The Los Angeles Rams picked up its first Super Bowl win since they moved back to Southern California. Quarterback Matthew Stafford led a game winning drive when he hit Cooper Kupp for a game winning touchdown with 1:25 left in the game.
The final drive was a prime example of how Los Angeles had gotten to the Super Bowl with an effective passing attack centered around the Eastern Washington alum. Los Angeles returned to quick routes because Cincinnati had been getting to Stafford consistently throughout the game. And that’s a major reason the Bengals had contained LA’s offense to build up the lead.
Let’s take a look at the some of the more ridiculous plays and moments that led to the Rams championship game.
Kupp picks up a clutch first down
With the game on the line, the Rams went to Kupp on fourth and one. But they didn’t do it through the air as he went into motion and Stafford handed it off. Cincinnati’s defense was caught off guard and the wideout slipped through the hole with ease.
While there is going to be a lot of attention on the ref show in red zone; that doesn’t happen if Los Angeles fails to pick up this first down.
Ramsey gets his face mask yanked
On the first play from scrimmage in the second half, Burrow found Tee Higgins for a 75-yard touchdown past. Ramsey fell down on the play, and initially it looked like he got his ankles broken from the original camera angle; but the camera on the other sideline showed that Higgins pulled on Ramsey’s face mask and turned his head around. The officials missed the obvious face mask penalty and the touchdown stood to make it 17-13.
On the ensuing drive Stafford was sacked and lost the football. Cincinnati turned the turnover into a field goal to make it 20-13.
Bates’ laid out for this pick
After a horrifically bad play call on second down, Stafford took a deep shot towards the corner after he escaped the pocket. The veteran quarterback under threw his intended target and Jessie Bates made one hell of a catch as he fell backwards to pick it off.
Cincinnati got the ball at its 25 and immediately went three and out. The third down included a massive sack as the Bengals offensive line crumbled completely. After the punt LA also went four and out; the Bengals let the clock run out down 10-13.
Mixon tosses a TD
Running back Joe Mixon got a chance to throw a pass in the Super Bowl and he did not miss…barely. Higgins went up and bailed the tailback out on the high pass, but it was still a well executed play that got Cincinnati its first touchdown of the game.
A bobbled PAT snap
After Cooper Kupp became the first Big Sky alumni to score a touchdown in the Super Bowl, the snap was bobbled by punter John Hekker. Hekker than attempted to make a pass that was picked off. The Bengals then tried to backyard football their way to a PAT returned the other way; it didn’t work but it was highly entertaining.
While I wasn’t able to find a full video of the insane change of events, I was able to find a .gif of the bobbled snap itself.
This one handed, diving catch
Ja’Marr Chase vs. Ramsey was one of the big matchups we were looking forward to in this game. And Chase got the better of Ramsey on this 46 yard catch with an absolute dime of a throw from Joe Burrow.
While the Bengals were forced to settle for a field goal after a pair of incomplete passes, it was a step forward for an offense that had struggled throughout the first quarter.
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Photo credit: NFL on Twitter
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