What if…? Can the LA Rams regroup if McVay goes 0-2 in Super Bowls?

Okay, here we are. The Day of Days. It’s Super Bowl Sunday, and the world is about to take a deep breath and tune in to witness the outcome of the game between the LA Rams and the Cincinnati Bengals. It’s the story about the team with the Super Bowl ‘destiny’ against the team nobody expected to make it to the playoffs, let alone Super Bowl LVI.

The Bengals (David) have been upsetting their opponents throughout the playoffs, and must now attempt to do so against the Rams (Goliath). They’ve been able to do so by baiting their opponents to abandon the run, make mistakes in the passing game, and playing just enough offense to win games.

So far, the media portrayal of the Cincinnati Bengals has been about the remarkable poise and pocket presence of second-year quarterback Joe Burrow. While I won’t argue that he has made the throws when he’s had to, let’s be truly honest. That Bengals defense has risen to the occasion.

Beware the Bengals D, not Burrow, folks

So far the Bengals defense has created seven turnovers, at least two per playoff game, and held some pretty high-octane offenses to average less than 20 points per game. More than half of the NFL quarterbacks in the league can win games under those circumstances. But the legendary QB Tom Brady has retired, and it seems that the NFL is already seating Burrow in that chair before it gets cold.

To be honest, it seems a bit disingenuous. In three playoff games, Burrow has thrown for 842 yards, four touchdowns, and two interceptions. And as the competition has become more difficult, Burrow has felt the pressure. Is he good? Sure. But the narrative of this one has been about Burrow’s miraculous success, and everyone has presumed that LA Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford will cough up three interceptions to the Bengals in this one.

So far in the playoffs, Stafford has thrown the football 905 yards, six touchdowns, and just one interception. That doesn’t sound like a quarterback on the verge of a complete meltdown to me.