INGLEWOOD, Calif. — The Bengals’ first touchdown pass Sunday in the Super Bowl didn’t come spinning off the right hand of quarterback Joe Burrow.
On second-and-goal from the Rams’ 6 with just less than six minutes left in the first half, Burrow pitched the ball left to running back Joe Mixon. Mixon caught the pitch at the 14, running right, and moved two yards back before he pulled up to throw.
Receiver Tee Higgins, who was the outside receiver in the ‘‘trips’’ formation right, sprinted up the field while all but two of the potential pass catchers came up to block. He was wide-open when Mixon lofted the pass to him in the end zone. Higgins caught the pass as Rams safety Nick Scott scrambled to catch up to him.
Mixon became the first non-quarterback to throw a touchdown pass in the Super Bowl since a play that had Bears imprints all over it. In the Eagles-Patriots game four years ago, future Bears tight end Trey Burton found future Bears quarterback Nick Foles on a touchdown pass popularized by former Bears offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains.
‘‘Philly Special’’ featured Foles going in motion as a blocker and running back Corey Clement taking the snap and running left before handing off to Burton on an end-around. Burton threw the ball to a wide-open Foles. The play was based on one the Bears had run a year earlier.
Press Taylor, the Eagles’ quarterbacks coach at the time, suggested running Loggains’ play. Brother Zac called the trick play Sunday. He’s the Bengals’ coach and play-caller.
Before Burton, the last non-quarterback to throw a touchdown pass in the Super Bowl was Thornton alum Antwaan Randle-El, who found Hines Ward for 43 yards for the Steelers against the Seahawks 16 years ago.
Floyd gets the QB
Outside linebacker Leonard Floyd, whom former Bears general manager Ryan Pace traded up to draft ninth overall and then released after four disappointing seasons, had the Rams’ only sack of the first half.
Floyd, who signed a one-year contract with the Rams in 2020 and then reupped with them on a four-year, $64 million deal, sacked Burrow on third-and-six with 48 seconds left in the first half.
Beckham hurt
Rams receiver Odell Beckham Jr., who had a 17-yard touchdown catch in the first half, hurt his left knee when he stepped awkwardly while running a crossing route late in the second quarter. The Rams ruled him out after halftime.
Beckham, who will be eligible for free agency this offseason, tore the anterior cruciate ligament in the same knee in 2020.
