I believed in a Rams victory, but my heart was with the Bengals.
Posted at 12:54 a.m.
Because of Joe Burrow, their exceptional young quarterback, whose arrival in Cincinnati in 2020 transformed the mentality of the team. Burrow is a real winner in college football not too long ago, and in the pros today. When he screamed in pain in the fourth quarter after taking a violent shock, we wondered if his game was over. Of course not. He came back and fought until the end.
The Bengals are a modest NFL organization that proudly celebrates its past. Their stadium is named after their founder, Paul Brown, not a company that pays millions in naming rights. The dealership is still owned by the Brown family, and Mike, son of the legendary Paul, is now the owner-president.
I would have liked Cincinnati, which we will never confuse with New York or Chicago, to win the first Super Bowl in its history. After the “Big Red Machine” of the 1970s in baseball, with Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan and all the others, Cincinnati was surely ready to celebrate a “Big Burrow Machine”. It won’t be this year.
The Rams? They represent the business of sport in its purest and least pleasant essence. The attachment of the fans to their club? It doesn’t count. The team left St. Louis in 2016 because owner Stan Kroenke believed the economic outlook was better in Los Angeles. The city of St. Louis sued him and received $790 million in compensation in an out-of-court settlement.
Kroenke is a professional sports baron. In addition to the Rams, he owns the Colorado Avalanche (NHL), Denver Nuggets (NBA), Colorado Rapids (MLS) and Arsenal (English Premier League). In Los Angeles, he built a complex of 5 billion with, as an anchor point, the stadium where this Super Bowl was presented.
Beyond these considerations, the Rams form a formidable organization that assumes its personality and believes in its philosophy.
We are building to win now, not in the hope of becoming competitive in three or five years. The Rams are fearlessly trading their first draft picks. Their objective: to acquire veterans with a proven track record, who will strengthen their team now.
That’s how they got their hands on Matthew Stafford of the Detroit Lions last winter. After 12 seasons with this unsuccessful team, the 34-year-old quarterback finally got the chance to line up with a competitive club.
Stafford is a model of on-field engagement. Season after season he got hit hard, but never gave up. He did everything to pull up the mediocre Lions. Wasted effort.
Today, Stafford is a Super Bowl champion and fully deserves it. With the Rams, he worked alongside a dynamic and creative young coach, Sean McVay. The rest, as they say, is history.
Stafford had an often frustrating game against the Bengals. Like Burrow, he was hit hard in the second half and there were fears for the condition of his ankle and foot. But there is no question of taking a break in a duel like this.
Shortly after that moment of concern, Stafford orchestrated the Rams’ comeback with the key play of the game: fourth down and a yard to go, from their own 30 line. a very favorable position and possibly increased their lead. Staffford handed the ball to Cooper Kupp who ran for the opener.
Until then, Kupp was having a tougher game. In the absence of Odell Beckham Jr. who left the game with a first-half injury, he was being watched closely by the Bengals. But he responded when his team needed him late in the game.
Kupp’s efforts earned him the title of Player of the Match, an honor that could have also fallen to Aaron Donald, their defense leader. Or even to Stafford, who has dealt with the loss of Beckham Jr., the troubles of his offensive half… and the Detroit Lions for too long!
It is often said that, in the big professional leagues, the recipe chosen by the new champions to reach the top inspires the competitors. Will the Rams have that effect?
By not favoring the draft, they go against a strong trend in the industry (except perhaps in major league baseball, where the free agent market often plays a decisive role).
Their victory, the Rams owe a lot to players who have built their reputation on other teams, such as Stafford, Beckham Jr. and Von Miller.
That says a lot about the strong personality of their trainer Sean McVay, not much older than them. To make a name for yourself in such an experienced group, you have to be skilful, alert and an excellent communicator. Building a champion team around experienced players from so many organizations is a remarkable achievement. The Rams wouldn’t be champions without him.
This Super Bowl wowed us (the game, of course, but also the halftime show, the music, the stage, wow!).
The clash was a reflection of these exceptional playoffs from start to finish. I can’t remember seeing so many exciting matches in a few weeks. The Rams and Bengals stole the show, of course, but the Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers also had their highlights.
Already looking forward to next season. And if the Bengals improve their offensive line, watch out…
