With the end of another National Football League season, Super Bowl 56 pitted two unlikely foes for a once-in-a-year event: the Cincinnati Bengals and the Los Angeles Rams. In the highly anticipated matchup, both teams entered the contest ranking top ten in team offense and team defense, making it interesting to see how the game would play out. Although the game ended in a twenty-three to twenty Rams victory, the game itself was more than just its score. Through the cheers and boos, highs and lows, this Super Bowl will go in the history books.

First Quarter:

Starting off the game, both teams came out hot on both sides of the ball, but it was the Rams striking first with an Odell Beckham Jr. touchdown, kicking off the score at seven to zero. The Bengals got an opportunity at the end of the quarter to match the Rams, but failed to convert and were forced to settle for a field goal by the Bengals kicker, Evan McPherson, bringing the score to seven to three.

“Love to see Odell getting that touchdown, he’s come a long way in his career, and to see him here, it’s for sure must-watch football right now,” junior John Mederos said.

Second Quarter:

In the opening seconds of the quarter, Beckham had a 35-yard catch, applying pressure to the defense to prevent them from scoring. The Rams’ best statistical receiver, Cooper Kupp, caught a touchdown off a deep slant, giving them a thirteen to three lead as they could not complete their field goal attempt.

Needing to strike back, the Bengals quarterback, Joe Burrow, threw multiple completions spanning over 70 yards, putting them 8 yards away from a touchdown. Receiver Tee Higgins would be the one to step up as he caught a pass from Burrow.

With three minutes left to go in the quarter, Beckham went down with a non-contact related injury which would later be revealed to be an Anterior Cruciate Ligament injury, leaving his team shorthanded. Both teams would not score for the remainder of the half, as pressure from their defensive lines would apply the pressure necessary to keep the score at thirteen to ten.

The Second Half:

When the Rams had a lead entering the second half, they had an eighteen to zero record, statistically putting the Bengals in an uphill battle. They responded by scoring a touchdown in the first play of the half, where Higgins was the receiver, giving them a thirteen to seventeen lead. Following the touchdown, the Bengals’ Chidobe Awuzie caught an interception, shifting the momentum and giving their fans much-needed optimism.

“The way the Bengals came out in the second half had me thinking the Bengals were really going to come out and go all the way, but their offensive line couldn’t defend Burrow well enough to secure the victory when it mattered most,” senior Luis Lopez said.

Rams quarterback Mathew Stafford was able to come through for his team, however, through defense, getting his team close enough for a field goal attempt. It was completed by kicker Matt Gay, bringing the score to sixteen to twenty in favor of the Bengals. The remainder of the half was defensive-oriented as both teams struggled to gain any yardage up until the final minutes of the fourth quarter.

The stage was set for the final moments of the Super Bowl. The Los Angeles Rams were down sixteen to twenty with less than four minutes to go, but Stafford slowly inched his team closer to touchdown. Four consecutive flags were thrown on the deciding play, but ultimately it ended up in a Kupp touchdown, bringing the score to twenty-three to twenty.

With only a minute left to go in the quarter, Burrow came close to converting a first down, but the Rams’ Aaron Donald had the game-saving sack which ended in their victory. Both halves were two different tales as one leaned towards the offensive end of the ball and the other defensive. Although the game was not as high-scoring as some fans anticipated, fans got to experience the best of both aspects of the game and got to enjoy an unforgettable Superbowl performance.

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