Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp combined for a championship-winning drive to lead the Los Angeles Rams to a 23-20 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI.
After a tight three quarters, the Rams were down 20-16 halfway through the fourth and desperately needed an offensive spark following an injury to Odell Beckham Jr, one of Stafford’s key receiving weapons.
Kupp, who was named Super Bowl MVP, took it upon himself to fill that void, converting a pivotal fourth and one opportunity to keep the host side’s hopes alive.
The Stafford and Kupp connection proved unstoppable, with the duo marching downfield seemingly at will before claiming the lead with a one-yard touchdown.
With 1:25 left on the clock, the Bengals still had an opportunity to steal the victory. And the stage looked set for a thrilling finish after quarterback Joe Burrow found Ja’Marr Chase on a 17-yard pass.
But Aaron Donald and the Rams defence stepped up when it mattered most, forcing a turnover on downs and sealing a memorable Rams victory.
The end result followed a roller coaster of a first half which saw the Rams burst out of the gates at SoFi Stadium before the Bengals clawed their way back.
Beckham Jr opened the scoring for Los Angeles halfway through an opening quarter in which the Bengals offence looked outmatched, only managing a field goal.
The hosts continued their early rampage to open the second quarter, extending their lead to 10 with Kupp’s first touchdown of the night.
But the Bengals were finally able reach the end zone in the ninth minute, Tee Higgins the lucky recipient of a trick-play touchdown pass from running back Joe Mixon.
The Rams’ offensive struggles began in the ensuing drive, when Beckham Jr left the field after suffering a non-contact leg injury.
Stafford had a deep touchdown attempt picked off to close out the first half before the Bengals opened the third with another Higgins touchdown to take the lead for the first time.
The Rams quarterback then threw another interception which led to a Cincinnati field goal to extend their lead to seven.
Los Angeles were then able to close the gap with a field goal of their own, with the score remaining 20-16 until the closing stages of the fourth quarter.
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