Top favorite Kansas out
Rams and Bengals play for the Super Bowl
1/31/2022 5:49 am
With a sensational comeback, the Bengals enter the Super Bowl. Top favorite Kansas City around superstar Patrick Mahomes is at a disadvantage. In the final of the Vince Lombardi Trophy, the Los Angelese Rams are waiting, who will get their final in their own stadium.
The Los Angeles Rams made it into the Super Bowl in their own stadium and surprisingly meet the Cincinnati Bengals in two weeks. Underdog Cincinnati defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 27-24 after overtime and prevented the favorite from the third Super Bowl appearance in a row. The Rams then beat the San Francisco 49ers 20:17 and, like last year, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers get the chance to win the championship in their own stadium.
Before the Bucs’ victory around quarterback Tom Brady, no team had ever played a Super Bowl in their own stadium. “It was an unbelievable performance by our team. We said in the dressing room that we’re not going to lose this game,” Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford told Fox TV. He had just switched from the Detroit Lions to the Rams before the season.
For the Rams it is the first Super Bowl participation since the defeat against the New England Patriots in February 2019. The Rams won the only Super Bowl so far – then as St. Louis Rams – at the end of January 2000 with a 23:16 against them Tennessee Titans. The Bengals have never won the championship and were last in the Super Bowl 33 years ago.
“A little speechless right now”
For the Franconian Mark Nzeocha, the dream of a second Super Bowl participation has burst for the time being. The 32-year-old was part of the team that lost to the Chiefs back in 2020. The Rams were now 17:7 behind and had a hard time against the guests from northern California. But the team worked back and took the lead with a field goal 109 seconds from time. An interception by the 49ers 30 seconds later sealed the hosts’ victory and the NFC title.
At Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, the Bengals made up a 3:21 deficit in the second quarter and possession for the Chiefs early in the extra 15 minutes. “If you lose the coin toss against these guys, you usually go home,” Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow told CBS. “I’m just a bit speechless right now.” The Chiefs had previously saved themselves with a field goal when the clock was running out and then afforded an interception there. Kicker Evan McPherson’s field goal made the Bengals victory perfect.