On Feb. 14, the LA Rams defeated the Cincinnati Bengals at the Super Bowl LVI with a final score of 23-20 in the Inglewood SoFi stadium. The Rams scored a touchdown in the final two minutes to take the lead, then stopped the Bengals on their final drive. Both teams had started the playoffs as fourth seeds but secured victories in close games against higher-seeded favorites to reach the Super Bowl.

The first half of the game was largely dominated by the Rams, whose receivers Cooper Kupp and Odell Beckham Jr. scored the first two touchdowns. However, the Bengals turned the game around in the second half, when they scored a touchdown on a 75-yard pass to Tee Higgins—the longest play of the game. After both teams’ offenses were stifled for most of the fourth quarter, Kupp carried the Rams on their game-winning drive, capped off by a back-shoulder catch in the endzone to give the Rams the lead. 

“The Super Bowl this year was an absolutely terrific game, and I enjoyed watching every minute of it,” Tim Munro, all-around athlete. “When the offense was doing well, the defense would adjust to fit the strategies, and vice versa. The game had low penalties, amazing catches, and almost everything you would expect from a great game, so I am satisfied with this year’s performances.”

The Rams victory had strong implications for several notable Rams players. Quarterback Matthew Stafford won his first ring, solidifying his legacy as a potential Hall-of-Famer. Other superstars on his team, such as Aaron Donald or Von Miller, are now nearly guaranteed to be voted in. Though the Bengals lost, their young roster proved themselves to the rest of the league, and second-year star quarterback Joe Burrow looks to be a perennial contender in the AFC for years to come. 

“After Burrow’s long years of not securing a title, I am proud to see him finally get a win,” Jay Lee (11), football enthusiast, said. “However, as someone who is not a Rams fan, I am more passionate about my team’s performance next year. Still, I am sure that Matthew Strafford, regardless of the path he chooses, will have many positive experiences ahead of him.”