The Rams are 4-point favorites over the Bengals in Super Bowl 56.
Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET at the Rams’ home field, SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. The game will be televised on NBC.
Cincinnati (13-7) is making its third Super Bowl appearances in franchise history. The Bengals caught fire in the AFC playoffs with an impressive run that included victories against Las Vegas, Tennessee and Kansas City. Third-year coach Zac Taylor continues to lead an impressive turnaround with the help of some franchise players.
Second-year quarterback Joe Burrow has completed 68.8% of his passes in his first postseason run, and he continues to click with rookie receiver Ja’Marr Chase. The defense, led by Trey Hendrickson, has allowed 19.7 points per game in the playoff.
MORE: Best bets and prop picks for Super Bowl 56
Los Angeles (15-5) is making its fifth Super Bowl appearance in franchise history. The Rams burned through the Cardinals, Buccaneers and 49ers in the NFC playoffs, and coach Sean McVay is back in the Super Bowl for the second time in four seasons.
The offseason trade for quarterback Matthew Stafford has paid off with an offense built around receiver Cooper Kupp. That offense also added Odell Beckham Jr. in the regular season and continues to roll, and Cam Akers (shoulder) status will be monitored throughout Super Bowl week.
The defense, led by Aaron Donald, has given up 18.3 points per game in the postseason. Von Miller, another key in-season acquisition, has added two sacks. Jalen Ramsey and Leonard Floyd also are key pieces on a star-studded unit.
Here’s everything to know about betting on Bengals vs. Rams in the 2022 NFL playoffs, including updated odds, trends and our prediction for Super Bowl 56:
SUPER BOWL PICKS: Against the spread | Straight up
Super Bowl 2022 odds for Rams vs. Bengals
- Spread: Rams -4
- Over/under: 48.5
- Moneyline: Rams -198, Bengals +166
The line has bumped up a point from its open and the over/under has decreased by a point in the same stretch. The money lines, however, have not moved yet.
Betting odds per Fanduel
Rams vs. Bengals all-time series
The Bengals are making their third Super Bowl appearance. They lost Super Bowl 16 and Super Bowl 23 to the San Francisco 49ers. The Rams, meanwhile, won Super Bowl 34 against the Tennessee Titans. They lost Super Bowl 14 to Pittsburgh. The Patriots beat the Rams in Super Bowl 36 and Super Bowl 53.
The Bengals are 8-6 against the Rams in the all-time series. Cincinnati won the last meeting 24-10 on Oct. 27, 2019 in London in the only head-to-head meeting between Zac Taylor and Sean McVay. Andy Dalton and Jared Goff were the quarterbacks.
Three trends to know
—Cincinnati is 8-3 ATS and 7-4 S/U as an underdog this season. The Bengals have won S/U in Burrow’s last six starts, including the playoff victories against the Raiders, Titans and Chiefs.
—Including postseason, the Rams were favored in 85% of their games this season. Los Angeles finished 12-5 S/U but 7-10 ATS in those games.
—The Bengals are 7-5 S/U and 6-6 ATS in games decided by seven points or less, but they are 5-1 S/U and 6-0 ATS in the last six games with that margin. The Rams were 6-1 S/U and 3-4 ATS in games decided by seven points or less this season.
Three things to watch
Playmakers at WR
Cincinnati tight end C.J. Uzomah (knee) left the AFC championship game against Kansas City, and that means Burrow will lean even more on the 1-2 combination of Chase and Tee Higgins in the passing game. Chase and Higgins have combined for 488 yards and a TD in the postseason, and they have caught 68% of their targets. Burrow also might turn to Tyler Boyd more in the slot, especially early in the game. It will be interesting to see how the Rams counter in coverage with star cornerback Jalen Ramsey, who had four interceptions on 98 targets so far this season.
There is no doubt where Stafford will be looking in the Super Bowl matchup. Kupp and Beckham have combined for 522 yards and five TDs in the playoffs. They have caught 80% of their targets in the playoffs, and that is going to stress Bengals’ cornerbacks Eli Apple and Chidobe Awuzie. That said, the Bengals only gave up one play of 20 yards or more against the Chiefs. Safeties Jesse Bates and Vonn Bell have done a good job of keeping receivers in front.
Who generates a running game?
The Bengals average 23.3 rushing attempts in the playoffs, and Joe Mixon has 52 carries for 190 yards. That’s only 3.7 yards per carry, and the Rams limited the Buccaneers and 49ers to an average of 71.5 yards per game. Taylor cannot abandon the run, even if Mixon and Samaje Perine are unable to get rolling early in the game.
Akers (shoulder) provided a lift in the playoffs, but his shoulder injury must be monitored closely. Backup Sony Michel has averaged eight carries per game in the postseason and could be in line for a more-significant role. The Chiefs got away from the run in the second half against the Bengals. McVay also needs to be patient.
Who gets home?
The Bengals have eight sacks in three playoff games, and Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard have 5.5 of those sacks. Only one has come from outside the defensive line. Will defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo try to generate pressure from the linebackers in order to bait Stafford, especially on third down? That’s something to watch.
Miller and Donald have combined for 3.5 sacks in three playoff games, and Leonard Floyd is another player who can get to the quarterback. Burrow took nine sacks against the Titans, but the Chiefs only got home once and Burrow made two key conversions on scrambles in the second half.
Stat that matters
Super Bowl matchups are defined by quarterbacks in the fourth quarter.
In these playoffs, Burrow is 19 of 23 for 165 yards and an interception in the fourth quarter or overtime. He had 10 TDs and six interceptions in the fourth quarter this regular season.
Stafford had 12 TDs and no interceptions in the fourth quarter in the regular season. He is 17 of 23 for 219 yards and a TD in the fourth quarter this postseason.
Both quarterbacks have been efficient, and that could make for an exciting finish in Super Bowl 56.
Super Bowl 56 prediction
The Bengals are ahead of schedule, and they have played loose on the road in playoff games against Tennessee and Kansas City. Loose, however, does not mean careless. Burrow will stick with what works, and Chase will score in the first half to give the Bengals an early lead.
The Rams are going to test the Bengals’ bend-but-don’t-break defense with Kupp and Beckham, however, and if there is a running game behind that Stafford should be in position to continue to make clutch throws.
Los Angeles rallies again in the second half, and a late Kupp touchdown gives Los Angeles the lead in the fourth quarter. Burrow cuts the lead to three late, but the Bengals cannot get one last possession. The Rams celebrate their second Super Bowl victory in franchise history close to home.
Score: Rams 27, Bengals 24
