The Adjustment that won the SB and how the Bengals almost won anyway
https://www.espn.com/nfl/insider/ins...r-performances
In the end, the stars took over in Super Bowl LVI. Reeling after losing Odell Beckham Jr. to a knee injury and a disastrous start to the second half, the Los Angeles Rams were seemingly becoming the latest team to fall victim to the Cincinnati Bengals' playoff formula.Then, with the all-in team on its way out, the Rams' two best players took over. First, Aaron Donald helped shut down the Cincinnati offense, which followed a 75-yard touchdown to start the third quarter by producing a total of five first downs on its final six possessions. With the Rams stalled on offense as well, Cooper Kupp was unstoppable on the final drive. Imports Von Miller and Matthew Stafford each played key roles alongside their star teammates, but the Rams pulled themselves out of a Super Bowl ditch and won their first championship of the Sean McVay era by riding their superstars to glory:At the end of the first half, though, the Rams got onto something they would repeatedly hit in the third and fourth quarter, and it changed the game for their pass rush. On the play in which Donald (99) knocked Burrow out of bounds and was credited with a sack, they brought Ernest Jones (50) toward the line of scrimmage and sent him after Burrow as a part of a sim pressure. Miller (40) dropped into coverage on the other side, allowing the Rams to rush four while still dropping seven into pass coverage and creating a mismatch. Hopkins actually turns toward Donald's side, so with three men focused on Donald, they got a three vs. two mismatch on the other side of their line. The Bengals couldn't muck that up, and while Burrow was able to scramble, Donald came from behind to chase him out of bounds:We need to give more credit to the Bengals, who battled throughout and were arguably better for most of the contest. They didn't end up possessing the firepower to stop the L.A. pass-rushers, but they took the lead and nearly won by attacking the weaknesses on the Rams' roster. Just as it's important to point out how the Rams were able to win the game on the backs of the stars they acquired with draft capital, it's also worth noting that a lack of depth and less impressive players in other starting roles nearly cost them dearly.Then the Bengals were able to target the Rams' lesser-known defensive backs and linebackers in coverage. Nick Scott was lured in on the trick-play touchdown pass from Joe Mixon to Higgins. Taylor Rapp, returning from a concussion, gave up three completions as the nearest defender in coverage on three targets for 32 yards. The Bengals went after David Long in the slot with Chase and Boyd. Troy Reeder, a frequent target for the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game, was back under the microscope as the Bengals tried to work the middle of the field.
Of course, the Bengals also completed five passes for 160 yards and a touchdown against Ramsey, a much-better-known corner and a player who doesn't qualify as a weak spot most weeks. Ramsey didn't play quite as badly as those numbers indicated, but this certainly wasn't his best game. The 75-yard Higgins touchdown required a spectacular face mask that went uncalled by the referees by the second-year wideout. (Again, I'll talk more about the officials later.)
Chase had a step on Ramsey for his 46-yard reception, but it also required a remarkable catch from the rookie, who might be inheriting Beckham's crown for the best hands in football. I thought Ramsey's worst play of the game was actually when he tried to jump a hitch route by Chase in the fourth quarter, only to end up nowhere near and give up a 17-yard gain on a two-minute drill. If Burrow had time to throw on that final snap, Chase also appeared to have a step on the star corner:
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Originally Posted by King87
