The Los Angeles Rams won their first Super Bowl in more than 20 years over the Cincinnati Bengals Sunday, Feb. 13, in SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, Calif. 

The Rams’ hardcore defense paired with an unbelievably great quarterback/wide receiver duo sealed the Super Bowl win in the fourth quarter, 23-20. 

A dominant Rams’ defense was the ultimate deciding factor for this back and forth game, making short work of the Bengals’ offensive line and getting seven sacks on Bengals’ quarterback  Joe Burrow, a former LSU Tiger. The defense was led by Aaron Donald (two sacks) and Darious Williams (eight total tackles and three solo), which stopped most of the Bengals’ forward progression. 

However, regardless of the results, the Bengals’ defense held the Rams’ run game to only 43 yards for the entire game. Standouts were Logan Wilson, recording nine tackles (eight solo) and three tackles for a loss, and Sam Hubbard, with nine total tackles (five solo) and two tackles for a loss.

Both teams had players put up impressive performances on the offensive side of the ball.

Burrow threw 22/33 for 263 yards, with Ja’Marr Chase recording 89 yards and Tee Higgins (two TDs) catching 100 yards with a controversial 75-yard touchdown. The run game for the Bengals was led by Joe Mixon, going for 72 yards and 4.8 yards a carry. 

These overall excellent offensive statistics for the Bengals did not overcome a powerful duo on the Rams’ side of the ball. 

Quarterback Matthew Stafford and wide receiver Cooper Kupp exploded during this game. Stafford threw 26/40 for 283 yards, and Kupp received 92 yards for two touchdowns, with one of them being the most important of the game. 

Rams’ wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. had an outstanding game, having two receptions for 52-yards and a touchdown. Beckham made an excellent effort when considering his early departure from the game because of an ACL injury. 

After two back-to-back penalties on the Bengals’ defense, the Rams lined up on the one-yard line, setting up for a quick pass to Kupp on a textbook post-fade towards the sideline in the endzone, thus giving the Rams a 23-20 lead with 1:25 left on the clock in the fourth quarter. 

The Bengals made an effort to push the ball downfield in an attempt to win or tie the game but failed as Aaron Donald got a hold of Burrow, sacking him on fourth and one at the 49-yard line. This turnover led to an easy kneel by Stafford to seal the game for the Rams’ physical and definitive Super Bowl victory.