bowl 2022 on Peacock with a $4.99/month Peacock Premium plan. Sign up here or, if you already have a free Peacock account, go to your Account settings to upgrade or change your existing plan.
