How Matt Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams Made It to Super Bowl 56
It turns out that the Los Angeles Rams’ decision to go all-in this 2021 NFL season was a wise move, as they’re now back in the Super Bowl for the second time in four seasons. The Rams even have a golden opportunity to win the Lombardi Trophy on their own home turf with this year’s Super Bowl being held in SoFi Stadium. The football stars have seemingly aligned for Los Angeles, but not everything worked out as planned throughout their peril-fraught journey this season.
Nitrobetting is ready to equip its bettors with the latest news, odds, and previews for the entirety of the 2022 NFL Playoffs. This time, let’s recap the journey of Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams towards Super Bowl 56, as well as their current NFL odds to win the Lombardi Trophy to date.
Los Angeles Rams’ Road to Super Bowl 56
READ MORE: How Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals Made It to Super Bowl 56
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The Rams traded for Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford during the 2021 NFL offseason in hopes of the proven 12-year veteran being a significant upgrade to Jard Goff in their bid of returning to the Super Bowl.
Stafford did just that and more, as he finished the regular season with a career-best 12-5 record. He also tied his personal bests of 41 passing touchdowns and a 67.2 percent completion rate along with 4,886 passing yards; the ninth time in his decorated career with over 4,000 passing yards in a season.
Los Angeles started the season strong, winning seven of its first eight games. The team would suffer a three-game losing streak shortly after, but managed to end the season with victories in five of its last six outings. Mid-season acquisitions in former All-Pro selections Odell Beckham Jr. and Von Miller were huge additions for the Rams who were now very much in “Super Bowl or bust” mode.
Exorcising Past Playoff Demons
LA needed to go through the NFC West gauntlet yet again during the postseason; something that was not in favor considering their combined 1-3 record against division rivals the Arizona Cardinals and the San Francisco 49ers this regular season. But alas; the team dominated the Cards in the Wild Card Round and finally snapped their six-game losing streak to the Niners with a monumental three-point victory in the NFC Championship Game.
In between all that drama, the Rams also went 2-0 against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this season. They knocked the Bucs out of the playoffs with a three-point win in the Divisional Round, but not before Brady nearly staged a 24-point comeback down the stretch. In the end, the Rams got their revenge of sorts over the legendary QB who defeated them in Super Bowl 53; the last time that Brady would win a Lombardi Trophy as a New England Patriot.
Rams’ Odds to Win Super Bowl 56
As of this writing, the Rams are (-4) favorites to beat the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI. They have immense star power on both sides of the ball and have the benefit of home-field advantage with the championship game set to take place in SoFi Stadium.
Just last season, Brady and the Buccaneers accomplished a similar feat by winning Super Bowl 55 in Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. However, considering that Los Angeles’ local football fanbase is torn between the Rams and the Chargers and have only had a football team in the greater Los Angeles area for six seasons, there’ll likely be a ton of Bengals fans in attendance this Sunday to offset some of that home-field advantage.
Apart from the exciting pass-happy duel between Stafford and Cincy’s young QB Joe Burrow, Super Bowl LVI will likely come down to which defense stands out the most. The Rams have the edge in that department, as their loaded front seven is expected to create a ton of pressure against the Bengals’ relatively iffy offensive line.
Check out our latest sports betting guides for the 2022 NFL Season. Stay tuned for more Football previews and articles and don’t forget to check out the latest football betting odds at our online Bitcoin sportsbook.
*All odds stated are subject to change without prior notice.
