Short answer
The Rams–Bengals Super Bowl final drive started with Los Angeles down 20–16, 6:13 left, at its own 21 and all three timeouts each. It's the longest Legend: plenty of clock, a 4th down early and a lot of decisions near the goal line. You call every snap, and your calls are graded against Sean McVay's, which score in the 37th percentile in our engine.
The situation
Super Bowl LVI, February 13, 2022, at the Rams' own stadium in Inglewood. Cincinnati led 20–16, and the Rams had lost Odell Beckham Jr. to a knee injury in the first half.
After a Bengals punt, Matthew Stafford starts at his own 21 with 6:13 left and three timeouts; Cincinnati has three. Down 4, the Rams need a touchdown. With six minutes, the problem flips: getting there is likely if you're patient, and the danger is scoring so early that Joe Burrow has time to answer.
How the real drive went, play by play
Stafford opened with a 9-yard throw to Brycen Hopkins, then a 2nd-and-1 pass to Ben Skowronek fell incomplete and Cam Akers was stopped for no gain on 3rd-and-1. At 5:00 the Rams went for it on 4th-and-1 at their own 30, and Cooper Kupp took a sweep around right end for 7 yards.
From there the Rams leaned on Kupp: 8 yards, then 22 over the middle to the Cincinnati 24 at 3:06, then 8 more to the 16. Akers ran 8 to the 8 at 2:02. Two throws fell incomplete, and then the flags came: defensive holding on 3rd-and-8 gave a new set of downs at the 4, a Kupp touchdown was wiped out by offsetting penalties, and pass interference moved the ball to the 1. After a Stafford sneak was stopped and Cincinnati called timeout, Stafford hit Kupp for the 1-yard touchdown with 1:25 left.
Cincinnati got the ball back down 23–20, and on 4th-and-1 Aaron Donald forced an incompletion. The Rams won 23–20.
The calls that decided it
The 4th-and-1 at your own 30 with 5:00 left is the big one. Punting with three timeouts is defensible: you might get the ball back. But it gives Cincinnati the ball with the lead and the clock, and a sweep to your best player is a strong call. Get stopped and the Bengals start in field-goal range.
The other decision is pace. The Rams scored with 1:25 left, and Cincinnati had two timeouts. Slower and the Bengals get less time; too slow and you run out of downs at the goal line. You can do either here.
More Legends
- 13 Seconds · AFC Divisional round, down 3, 0:13 left, own 25
- Allen's Answer · AFC Divisional round, down 4, 1:02 left, own 25
- 28–3 · Super Bowl LI, down 8, 3:30 left, own 9
- Every Legend and Playoff Run
FAQ
What was the score of the Rams vs Bengals Super Bowl?
Los Angeles beat Cincinnati 23–20 in Super Bowl LVI on February 13, 2022.
Who scored the winning touchdown in Super Bowl LVI?
Cooper Kupp, on a 1-yard pass from Matthew Stafford with 1:25 left. Kupp was named the game's MVP.
Did the Rams go for it on 4th down on the final drive?
Yes. On 4th-and-1 at their own 30 with 5:00 left, Kupp ran a sweep for 7 yards.
How did the Bengals' last drive end?
Aaron Donald forced an incompletion by Joe Burrow on 4th-and-1, and the Rams took over and ran out the clock.
Do I need to pay to play this?
This Legend is part of the Legends Pass, a one-time purchase that also unlocks every Playoff Run and removes ads. The daily drive, Practice and Survivor stay free, and 28–3 is a free Legend you can try first.
Sources
- nflverse play-by-play data — the real drive, snap by snap: down, distance, clock, timeouts and play descriptions
- Super Bowl LVI, Los Angeles Rams vs Cincinnati box score — Pro Football Reference