The Super Bowl is a prime time sporting event that attracts millions of viewers across the world. This year’s game will be played on February 4th, 2022 between the Miami Dolphins and New Orleans Saints.
The “nfl picks” is a list of sports writers and broadcasters who are making their Super Bowl predictions.
Super Bowl 56 is finally here, after 272 regular-season games and a dozen playoff battles, many of which were incredible and came down to the wire.
The fourth-seeded Los Angeles Rams defeated the Arizona Cardinals, the reigning champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers (retiring Tom Brady), and the San Francisco 49ers to win the opportunity to play the Super Bowl at SoFi Stadium for the second consecutive season.
The Cincinnati Bengals, who were also the No. 4 seed on their side of the bracket, will be lining up across from the Rams. After defeating the Las Vegas Raiders in the Wild Card Round, the Bengals upset the top-seeded Tennessee Titans in the Divisional Round, and then defeated Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in overtime in the AFC Championship Game to keep them from reaching their third consecutive Super Bowl.
Our NFL writers submitted their predictions on who would win the 2022 Super Bowl, as they have done throughout the playoffs, but we also chose to incorporate everyone else on the Sportscasting staff in this event. We’re talking about authors, editors, and management – the full crew is here to weigh in. So, let’s get started.
Enjoy.
(4)Cincinnati Bengals vs. (4)Los Angeles Rams in the 2022 Super Bowl
Outside SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, the Super Bowl 56 logo | Rob Carr/Getty Images
Brandon Austin: This season, Joe Burrow and the Bengals have swept the NFL. Their journey to the Super Bowl has been spectacular, but I believe it has come to an end now.
For the Rams, it’s been Super Bowl or bust all season. Sean McVay’s team is reaching its stride just as it should be. I predict a competitive game, but I believe LA will triumph in the trenches. Aaron Donald and his associates will become quite known to Burrow. The Rams win at home.
Mike Calendrillo: Joe Cool and the upstart Bengals are a great story, one that is extremely easy to root for. However, the NFL’s version of a superteam is exactly where it should be following the additions and stellar performances of Von Miller, Odell Beckham Jr., and even Eric Weddle. Matthew Stafford continues to shake off his negative Detroit moniker, and the Rams defense has yet to truly play up to its potential.
But, with Cooper Kupp as the season’s most explosive offensive weapon, Jalen Ramsey as probably the league’s top shutdown corner, and a hungry Aaron Donald looking for his long-awaited Super Bowl trophy, betting against the Rams on their home field isn’t a smart move. Bengals 27, Rams 35.
Tim Crean (interviewer): The actual winners will be the fans if this game is even like as fantastic as the previous two rounds of the 2021 NFL playoffs. I believe the game will come down to the last four minutes to determine who will wield the Lombardi Trophy. With the game on the line, I’d pick Joe Burrow over Matthew Stafford any day of the week and twice on Super Bowl Sunday, even at the age of 25. The Bengals win by a score of 28-27.
Kyle Dalton: Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase have both gone to this game previously, albeit in college. They understand what it takes to take home the “big one.” It’s a terrific tale to see Matthew Stafford succeed after all those years in Detroit. The Rams do, in fact, have a good defense. But there are instances when it’s simply a team of fate. The Bengals are that team this year.
John Denton: With Matthew Stafford on the field and Eminem performing at halftime, this might be as near to a Super Bowl as Detroit ever gets. Imagine telling Cleveland Browns supporters before the season that an Ohio team with Odell Beckham Jr. will be in this year’s Super Bowl, only to find out that it would be Bengals vs. Rams. But that’s enough with the jokes.
The ability to pressure the quarterback with the front four while dropping seven in coverage is the most crucial approach in football. That’s how the Tampa Bay Buccaneers kept Patrick Mahomes on the run in last year’s Super Bowl, and the New York Giants defeated Tom Brady and the Patriots twice. On Sunday, that’s exactly what Aaron Donald, Von Miller, and the Rams will be able to accomplish. Joe “Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr” Burrow’s calm, ruggedness, and cool are
In every measure, LA seems to be the superior club, but Tennessee and Kansas City performed as well. My prediction is that the Rams will have a huge lead early and the Bengals will threaten a backdoor cover to make the fourth quarter exciting. Los Angeles 31, Cincinnati 24
Jack Dougherty: Don’t ask me how the Bengals have progressed this far; I have no clue. They’ve been outgained by their opponents in each of their three playoff games, they’ve had incredible turnover luck, and they’re 3-0 in the playoffs despite Joe Burrow completing just four touchdown passes.
This is the week when Aaron Donald, Von Miller, and the rest of Cincinnati’s offensive line are exposed, while Matthew Stafford protects the ball enough to grind out a win. Rams win 26-20.
Jake Elman: The Rams seem to be a destined club, implying that Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals will win Super Bowl 56. Tyler Boyd is my pick for Super Bowl MVP, but I saw the voting process in 2020 firsthand, and Burrow is very probably a certainty. I’m going with Cincinnati to win 31-20.
Last round, I selected against Joe Burrow and the Bengals, according to David Esser. I’m not going to make the same mistake again. On paper, the Rams are clearly the superior team. Von Miller, Aaron Donald, Jalen Ramsey, Cooper Kupp, and Matthew Stafford are all professional football players. These Bengals, on the other hand, have a distinct personality. Burrow wields some powerful spells.
Martin Fenn (Martin Fenn): On paper, this seems to be Los Angeles’ battle to lose. It has a distinct edge with its defensive front seven against a Bengals offensive line that isn’t very good. Even if the Rams fail to establish the run, Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp, and Odell Beckham Jr. should have a field day against a shaky Cincinnati defense. Not to mention that the game will be held in the SoFi Center in Los Angeles.
Cincy’s moxie, on the other hand, has a certain allure. The Bengals are a considerably more difficult challenge for the Rams than the 49ers because of their verticality, which allows them to stretch LA’s defense. It might all come down to a few huge plays at key moments. My bet is that the Bengals will play with nothing to lose and throw the Lombardi Trophy around at the end of the night. The Bengals defeated the Rams by a score of 31 to 27.
Joe Burrow has already broken new ground as a No. 1 choice playing in the Super Bowl only two years into his NFL career, and it would be crazy to dismiss his possibilities after such a meteoric climb to fame. With weapons like Ja’Marr Chase, Tyler Boyd, Tee Higgins, and Joe Mixon at his disposal, that’s doubly true.
But the offensive line hasn’t faced anything like the terrifying trenches of the Los Angeles Rams, led by human wrecking ball Aaron Donald and the havoc-wreaking, edge-rushing duo of Leonard Floyd and Von Miller, who have allowed nine sacks to a middling Tennessee Titans unit during a stellar regular season and edge-of-your-seat postseason run (see: nine sacks allowed to a middling Tennessee Titans unit). That alone should enable Matthew Stafford continue to rewrite his career narrative with touchdown passes to Cooper Kupp and Odell Beckham Jr. on way to a Super Bowl MVP award and a 27-20 triumph.
Bob Garcia: There are plenty of quarterback stories, with Joe Burrow hoping to lead the Bengals to their first Super Bowl victory. Meanwhile, Matthew Stafford has the opportunity to cap off an outstanding debut season with the Rams.
The Bengals’ offensive line might have a lot of problems against the Rams’ deadly pass rush, thus the game could be decided in the trenches. Burrow’s ability to deliver the ball down the field to his explosive playmakers will be determined by the O-ability line’s to give him adequate time.
Stafford still has a game ahead of him that might alter the narrative around his career. He’s shown that he can withstand the intense pressure of postseason football. Given what Burrow has showed in his first playoff appearance, it’s impossible to choose against him, but Super Bowl 56 is the Rams’ game to lose at home.
Bengals 20, Rams 28.
Jeff Goldberg (interviewer): It seems like a fool’s errand to try to figure out where the advantage is in this battle. Is it possible that the ferocious Rams defense has the upper hand on Joe Burrow? Will the Bengals be able to shut down Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp as they did Patrick Mahomes and Tyreek Hill after the Chiefs had a huge lead early?
This game seems a lot like another Rams Super Bowl against a second-year quarterback with a special touch. In 2002, the game was decided by a walk-off field goal by Adam Vinatieri. This game will be decided by an Evan McPherson field goal that breaks Vinatieri’s playoff record for most field goals. In a classic, the Bengals beat the Rams 30 to 28.
Andrew Hanlon: I’m Andrew Hanlon. Joe Burrow has spent an entire season proving everyone wrong and leading LSU to a national title. He’s now proving everyone incorrect along the road, and he’s in the running for a Super Bowl title. Why would I want to bet against him?
Hawkins, Jeff: What a smack in the face for the Fords! Please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please Matthew Stafford would have many Super Bowl rings by now if it weren’t for the ownership snafus. It is now Stafford’s turn. The Rams put a lot of money into this Super Bowl, and they’ll be in financial and draft-pick trouble for years, but they’ll win it. Bengals 17, Rams 30.
Joe Kozlowski: I’m choosing the Rams for two reasons that have nothing to do with football. First and foremost, I hope their success demonstrates to Stan Kroenke the importance of betting big on talent and motivates him to add at least one striker and an additional midfielder to Arsenal’s squad this summer. Second, I want Mike Francesa to have to process Odell Beckham Jr.’s Super Bowl victory.
However, when it comes to the NFL, I always put skill first. Joe Burrow is a magician and deserves all the praise in the world for his second season, but the Rams are the superior team from top to bottom. There are enough game-changers on both offense and defense that someone will come up and make a play.
“Talent will win out,” as Stan Fischler would say. Bengals 28, Rams 35.
Joe Burrow has so much confidence, I almost expect him to defeat the Rams by himself. Andrew Kulha: Joe Burrow has so much swagger, I almost expect him to beat the Rams by himself. His chain game isn’t a joke, and they aren’t made up. With that stated, I believe that a game of this significance is won or lost on tiny intangibles and minutiae, and the Rams do have that experience.
Sean McVay will be appearing in his second Super Bowl in his first five seasons as a head coach, which is extraordinary. The last time he played, he lost against Bill Belichick, who had a little of experience on his side. With Zac Taylor and the Bengals on the other sideline, I think the Rams will be a little more collected this time, and that will help them win. The Rams defeated the Bengals by a score of 31 to 23.
John Moriello: The Rams are well aware that their window is closing, as the consequences of giving up all those draft selections are set to take effect. The Bengals have had two weeks to consider how arriving this fast makes practically no sense. Matthew Stafford will not win the game for the Los Angeles Rams, but he will not lose it either. The Rams will win 24-13 because to their patience and defense.
Luke Norris (Luke Norris): There’s a lot of chatter about how the Rams have an edge since they’re at home. But they haven’t exactly been unbeatable at SoFi Stadium this season. Although they won twice at home in the playoffs, they were just 5-3 at home during the regular season. And it’s not like they’ll be the true home team – let’s face it, if you listen to the crowd during their games, they never are.
Everything seems to be in place for the Rams to win this game. And it would lead to a slew of wonderful tales involving Stafford, OBJ, Aaron Donald, and others. However, those Bengals are on fire right now. Plus, my girls adore cats and my wife is a 49ers fan, so if I choose LA, I’ll probably get a lot of female shrieking at me. And because I can’t have that, we’re going to go with Cincy.
Matthew Stafford, Aaron Donald, Jalen Ramsey, Odell Beckham Jr., and Von Miller are all superstars on the Rams’ roster. Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and the Bengals are putting their money where their mouth is. The world expects the Rams to win, particularly because they are playing at home, and the pressure will be too much for them to handle. The Who Dey team wins 24-23 thanks to a late Evan McPherson field goal. Alternatively, the Rams may sack Burrow 17 times and win 49-10.
Mike Thomas (Mike): I hope I’m wrong, but I believe the Rams’ defensive front is the game’s deciding factor. Bengals QB Joe Burrow is nice and has a lot of weapons, but I expect him to be running for his life for the most of the game. A big-time receiver will lead the Rams offense, and it won’t be Cooper Kupp. In a 31-13 victory, Odell Beckham Jr. will be named Super Bowl MVP.
Van Straten, Tim: Here’s a quick rundown of everything the Bengals have accomplished in the last three weeks, just in case you needed a refresher. Joe Burrow and his teammates won the city’s first playoff game since 1991, knocking out the AFC’s top seed, and then defeating Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City. Now the Bengals must face a star-studded Rams team at their state-of-the-art Hollywood stadium.
Throughout the playoffs, the Bengals have defied the odds. They still have one more miracle to do. The Bengals won by a score of 24 to 20 against the Rams.
Matt Wadleigh: For the second week in a row, I’ve chosen against the Bengals. For the last two weeks, I’ve been betting against the Rams. As a result, I’m at a loss on what to do.
The Rams, on the other hand, seem to be a club destined for greatness. It seems like the Rams’ year, from Von Miller to OBJ to Cooper Kupp’s incredible season to Matthew Stafford and playing in their own stadium. The Bengals’ Joe Burrow makes it interesting, but Aaron Donald and the great Los Angeles defense win it. Cooper Kupp’s walk-off touchdown gave the Rams a 33-27 overtime victory against the Bengals.
Phil Watson: When in doubt, go with the player who hasn’t lost a huge game. Joe Burrow and the Bengals win 23-20 thanks to a walk-off kick by Evan McPherson. It’s just how they do things.
Wilson, Josh: For days after the game was arranged, I toiled between the Rams and the Bengals. I’m going with the Bengals because Joe Burrow is the more productive quarterback, and he’s definitely ready and able to compete at the greatest level only two years into his career. Aaron Donald and company will make things difficult, but Burrow has previously shown that you can sack him close to ten times in a game and still lose.
Bengals win by a score of 28-17 against the Rams.
David Wysong: I’m from Cincinnati, Ohio, so I’m frightened of what would happen if I backed the Bengals.
Joe Burrow has established himself as the king of this town, and he has shown himself to be the genuine thing throughout the season. He’s unbeaten in his previous five win-or-go-home games, spanning his historic College Football Postseason run at LSU and his first three playoff games with the Bengals. It’s difficult to bet against him, particularly with Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd, and Joe Mixon as his weapons. I’m going with Cincinnati over Los Angeles, 27-24.
RELATED: Sportscasting Interview: Terrell Davis and Hines Ward Predict Who Will Join Them as Super Bowl MVPs in Super Bowl 56
The “whos in the super bowl 2021” is a question that has been asked for years. The Super Bowl Staff Picks are here to help you figure out who will be playing on February 3, 2022.
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