Super Bowl LVI: Los Angeles Rams v Cincinnati Bengals – live! | Sport

Rams 13-20 Bengals, 8.06, third quarter

Henderson picks up a single yard on first down. It’s second and nine at their own 43. Stafford finds Kupp for a 13-yard gain to the Bengals 44.

Stafford goes to Hopkins for a 16-yard gain and they’re already at the Cincinnati 28. He looks determined to tie this back up right here.

Rams 13-20 Bengals, 9.48, third quarter

McPherson’s kick hits the end zone for another touchback. Let’s see if this offensive possession goes better for the Rams. Akers runs for … a two-yard gain to the LA 27. On second and 10, Stafford throws incomplete. It’s third and eight now and it would be deflating for this drive to die here.

It doesn’t! Stafford finds Henderson who picks up 15 yards and takes them to their own 42.

The Bengals now have a touchdown lead and if they can hold on, and there is a lot of time still to go, that period will be remembered as the turning point.

The Rams, however, have something to say about that.

Rams 13-20 Bengals, 10.19, third quarter

Mixon picks up two yards to the Los Angeles 16. On second and eight, Burrow finds Uzomah for another five yards. On third and three, Aaron Donald does what Aaron Donald does: he sacks Burrow for a nine-yard loss that is going to force a field goal here. That’s probably LA’s best case scenario here.

McPherson doesn’t miss field goals in the postseason so the kick is good and the Bengals tack onto their lead.

Rams 13-17 Bengals, 13.09, third quarter

Burrow passes to Mixon for no gain and then is sacked for a one-yard loss on the next play. It is third and 11 on the Rams 32. The Rams’ defense is coming up big right when they desperately need it to. Burrow finds Chase for a 10-yard gain.

So, it’s fourth-and-one and the Bengals have a decision to make here. And they go for it! Burrow doesn’t just quarterback sneak, he picks up four yards to the Rams’ 18-yard line.

Rams 13-17 Bengals, 14.38, third quarter

What is going on here? The Rams take McPherson’s kickoff to their own 17-yard line. On their very first offensive play of the second half, Stafford throws an interception right to Chidobe Awuzie! The Bengals get the ball again and will start at the LA 31. This game has turned almost instantly!

Rams 13-17 Bengals, 14.48, third quarter

Oh wow, that’s super-fast! Burrow finds Higgins for a 75-yard touchdown pass. Jalen Ramsey wanted a face mask call there, but he didn’t get one. After a successful extra-point attempt, Cincinnati takes a four-point lead!

Rams 13-10 Bengals, 14.51, third quarter

Bengals get the ball to start the second half. After a touchback, the Bengals start on their own 25. Burrow finds Boyd for 11 yards, that takes them to their own 36.

Alright we’re headed back to real football here now that they’ve cleaned up after the halftime show.

That was an extremely good musical half-time show. Also, you should not forget about the NFL’s treatment of Colin Kaepernick or this:

And Eminem actually does kneel on-stage despite the NFL telling him not to.

Is that Anderson.Paak on drums?

And here comes Eminem, singing the chorus of Forgot About Dre before going into Lose Yourself because it is the only Eminem hit that’s remotely Super Bowl-appropriate.

Mary J Blige is out next, wearing a somewhat Beyoncé-esque outfit but wielding her own distinctive voice.

Then, Kendrick Lamar comes out to perform Alright. This is certainly star-studded.

And we have 50 Cent. In Da Club which will be 20 years old next year. Just in case you wanted to be reminded of your mortality for some reason.

Snoop Dogg comes out first, with Dr Dre emerging to do a brief version of California Love that just makes me miss 2Pac.

And here we have the NFL’s ridiculously calculated all-hip-hop half-time show. I can already tell I’m going to enjoy this musically and loathe the cynical reasons that the NFL selected Dr Dre, Snoop Dogg and company to perform today.

An email from Graham Searles entitled “Mixon MVP”:

Its on! Let’s go Joe!

Hope the live blog’s going well Hunter

Thanks, it’s … uh, going. If the Bengals make a comeback, I will say that Mixon might just earn the hardware for that TD alone.

Email from Ben Bronx:

This Cincinnati Bengals team reminds me of the New York Giants that won Super Bowl XLII. Constantly defying the odds each week in the playoffs and starting the Super Bowl as massive underdogs.

They started off a bit rusty here, but I guess they get better as the game goes on.

Again: Burrow has yet to throw a touchdown pass and this is still just a three-point deficit. They’ll take that.

Halftime thoughts

The Rams looked in-control early, but the Bengals punched back with a nifty trick play. Meanwhile, the Beckham injury looms very, very large here. He was making an early case for game MVP before getting hurt. A three-point game at halftime is essentially a tie in the NFL.

Rams 13-10 Bengals, end of the first half

Stafford throws incomplete on first down and then finds Kupp for a nine-yard gain that takes them to midfield. LA take a timeout here before this third and one situation. Stafford tries a deep throw that’s incomplete. On fourth and one, the Rams go conservative and bring out the punting unit.

Hekker’s punt goes into the end zone. It’s a touchback but it doesn’t matter because there’s only a few seconds left and there’s no reason for the Bengals to risk anything here.

Rams 13-10 Bengals, .42, second quarter

After the timeout, Brandon Powell takes Huber’s punt nine yards to the Rams 41-yard line. That’s decent opening field position, but the Rams don’t have much time to work with here.

Rams 13-10 Bengals, :48, second quarter

Okay, the penalty was that one of the Bengals came onto the field when they weren’t allowed.

On first and then, Burrow finds Higgins for a five-yard gain. Second and five, Burrow finds C.J. Uzomah for a six yard gain. First and ten, Burrow is going shotgun as the clock winds down. He throws incomplete. Second and ten, Burrow finds Boyd for four years.

The Bengals take a timeout. Whatever they discussed didn’t work, as Burrow gets sacked on the next play and they have to punt. The Rams take a second timeout.

Rams 13-10 Bengals, 2.00, second quarter

Akers picks up a single yard to put the Rams at their own 43. Then, however, Stafford’s ball control problems flare up at a very bad time as his deep pass to Jefferson is picked up by safety Jesse Bates III in the end zone! It’s Bengals ball and they will start at their own 20.

Never mind, make that their own 10-yard line after an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Cincinnati.

Rams 13-10 Bengals, 2.46, second quarter

It’s a third and nine situation, Stafford finds Brycen Hopkins for a 16-yard gain that puts them at the Bengals 39. That’s a new set of downs as well, obviously.

On the next play, the Rams get hit with a five-yard false start penalty. On first and 15, Stafford’s pass is incomplete.

Email from Paul Mack:

Cocky by the Rams to go for a two pointer in the second quarter …while they were ahead. Hope it comes back to bite them.

Well it’s now a one field goal game because of that failed conversion. Beckham is being taken to the medical tent, which is never a great sign.

Rams 13-10 Bengals, 3.54, second quarter

On 4.38, Akers picks up a yard. It’s second & nine on the Rams 45 and Stafford’s pass is … incomplete and we go to commercial as Beckham was hurt on the play.

Rams 13-10 Bengals, 4.38, second quarter

That’s Mixon’s first pass in the NFL? Wow.

Okay, McPherson’s kickoff goes for a touchback. The Rams start again at their own 25. Akers picks up six yards on first and 10. On second and four, Stafford finds Jefferson for a 13-yard gain and a new set of downs.

Rams 13-10 Bengals, 5.47, second quarter

Mixon picks up four yards on two straight possessions and the Burrow-to-Chase connection gets them to the LA seven-yard line. Mixon gets them one yard closer. It’s second and goal and … Mixon gets the ball and the running back tosses a pass to Higgins for the first Bengals touchdown!

Who had their first TD pass coming from anybody but Burrow? This game is going to break Vegas. Meanwhile, the extra point is good!

Rams 13-3 Bengals, 8.58, second quarter

Mixon picks up 14 yards to the LA 37. First and ten, Mixon picks up four to the 33-yard line. The Bengals are putting together a drive. Second and six, Burrow finds Mixon for no gains. Key third and six here and … Burrow fins Tee Higgins for a 14-yard gain that puts them in the Rams’ red zone.

Rams 13-3 Bengals, 11.34, second quarter

Correction: that actually goes in the books as a failed two-point conversion! Sorry for the confusion, bettors, but it’s the same score.

In any case, after a Gay kickoff, the Bengals start at their own 25. Burrow finds Boys for a 11-yard gain and a first down. Mixon then picks up three yards to the Bengals 39 where Burrow finds Chase again for a 10 yard again. The Bengals are already at their own 49.

Rams 13-3 Bengals, 12.56, second quarter

Sorry, that’s a second down and four, not that it really matters. Stafford finds Kupp in the end zone and that’s the second Rams touchdown. The Bengals, yet again, are going to have to come from behind if they want to win this one.

They do, however, block the extra point attempt! That’s something you don’t see often in the Super Bowl.

Rams 7-3 Bengals, 12.56, second quarter

Stafford finds to Henderson, who can run and catch, and he takes for 25 yards to the Bengals 16. Henderson gets the ball again and takes it to the Bengals 11. Second and five … the Rams take a timeout.

Rams 7-3 Bengals, 14.56, second quarter

Stafford’s second and 11 pass is incomplete, but his third and 11 pass finds OBJ again for a 35-yard gain that puts them at the Bengals 41 yard line.

It was really just a lost opportunity there for the Bengals.

Rams 7-3 Bengals, end of the first^quarter

McPherson’s kickoff is another touchback. The Rams start on their own 25, where they will be at the start of the second quarter after an Akers run goes nowhere on first own.

Rams 7-3 Bengals, .30, first ^quarter

However, Burrow’s next three throws end up being incomplete. Here comes, McPherson and his magical foot, but what a great near-goal line stand by the Rams defense.

The 29-yard field goal puts the Bengals on the board, but that’s a huge missed opportunity there.

Rams 7-0 Bengals, 1.32, first^quarter

Finally, Mixon breaks loose, piling through defenders for a 13-yard gain and a first down. They’re at their own 43-yard line now. This time, Burrow throws an extraordinarily LONG throw to Chase who somehow corrals it at the Rams 11-yard line! 46 yards! Wowzers!

Yes that warranted a “wowzers.”

Rams 7-0 Bengals, 2.23, first^quarter

Stafford passes to Ben Skowronek for a five-yard gain. It’s second and five at the LA 33 and just when I’m about to type that we haven’t had any penalties this game, the Rams get tagged with delay of game. So they will be pushed back five yards here.

Second and 10 back at their own 28, running back Sony Michel gets just three yards. Third and seven, Stafford’s pass to Van Jefferson only gets them four yards and so they will be punting here. Hekkers punt is fielded at the 11-yard line by Trent Taylor, who takes it for a 20-yard gain to the Cincinnati 30.