Nobody expected the Cincinnati Bengals to be this good in just the second year of the Joe Burrow era. And yet, here we are with the Bengals having a Cinderella run for the ages as they get their shot at the Lombardi Trophy for the first time in over three decades. But how exactly did Cincy get all the way to this point, being just one win away from hoisting the franchise’s first Super Bowl title?

NitroBetting is ready to equip its bettors with the latest news, NFL odds, and previews for the entirety of the 2022 NFL Playoffs. This time, let’s recap the journey of Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals towards Super Bowl 56, as well as their current odds to win the Lombardi Trophy to date.

Cincinnati Bengals’ Road to Super Bowl 56

Chase-ing the Super Bowl Dream Early On

The Bengals jumped out of the 2021 NFL season’s gate on a frenzy, winning five of their first seven games. During that stretch, football fans were treated with the heavily-criticized reunion of former LSU teammates Joe Burrow and rookie wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, who turned out to be one of the most dynamic pairings in the entire league.

Chase hauled in six touchdown catches and had three 100-yard receiving performances in his first seven NFL starts, including a 201-yard explosion against a stout Ravens defense in Week 7. With the fifth-overall pick amassing 1,455 receiving yards and 13 receiving TDs in the regular season, the Bengals would go on to win three of their last four games of the campaign to finish as the AFC North champions with a 10-7 record.

Kitties Walking the Postseason Tightrope

Cincinnati secured the No. 4 seed in the AFC and was pitted against the Las Vegas Raiders in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs. The team nearly suffered an early exit from the postseason but ultimately hung on for a seven-point win over the Raiders to earn its first playoff win in 31 years.

The rest of the Bengals’ postseason run had much more drama than their showdown in Vegas. Three interceptions of Tennessee’s Ryan Tannehill were enough to overcome the Titans by way of a game-winning field goal in the Divisional Round. Then, the boot of rookie kicker Evan McPherson came in clutch yet again in Cincy’s memorable overtime victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game.

Simply put, the Bengals seem to have more than just nine lives to keep their title-winning dreams alive throughout the postseason. They’re certainly hoping that their luck will not run out in their biggest football game in ages and that their young, promising offensive talents in Burrow, Chase, and stud running back Joe Mixon will prevail victorious over another potent offense from their Super Bowl opponent.

Bengals’ Odds to Win Super Bowl 56

As of this writing, the Bengals are (+4) underdogs to beat the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LVI. The Rams have virtual home-field advantage on their side with the final game of the season being held in SoFi Stadium and are as hot as an NFC team can be with a passing attack consisting of Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp, and Odell Beckham Jr. that rivals that of Cincy’s own explosive aerial attack.

However, the Bengals have shown tremendous poise under pressure in big-time moments as seen in their two three-point wins over the mighty Chiefs this season as well as the tense battle against the Titans. Burrow turned out to be the real deal after all, and that his season-ending knee injury during his rookie campaign was but a minor setback towards his unprecedented run to the title game.

There have been many more shocking upsets in Super Bowl history. Cincy is certainly far from the worst of the bunch and are more than capable of stunning the football world with youth and a nothing-to-lose attitude working in their favor.

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*All odds stated are subject to change without prior notice.

READ MORE: How Matt Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams Made It to Super Bowl 56