The Cincinnati Bengals have touched down Los Angeles to take on the Rams who will host the Super Bowl. This one is for all the marbles. Take a look at our Super Bowl 56 odds as a part of our NFL odds series as we do a Rams-Bengals prediction and pick.
The Rams will get a chance to play in front of a majority of their fans as they host the world's biggest game. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers hosted the Super Bowl last season where they took home the Lombardi Trophy. This will be the second time in three seasons where the Rams make it to the big game. Matthew Stafford, Aaron Donald, Jalen Ramsey, Copper Kupp, Odell Beckham Jr., Von Miller, and many others stepped up their play when it mattered the most. The Rams are stacked and are the favorites to take home the trophy.
For more insight on the Super Bowl 56 matchup between the Rams and Bengals, listen below:
The Cincinnati Bengals will celebrate this remarkable season have had no matter the result on Sunday. The Bengals won their first playoff game in 31 years and doubled it with two more wins to earn their way to LA. Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase, Joe Mixon, and the entire Bengals defense showed up when it mattered and took town the top-2 seeds in the AFC. Burrow is the youngest No. 1 over pick at quarterback to play in the big game and Stafford is the oldest No. 1 overall pick at QB. This should make for an incredible Super Bowl.
Here are the Rams-Bengals Super Bowl 56 odds, courtesy of FanDuel
Super Bowl 56 Odds: Rams-Bengals Odds
Los Angeles Rams: -4 (-112)
Cincinnati Bengals: +4 (-108)
Over: 48.5 (-110)
Under: 48.5 (-110)
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Article Continues BelowWhy The Rams Could Cover The Spread
The Rams are currently the favorites on a 4-point spread. That seems like the right call for multiple reasons. They are the more experienced team and have a ton of veterans players who have played in a Super Bowl before. Aaron Donald will remember his poor impact in the previous one in the loss to Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. He has 1.5 sacks and 16 pressures this postseason and will do everything in his power alongside Von Miller to get to Joe Burrow. The Rams defense will need to continue to play dominant because the Bengals' offense is no joke. Cincinnati showcases three elite receivers, a ProBowl running back, and one of the biggest rising superstars in the NFL at quarterback. The Rams will need to disrupt Burrow's flow because he is playing very well right now.
On the offensive side, we all know Stafford and Kupp will be connecting a lot on Sunday. That duo will need to continue to light up the numbers because the Bengals defense has a lot of talent. Cam Akers and Sony Michel will be tasked with taking on blocks and will likely only see a limited amount of carries. Stafford and the Rams' offense finished 25th in the league in rushing, but 5th in passing. LA will need to gameplan around the passing game and try and take down the Bengals that way. Stafford needs just 209 passing yards to become the sixth quarterback ever to reach 6,000 yards in a single season. He won't be trying to get to 209, however, he'll try and throw for 300 or more yards. Expect Odell and Kupp to be a focal point of the game plan.
Why The Bengals Could Cover The Spread
The Bengals have a great chance to cover this spread. With how the playoffs have turned out this season, I would expect nothing less than an overtime game. If this game goes to overtime, everybody would seriously like the Bengals chances to cover at that point. The Rams will need to win by more than a field goal at this current spread. Unless an unexpected injury happens to one of the teams, I don't see this spread moving any further than a point in any direction. Meaning, the Rams will more than likely need to win by more than a field goal regardless.
The Bengals have a chance if their defense continues to play well against what will be a very tough task on Sunday. The secondary can not allow Kupp to catch 10+ passes even though he will definitely be targeted 10+ times. Odell Beckham Jr. will be a RedZone threat and the backfield can create problems. The Rams are going to try and establish a run game early on, but we all know the passing game is what will win them this game. The Bengals must stop the run early so that they force the Rams to continue to pass. The game can go either way when both teams are constantly trying to score fast. On the offensive side, Burrow must try and control the time of possession so that Stafford remains on the sideline. The longer he isn't out there, the less he can hurt you.
Final Rams-Bengals Prediction & Pick
I believe this game will be close. I expect it to be a great matchup and one that will once again be full of surprises. The Rams seem likely to win the game at home but the Bengals have proven they can compete with anyone. Take the Bengals in the Super Bowl to cover this 4-point spread as they will have a chance to not only cover, but to win late in the fourth quarter.
Final Rams-Bengals Prediction & Pick: Bengals +4 (-108)