The Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Rams face off in Super Bowl 56 on Sunday night at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif.
Playing in their home stadium, the Rams are looking to win their first Super Bowl title in 22 years, back when the team was located in St. Louis. This is the team's second Super Bowl appearance in the past four seasons, losing to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl 53. Quarterback Matthew Stafford threw for 905 yards and six touchdowns in the Rams' three playoff games this year.
Led by second-year quarterback Joe Burrow, the Bengals are in the Super Bowl for the first time since 1988. Cincinnati beat the top-seeded Tennessee Titans in the divisional round and then topped the Kansas City Chiefs in a thrilling overtime win to take the AFC championship.
Keep it here Sunday for live updates, highlights and analysis:
Super Bowl squares are a standard pregame ritual
With football's biggest day of the year comes parties, fandom, betting, and – of course – Super Bowl squares.
If you're looking for a refresher on how to play this fun and easy party game, check out our primer on how to set up your own game. We also have some insight into exactly which squares provide the best odds to pay out. (Hint: avoid the 2s and 5s if possible!.)
Rams WR Odell Beckham Jr. no longer the villain
LOS ANGELES – As Odell Beckham Jr. takes aim at his first championship ring, it's jarring to think he's no better than the third-best wide receiver playing in Super Bowl 56 – at least based on how the 2021 season unfolded.
Yet the likes of Los Angeles Rams Offensive Player of the Year Cooper Kupp and Cincinnati Bengals Offensive Rookie of the Year Ja'Marr Chase are a long way from approaching the still-dynamic legacy OBJ has somehow crafted in just eight NFL seasons.
It was apparent this week that there's a real peace about Beckham, 29, who projected striking self-awareness while also appearing fully cognizant of his lofty place in the league's pantheon.
"Knowing that responsibility that I carry to set a standard, to know that some of them look up to me, is the reason why I feel like I'm how I am now instead of the 23-year-old me," Beckham says. "You've got to go through things to grow through things."
-- Nate Davis
Joe Burrow unleashes his inner tiger en route to stadium
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow was looking sharp as he boarded the bus with his team ahead of Sunday's Super Bowl 56 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium, wearing a tiger-striped, gray-and-black suit with a black hat.
NFL Network co-host Rich Eisen compared Burrow's pregame hat to that of Walter White's alter ego from "Breaking Bad."
The Bengals also shared video of Burrow's locker as they arrived at SoFi Stadium.
-- Dave Clark, Cincinnati Enquirer
Super Bowl pregame reads
USA TODAY Sports has loaded up on Super Bowl coverage in the last two weeks. Here are some of the best reads to get you ready for the game.
Super Bowl predictions: Will the Bengals or Rams win? Who will be MVP? And which players could be X-factors?
Super Bowl matchup breakdown: Who holds the advantage in every facet of the game? Nate Davis breaks down how the game could be won.
Did Sean McVay learn from being "outcoached" in the last Super Bowl?: The Rams coach addresses how he balances learning his previous Super Bowl disappointment with keeping a focus on the future.
NFL's coaching revolution on display: The meeting between Sean McVay and Zac Taylor won't simply be a reunion between former teacher and protégé, but also an indicator of where the league's coaching movement is heading.
How Kelly and Matthew Stafford made things work in Los Angeles: Kelly, the wife of the Rams quarterback, gives exclusive insight on the challenges the Staffords' marriage faced after a move to Los Angeles.
Tightwad vs. big spender: The Bengals' Mike Brown and Rams' Stan Kroenke are a study in contrasting ownership styles.
Eric Weddle was retired - then he came back for a shot at a Super Bowl ring: How did the Rams get a 37-year-old who had been retired for 2 years up to speed for a Super Bowl run?
Move over, Tom Brady: There's a new oldest active player in the NFL, and Rams left tackle Andrew Whitworth relishes his senior status.
How one transfer changed the course of college football, NFL history: Joe Burrow's move from Ohio State to LSU forever changed the football landscape.
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