Written by: Tyler Deakin
Super Bowl LVI will be the lowest-seeded Super Bowl matchup in NFL history, as the No. 4 seeds from each conference battle it out for all of the glory. This game also features the youngest matchup of head coaches in Super Bowl history, as Sean McVay (36) faces off against his former disciple Zac Taylor (38). It’s a refreshing change of pace from previous Super Bowls, where we’ve frequently become accustomed to seeing Tom Brady & Patrick Mahomes compete. You could say that the Rams met expectations by making it back to the big dance for the first time since 2019, but not even the most optimistic Bengals fan saw this season coming in 2022. Will Joe Burrow’s legacy continue growing or will the veteran Matt Stafford get his first ring?
Legacies on the line
Matt Stafford seems long overdue for a ring, as he has the most passing touchdowns (323) & passing yards (nearly 50,000) by any player entering their first Super Bowl appearance. Meanwhile, Joe Burrow is in line to win the league’s first ever quarterback Triple Crown should he prove victorious in the Super Bowl. Burrow already has a Heisman Trophy & CFP National Championship to his name, but adding a Super Bowl ring to his resume would be quite the feat. These guys aren’t the only ones with their legacies at stake though, as 3-time Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald is looking for his first Super Bowl ring. Think about how much winning this game must mean to Super Bowl 50 MVP Von Miller as he reaches the twilight of his career. There isn’t really anyone else on the Bengals roster who “needs” a Super Bowl ring as they’ve assembled a very young squad; however, safety Ricardo Allen is surely itching to get another shot at winning it all after his Falcons team lost in heartbreaking fashion in Super Bowl LI.
Home field advantage dynamic
There is a Super Bowl home field advantage curse at play here that favors the Bengals. That’s because only the 2020 Buccaneers have ever won the Super Bowl in their home stadium. This is clearly bad news for the Rams, as many teams have tried & failed to accomplish the feat. Another weird homefield advantage at play here is the Bengals being considered the Home team. I was surprised when I learned of this development, so here’s the scoop for you, “the home team designation for the Super Bowl alternates each year between the AFC and NFC champions.” The Bucs were considered last year’s home team, which means the Bengals are the ’22 home team. Let’s not forget about the notion that the Rams may have an actual homefield advantage at play. After all, they are 7-3 at home this year including two playoff wins over the Cardinals & 49ers.
Youth versus experience
One thing that the Rams have going for them this year is that they’ve been here before. Many players from the team’s 2018 Super Bowl run remain on this roster, and players that weren’t a part of that run (Matt Stafford, Von Miller, Odell Beckham Jr.) are league veterans. They know what it takes to compete at the highest level, and you can feel their sense of urgency. Meanwhile, the Bengals are a young & unheralded team playing with house money so to speak. They are the new kids on the block that shocked the world by toppling the AFC’s juggernauts. This team went on the road & defeated the No. 1 seed Titans & No. 2 seed Chiefs back-to-back. Joe Burrow & Ja’Marr Chase give this team a sense of swagger that they previously had lacked. I’ll certainly tune in to watch this epic showdown of two charismatic teams this Sunday night!