Super Bowl LVI news summary: 7 February
Super Bowl LVI: live build-up to Rams vs Bengals
Super Bowl LVI: headlines
- Rams' tight end Tyler Higbee likely out of training this week
- Los Angeles Rams face Cincinnati Bengals at SoFi Stadium on Sunday
- Rams only the second team ever to play Super Bowl at home stadium
- Rams chasing second Super Bowl win, Bengals yet to lift Vince Lombardi Trophy
- Rams favourites in the betting
Super Bowl LVI: useful information
- Covid-19 restrictions at SoFi Stadium
- Where to buy tickets and how much they cost
Super Bowl-related articles:
Joe Burrow and the Bengals are a game away from their first Super Bowl title in franchise history after taking down the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship. Cincinnati has won the conference before, but if they beat the Los Angeles Rams this weekend it will be a history making day for the Queen City.
Burrow turns fate of Cincinnati franchise around
Coming off of a 4-11-1 year in which the face of the franchise went down with a season ending knee surgery, not much was expected from the Bengals in 2021. Joe Burrow bounced back better than ever in his sophomore campaign, while Joe Mixon had an All-Pro year and the defense looked better than it has in decades.
The City of Cincinnati has been starved of a championship since 1990, when the Cincinnati Reds defeated the Oakland A’s in game four of the World Series. The Bengals have a chance to bring home the hardware more than two decades later with a win over the Rams Super Bowl Sunday.
One thing is for sure, the old school, generational fans will be delighted Los Angeles won the NFC Championship and not the San Francisco 49ers. Let me explain.
Niners had Bengals number in the 80's
As mentioned before, the Bengals have only gone to the Super Bowl twice in their history. The 80’s were a Golden Age of sorts for the Bengals. They got past the Conference Championship twice that decade, once with Ken Anderson under center and once with Boomer Esiason as the signal caller.
Cincy’s first trip to the Super Bowl, in the 1981 season, was a frigid one. It was one of the few title games that were played outside of a tropical destination.
After finishing the regular season 12-4, clinching the AFC Central and earning the right to host the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional Round of the playoffs. They edged the Bills 28-21 to move on to the conference championship against the San Diego Chargers. That was a bit easier for Ken Anderson and the Bengals who cruised 27-7 punching their ticket to Pontiac Michigan for the Super Bowl.
Coldest Super Bowl in history
The game was known as the Freezer Bowl because temperatures dropped down to -9° F with the wind chill plummeting to -59° F.
Anderson, the league’s MVP that year, outshined Joe Montana in the subzero temperatures, but the Niners forced four turnovers which lead to the Bengals downfall. Joe Montana threw a touchdown pass and ran for another to build a 20-0 halftime lead.
Cincinnati tried to mount a comeback late in the game, but ran out of time. They scored a touchdown with 16 seconds to bring San Francisco within five points, but the onside kick was recovered by the Niners and they went on to win 26-21, lifting the Lombardi Trophy for the first Super Bowl in franchise history.
Esaison takes Bengals back to Super Sunday
The next trip to the Super Bowl came seven years later. Again the Bengals would meet the Niners in the title game, and again they would have to watch as San Francisco celebrated their third championship that decade.
A year before their second trip to the Super Bowl, the Bengals went 4-11. NFL MVP Boomer Esiason and Cincinnati had a remarkable bounce back the next year going 12-4 and clinching home field throughout the playoffs.
The beat the Seattle Seahawks 21-13 in the Conference Championship back when the Seahawks were in the AFC. Esaison was shut down by the Seahawks defense, but the Bengals rushed for 254 yards to advance to the AFC Title game.
Esaison struggled again in the next game against the Buffalo Bills, throwing for under 100 yards and getting picked off twice. The run game came to the rescue yet again, totaling two touchdowns and 175 yards on the ground.
Another one possession heart breaker for Bengals
The Niners awaited the Bengals in Super Bowl XXIII. Neither team scored a touchdown in the first half of the game in Miami. After exchanging field goals in the first two quarters, the Bengals took the lead 13-10 going into the last quarter after a 93 yard Stanford Jennings kickoff return for a touchdown.
In the fourth quarter, Joe Montana took the game in his hands down 16-13 with under three minutes to go. The game winning drive was capped off when Montana hit John Taylor for the go ahead touchdown with 32 seconds left in the game.
Again the Bengals were a possession short of lifting their first Super Bowl trophy.
The good news for Bengals fans is the Niners won’t be on the other side of the ball on Super Bowl Sunday. The city of Cincinnati can break a two decade long championship drought with a win over the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, February 13th from Sofi Stadium.
Rams bring in the best to beat the rest
These three guys, OBJ, Vonn Miller and Aaron Donald might be the best players at their position, and after the Rams' midseason moves, they all play on the same team.
Whitney steals the show in SB XXV
There will never be a National Anthem like Whitney Houston's befoer the Bills vs. Giants game in 1991
The Los Angeles Rams are a win away from hoisting the Lombardi Trophy, and they couldn’t have picked a better year to return to the Super Bowl stage. They will have a chance to win their second NFL title in franchise history under the comfort of their own roof when they play the Cincinnati Bengals at Sofi Stadium this Sunday.
Rams "All In" for Super Bowl LVI
The Rams have had success getting passed the NFC Championship in the last couple of decades, but they have come up short in their last three Super Bowls.
This year, the Los Angeles front office assembled a super team, with just one thing in mind: Not just making Super Bowl Sunday, but winning it all in the city they call home.
Before Matthew Stafford was brought in last offseason, before Odell Beckham Jr. and Vonn Miller were traded for in the middle of the season, the Rams made their first title game in 1979 season.
Rams have already played a Super Bowl in LA
After a 9-7 regular season that year, the Rams snuck into the playoffs and then stunned the Dallas Cowboys as heavy underdogs. They then went on to blank the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 9-0 in the NFC Championship to earn a trip to their first Super Bowl.
“Trip” might be an exaggeration. The Rams didn’t have to leave Los Angeles to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XIV. The game against the defending champion Steelers would be played at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, which didn’t serve as the Rams home stadium at the time, but was a stones throw away form the LA Coliseum.
Despite being big underdogs heading into Super Bowl Sunday, the Rams lead by ten at half, and were up 19-17 going into the final quarter. Terry Bradshaw and the Steelers scored two unanswered touchdowns in the last fifteen minutes to become the first team to ever repeat as Super Bowl Champions.
Warner brings Rams to glory
It would be 20 years before the Rams would get back to the Super Bowl. By that time, the franchise had moved to St. Louis and invested all of their trust in a former grocery store worker named Kurt Warner.
Warner, Marshall Faulk and Isaac Bruce turned the Rams into what would later be know as the “Greatest Show on Turf.” Warner would sweep through the NFC after going 13-3 in the regular season. They beat the Vikings in a shootout, and then outlasted the Buccaneers in the NFC Championship to make the first Super Bowl of the new millennium.
The Rams first and only Super Bowl win would be one of the most memorable finishes in the history or the league. The St. Louis defense almost let a 16-0 lead over the Tennessee Titans go to waste. After the Titans tied it up, Warner hit Bruce for a 73 yard touchdown right after the two minute warning to take a touchdown advantage.
Steve McNair marched the Titans down the field and had a a chance to tie the game up with six seconds left. On the last play of the game McNair hit Kevin Dyson, who was stopped at the one yard line with a spectacular tackle for Mike Jones.
A defensive stop won the first Super Bowl ever for the Rams and a team whose offense was called the “Greatest Show on Turf” was bailed out by their a game saving tackle.
Brady and Pats get best of Rams
The Rams were arguably a better team two years later, when they went 14-2 in the 2001 regular season with the same core to build around. Kurt Warner won his second MVP award that season, and St. Louis had the top seed in the NFC.
They crushed Brett Favre and Green Bay Packers in the Divisional Round of the playoffs and then squeaked by the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship.
They would face New England for a chance to win their second Super Bowl in three years, but would go up against another up and coming dynasty.
The Rams potent offense was held to just three points through the first three quarters. Despite totaling 427 yards, almost 200 more than the Pats that night, the Rams struggled to score after committing three turnovers that led to 17 points for the Tom Brady’s boys.
Two Rams Touchdowns in the final quarter tied the game up with 90 seconds to go in the game, but that was just enough time for Brady to drive the Pats down the field and set up a game-winning 48-yard Adam Vinatieri field goal time expired.
Back in LA and back to the Super Bowl
Two years after moving the franchise back to Los Angeles the Rams were in the Super Bowl yet again. Jared Goff led Sean McVay’s Rams to a 13-3 regular season record, clinching a first round bye in the playoffs going into the 2018 playoffs.
Running back Todd Gurley came back from a leg injury in time for the Rams 30-22 win over the Dallas Cowboys. Their next game would be seeped in controversy after LA defensive back Nickell Robey-Coleman looked to have committed a pass interference call late in the fourth quarter that wasn’t called.
The game went overtime and Steve Zuerlein moved the the Rams on to the Super Bowl with a 57 yard field goal to set up a Super Bowl rematch with the New England Patriots.
It would turnout to be the lowest scoring Super Bowl in league history. It was 3-3 going into the fourth quarter, but the Patriots finally turned on the offense scoring 10 unanswered points to wrap up their sixth Lombardi Trophy in franchise history.
The Rams will now have a chance to win their second Super Bowl in franchise history, and their first as the Los Angeles Rams. Kickoff will from Sofi Stadium is set for 6 p.m. ET on February 13th.
Tigers for life
Former LSU Tigers teammates Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham Jr. caught up before OBJ takes the field in his first Super Bowl on Sunday
Burrow could become the first player ever to win a Heisman, a National Championship and a Super Bowl, and he can do it all in a span of three years.
Mathew Stafford has had many firsts in his debut season with the Rams. Add this one to the list.
The headline of this weekend may be the Cincinnati Bengals taking on the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LVI, but the spotlight will be on the quarterbacks as Matthew Stafford and Joe Burrow face off in a gunslingers duel.
Both quarterbacks have taken very different paths on their way a first career trip to the Super Bowl. Matthew Stafford is a tenured veteran who has the stats, and the pedigree worthy of an NFL Champion, while new kid on the block Joe Burrow has surged on to the scene in just his second season in the NFL.
Stafford's long road to SB LVI
The Rams made no secret of their intentions for this season when they brought in Matthew Stafford to LA in March of last year. Los Angeles went “all-in” trading away their next two first round draft picks and quarterback Jeff Goff hoping that Stafford could bring the Rams to the Super Bowl in their own back yard.
The veteran had spent 12 seasons in Detroit before getting the call from Les Snead this offseason. In those 12 years Stafford put up big numbers with the help of some of the best receivers in the game, namely Mike Williams and Calvin Johnson.
While the numbers were good enough to get him to the Pro Bowl in 2014, Stafford’s legacy went no farther than the regular season. He did take the Detroit to the playoffs on three different occasions but the Lions were knocked out of the first round in each of those post seasons.
Stafford wins first playoff game, then knocks off the GOAT
The offseason move was followed by a fabulous season in which he helped his now number one target Cooper Kupp conquer the triple crown of receiving, topping the league in receptions, touchdowns and yards for a receiver. Stafford and the Rams wrapped up the NFC West on Week 18, in his debut year in LA while passing for 4,886 yards, 41 touchdowns while completing 67.2% of his passes.
Stafford and the Rams got to the post season and may have been fortunate to draw the slumping Arizona Cardinals in the Divisional Round of the playoffs. They made light work of Kyler Murray and the Cardinals, but would square up against the greatest quarterback of all time.
A game after the first playoff win in his career, Stafford would go toe-to-toe with Tom Brady, essentially thrusting him into retirement, while earning his first trip to the Super Bowl.
Burrow already blossoming
Even though he’s still got the baby face, Joe Burrow wasn’t always the Golden Boy. The kid out of Athens was the back up at Ohio State and had to transfer schools just to find playing time.
Burrow moved to the Bayou where he went 25-3 in his final two seasons leading the LSU Tigers to a National Championship victory over the Clemson Tigers in 2019. The Heisman Trophy winner would be taken as the top pick in that years NFL Draft going to a struggling Cincinnati franchise in need of a facelift.
His rookie season would not treat him too kindly. He was unable to finish the season and the Bengals won just four games last year. Burrow tore his ACL and MCL in Week 11 against the Washington Football Team and would be forced to miss the remainder of the season and a good deal of the preseason coming into his sophomore campaign.
Burrow barrels over AFC in first post season
In his first full regular season the former LSU Tiger won 10 games, throwing for 4,611 yards, 34 touchdowns while completing 70.4% of his passes. Unlike Stafford, the Bengals QB led his team to victory in his playoff debut. He went on to beat the wobbling Tennessee Titans, and the AFC favorite and the two time defending conference champion Kansas City Chiefs to bring Cincinnati back to the Super Bowl for the first time since the 1987 season.
The Rams QB1 has racked up 49,995 yards and 323 touchdowns in his thirteen year career, while the new star in Cincy has piled up 7,299 yards, and 47 touchdowns in his two years in te NFL. There may be years of experience, tens of thousands of yards, and hundreds of touchdowns separating these two quarterbacks but both will be in uncharted waters this weekend and only one will be hoisting the Lombardi Trophy from Sofi Stadium this Sunday.
The 8th Super Bowler at 40
Whitworth is expected to join a rather small club, although one that brought with it plenty of experience.
Family Kupp making this Super Bowl
Cooper's folks are readying themselves for the big game and their son spoke about how they were missing as he missed out through injury.
Super Bowl big business: half a billion worth
This Sunday's Super Bowl at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood will bring in half a billion dollars for local business in the Los Angeles region, city officials said on Monday.
At a press conference kicking off Super Bowl week, Inglewood Mayor James Butts said his city looked forward to reaping the economic benefits while hosting a 'world class event.'
'The Super Bowl means millions of dollars in economic benefits for the city, bringing thousands of out-of-town visitors -- and their credit cards and cash -- to our local hotels, restaurants, entertainment venues and retail businesses,' Butts said.
'The entire region is expected to reap about $500 million in business they would otherwise not have had.'
The championship game at the new $5.5 billion stadium marks the dawn of an exciting new era for Inglewood, Butts said. The state-of-the-art stadium is set to host College Football Playoffs next year, will likely host World Cup soccer matches in 2026, and the Olympics opening ceremony in 2028.
'The benefits for the city will compound with each subsequent event, and that starts this week,' Butts said. 'We cannot wait to support an unforgettable event.'
LA Mayor Eric Garcetti said the NFL Fan Experience, an interactive exhibit at the LA Convention Center that celebrates the league's history, broke attendance records over the weekend with 40,000 fans passing through.
'Whether you're visiting from out of town or live two blocks away, this is your convention center and this NFL Experience is great,' Garcetti said.
Peter O'Reilly, executive vice president of league events at the NFL, said the league is firmly committed to Inglewood, having established its west coast headquarters there.
'We're so proud of our partnership with Inglewood, with the community, with your school district. And that's not just during the Super Bowl, that's year round,' he said. The Los Angeles Rams take on the Cincinnati Bengals for the Lombardi Trophy on Sunday.
Super Bowl and Valentines food
This heart shaped steak pack could be a solution for many couples...
Higbee out of training
LA Rams fans will be crossing their fingers this week that Tyler Higbee can be ready for the weekend despite being unlikely to take part in the training sessions this week.
As Modesti reports, coach McVay is staying confident about him though, and also about Darrell Henderson and Sebastian Joseph-Day.
Inside the Rams-Bengals stats
None of us really know how it will play out between the Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. But that doesn’t stop us from trying to make our predictions based on what we know about past Super Bowls and how we apply it to these teams.
So, while it’s possible a fluke fumble recovery or dazzling kick return swings Sunday’s game, we did our best to look at some of the most important factors for Super Bowl victory and how it affects this specific matchup.
Mike Cole has a go at analysis the teams ahead of the game.
Super Bowl LVI predicted
There's almost no point tuning in on Sunday after getting a glimpse of the Madden prediction.
...but we likely still will, just in case!
Super Bowl and well-being
As you've likely come to expect over the years, there are a wide variety of initiatives taking place linked to the Super Bowl this week.
The Character Playbook virtual experience features panelists from around the NFL discussing the connections between mental and physical wellness.
Dez Bryant inspiration
Ja'Marr Chase speaking ahead of the big clash.
The climax to the NFL season is huge, and millions around the United States and beyond will tune in for the action plus the supporting entertainment, including the mega-star halftime show line-up. However, whether it is the biggest sporting final of the year is one that many would debate, especially those with thoughts on the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar that takes place in the latter months, the title deciding game in mid-December.
Despite those millions that will tune in via television, radio or an online streaming service to watch both clashes, thousands of fans - and a number of corporate taggers on - will be fortunate enough to be inside the stadium to see it live. And one of the many debates over this comparison is regarding the price of the tickets. So is it cheaper to buy a ticket to the World Cup 2022 or Super Bowl LVI?
Bengals QB Burrows undaunted by grandeur of Super Bowl stage
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, whose talent is matched by an ice-cold demeanour, said on Monday he is calmer ahead of his first Super Bowl appearance than he was prior to playing in his high school state championship.
There is no shortage of players who have been overwhelmed by playing on the NFL's biggest stage but the 25-year-old Burrows feels no added jitters ahead of the Bengals' Sunday showdown against the hometown Los Angeles Rams.
"Obviously the players get better and the schemes get better and everything, but at the end of the day your mindset stays the same," Burrows said during a virtual news conference.
"When I played in the state championship in high school it feels the same as playing in the Super Bowl does now.
"Just at that moment in my life that was the biggest game that I had ever played in and everything kind of feels the same. I've just had more reps in those situations so I am probably even a little calmer."
Under the direction of Burrows, a confident quarterback who has displayed a precocious ability to thrive under pressure, the Bengals have become just the third team to reach the Super Bowl two years after finishing with the NFL's worst record.
Bengals narrow winning margins post-season
All three of the Bengals' postseason games this year have been decided by margins of seven, three and three points. No NFL team has ever played (let alone won) four games decided by seven-point spreads or less in a postseason.
The Rock to appear at Super Bowl LVI
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson will appear during this weekend's Super Bowl in Los Angeles the actor has confirmed despite not entering into specifics as to what his function or capacity will be in Sunday's game. Early suggestuons hint to the actor promoting his forthcoming movie, Black Adam, which gets a release in July.
"This will [be] historic. This will be my honor. This will be ELECTRIFYING," he said,
Fake Vince Lombardi trophy seized by US Customs
A fake Vince Lombardi NFL Super Bowl trophy and counterfeit LA Rams NFL merchandise was seized by US Customs and Border Protection ahead of the Super Bowl near Los Angeles International Airport.
Super Bowl trophy arrives in LA
Torry Holt, Super Bowl XXXIV Champion, helps FedEx (Official Delivery Service Sponsor of the NFL), with the final delivery of the Vince Lombardi trophy to the LA Convention Center ahead of Super Bowl LVI, in Los Angeles.
The darker side of NFL after Brian Flores and Hue Jackson revelations...
Joe Burrow reveals pre-game music preference
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow confirmed speaking to NFL that his pre-game music of choice is pioneering rapper Kid Cudi.
Rams NFC Champions Gift Boxes doing brisk business
The official LA Rams store is full of commemorative Super Bowl merchandise and NFC champions memorabilia with Fanatics even preparing a champions gift box which includes: 22'' x 42'' 2-Sided On-Field Locker Room Towel, 1'' Lanyard, 12oz Can Cooler, 5'' x 7'' Fan Decal 3-Pack Set; 12oz SLIM Can Cooler, 12'' x 30'' Premium Pennant and a New Era Locker Room 9FORTY Snapback Adjustable Hat.
Have a spare $4973.50? Free on Sunday night ....
The Cincinnati Bengals have teamed up with 'On Location' in offering fans the "Official Bengals Super Bowl LVI Ticket Package" with prices starting at just under five thousand dollars.
The Weeknd 2021 Super Bowl show divided opinion
Abel Makkonen Tesfaye aka The Weeknd was the first ever Canadian artist to headline the Super Bowl half time show with his performance at the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida last year really dividing opinion.
Rap and R&B 'royalty' set to perform at Super Bowl half-time interval
Hip hop greats: Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, and Kendrick Lamar are scheduled to perform at the half-time show next Sunday at the Super Bowl in LA. At present it hasn't been revealed what repertoire the artists will perform or who will pair up with whom.
During their respective careers, the involved artists have collaborated or guested on tracks with the others, prime examples being Dre and Eminem's 'Forgot About Dre", Snoop's "Still D.R.E" or Kendrick Lemar's appearance on Dre's "Genocide" track from the 2015 Compton album.
After a playoff run that has been as exciting as any that have come before, the Los Angeles Rams will face the Cincinnati Bengals in SoFi Stadium on Sunday, February 13, 2022 in Super Bowl LVI. Did you see what happened there? The date is written in the good old Hindu–Arabic numeral system (the symbols representing 0-9 and the concept of place value), while the Super Bowl is written in Roman numerals.
The last time the Bengals reached the Super Bowl...
It's just over three decades since the Cincinnati Bengals last made it to the Super Bowl. In January 1989, the Bengals faced the San Francisco 49ers at Super Bowl XXIII, having lost to the Niners seven years previously in their only other appearance in the game.
Heading into the fourth quarter in Miami, Cincy led 13-6 and looked on course for the 1988 NFL title, only for legendary 49ers quarterback Joe Montana to deliver fourth touchdown passes for Jerry Rice and John Taylor, either side of a 40-yard field goal by Jim Breech, as San Francisco won 20-16.
Here's some footage of Super Bowl XXIII, courtesy of the NFL's social-media team:
Move aside, Paul the octopus
This corgi has apparently done rather well at predicting Bengals wins so far this postseason...
Covid-19 restrictions in California have been eased but guidance for mega-events must be followed by everyone who attends the game at SoFi Stadium.
AS USA's Andy Hall has the full lowdown on the restrictions in place for Super Bowl LVI
Super Bowl ad spots go for up to $7m apiece
Last week, Super Bowl LVI broadcaster NBC announced that it has sold out all its available advertising spots for Sunday’s game, revealing that the clash between the Los Angeles Rams and the Cincinnati Bengals “will set a new unit rate average record for a Super Bowl”. In a statement, NBC said “multiple spots” were sold for as much as $7m per 30-second ad.
“The NFL has never been stronger and has led us to new records this year,” Mark Marshall, NBC Universal’s president of advertising and Partnerships, said. “From Sunday Night Football to Football Night in America and through the nail-biting Playoffs, we’ve seen an increased appetite for fans to watch the NFL across all our platforms. This multiplatform consumption has attracted even more advertisers who have the desire for the immediate scaled reach of sports.”
"Why did the football coach go to the bank...?"
NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo is getting himself into the Super Bowl spirit with some magnificent dad-jokery:
The NFL started preparing the SoFi Stadium for Super Bowl LVI in January - and to be able to enjoy the venue in all its glory on Sunday, be prepared to pay a pretty penny.
AS USA's Jen Bubel has prepared this useful guide with some of the stand-out facts you need to know about Super Bowl LVI.
SoFi Stadium: the first 'indoor-outdoor' sports arena
Opened in 2020, the state-of-the-art SoFi Stadium has been described as the "best stadium in the world" by Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James. It really ought to be pretty decent, to be fair, given it cost somewhere in the region of $5bn to $6bn to build.
Built with open sides, the arena has been designed in such a way that spectators "feel as if they are inside and outside at once", say the architects behind SoFi Stadium.
AS USA's William Allen has the lowdown on the venue for Super Bowl LVI
(Photo: Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports)
Super Bowl LVI: the basic when-and-where info
Super Bowl LVI will kick off at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, on Sunday at 6:30pm ET/3:30pm PT.
Check out what time the game begins wherever you are in the world.
Take a look at AS USA journalist Gidget Alikpala's preview of the Rams vs the Bengals.
(Photo: Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports)
Rams see off San Francisco to reach Super Bowl
As for the Rams, they earned themselves a home Super Bowl spot with a 20-17 victory over the San Francsico 49ers in the NFC Championship Game, Trevin Howard's late interception ensuring Sean McVay's men edged out the Niners at SoFi Stadium.
Take a look at our play-by-play match report
(Photo: Christian Petersen/Getty Images/AFP)
Bengals back in Super Bowl after Chiefs comeback
The Cincinnati Bengals booked their place at Super Bowl LVI in a dramatic AFC Championship Game against the Kansas City Chiefs, overhauling an 18-point deficit to beat Patrick Mahomes' men 27-24 at Arrowhead Stadium.
Here's how it happened, courtesy of AS USA's Jen Bubel
(Photo: Denny Medley/USA TODAY Sports)
Super Bowl LVI live build-up: welcome
Good morning and welcome to our live build-up to Super Bowl LVI, which will see the Los Angeles Rams take on the Cincinnati Bengals at SoFi Stadium on Sunday.
The Rams, who will be only the second NFL team to play the Super Bowl on home turf, are out to lift the Vince Lombardi Trophy for the second time in their history - and for the first time since relocating from St Louis.
Meanwhile, the Bengals are yet to win an NFL title and haven't been to the Super Bowl for 33 years.