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The Rams got on the board first in Super Bowl 56, and they can partly thank the Bengals for their score.
Cincinnati gifted Los Angeles great field position before the Rams’ second drive of the game. The Bengals had the ball at the Rams’ 49-yard line and were facing a third-and-1 on their first drive when Samaje Perine was stuffed for no gain on a carry up the middle.
SUPER BOWL 56: Live updates, highlights from Rams vs. Bengals
Coach Zac Taylor decided that the Bengals would go for it on the ensuing fourth-and-1. Cincinnati was not able to convert as Joe Burrow’s pass to Ja’Marr Chase was knocked down by Rams linebacker Ernest Jones.
Rams get the 4TH DOWN STOP. #RamsHouse
?: #SBLVI on NBC
?: https://t.co/K02y40b5Nu pic.twitter.com/jPyUXn0hJX— NFL (@NFL) February 13, 2022
The Bengals’ play call can be questioned, as they passed out of the shotgun in a short-yardage situation. That said, two receivers were open on the play, Tee Higgins and Samaje Perine. Burrow just didn’t see them.
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Further, the decision to go for it wasn’t necessarily a bad one. Per NFL’s Next Gen Stats, the Bengals’ decision increased their win probability by 2 percentage points.
The #Bengals decision to go for it on 4th-and-1 from the Rams 49-yard line was the optimal call according to the NGS Decision Guide.
? Win % if GO: 27% (69% conversion rate)
? Win % if Punt: 25%
? Recommendation: GO FOR IT (by 1.9%)#SBLVI | #RuleTheJungle pic.twitter.com/Br3DWEbEc6— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) February 13, 2022
Of course, it was still early in the game and the Bengals’ defense had allowed just 1 total yard on the Rams’ first drive, so nobody would have batted an eye had Cincinnati elected to punt.
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But it didn’t, and the Rams were able to march down the field with relative ease after getting the ball back. The drive culminated with a 17-yard Matthew Stafford touchdown pass to Odell Beckham Jr.
OBJ’S FIRST CATCH IS A TOUCHDOWN. #RamsHouse @OBJ
?: #SBLVI on NBC
?: https://t.co/K02y40b5Nu pic.twitter.com/4nbf2miuHO— NFL (@NFL) February 13, 2022
That gave the Rams an early 7-0 lead and a key advantage. The team that scores first in the Super Bowl is 37-18 in the previous 55 games.
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