Two years ago, the Cincinnati Bengals were the worst team in the NFL. Now they’re headed to Los Angeles to take on the Rams in the Super Bowl at home.
Matching the biggest comeback in AFC championship game history, the Bengals rallied from an 18-point deficit to upset Kansas City 27-24 in overtime and earn their first trip to the big game since the 1988 season. The team that won just two games in 2019, earning it the No. 1 overall pick they used to take quarterback Joe Burrow, pretty much dominated the Chiefs after the first quarter.
Rookie Evan McPherson kicked a 31-yard field goal for the win.
The Rams then rallied from a 10-point second-half deficit to clinch the NFC crown with a 20-17 victory over San Francisco, when Matt Gay kicked a 30-yard field goal with 1:46 left. Los Angeles (15-5) had lost six in a row to the 49ers (12-8), but the visitors couldn’t stop star receiver Cooper Kupp. Safety Jacquiski Tartt dropped what looked like a safe interception in the fourth quarter that allowed the Rams to tie the game.
Kupp finished with 11 receptions for 142 yards and two touchdowns.
In a physically demanding game, featuring key plays from Kupp and his 49ers counterpart Deebo Samuel, Matthew Stafford finished 31-of-45 for 337 yards en route to his first Super Bowl. The Rams arrived in the 2018 season, but lost to New England.
“We have one more game in our stadium, let’s do it,” Stafford said.
Samuel finished with four receptions for 72 yards and a 44-yard touchdown. He also ran for 26 more.
The Rams have previously reached four Super Bowls, but their only win came in the 1999 season when they played in St. Louis.
According to FanDuel Sportsbook, Los Angeles is a 3.5-point favorite.
The Bengals (13-7) reached their third Super Bowl; they lost to the 49ers in 1982 and 1989. Kansas City (14-6) played at home in the AFC championship game for the fourth straight year, going 2-2. The Chiefs won the NFL championship two years ago.
AFC North champion Cincinnati hadn’t won a postseason game since 1991 before beating Las Vegas in the wild-card game, then posted a playoff road victory for the first time in franchise history. by eliminating Tennessee in the divisional round.