- Cincinnati is in the Super Bowl after a sensation in Kansas City
- Bengals come back from 18 points and win after overtime
- Kicker McPherson sends Cincinnati to the NFL finals with a field goal
- Opponents in Los Angeles on February 13 are the Los Angeles Rams after a narrow win over the 49ers
Kansas City Chiefs – Cincinnati Bengals 24:27
(7:3, 14:7, 0:11, 3:3, overtime: 0:3)
Los Angeles Rams – San Franciso 49ers 20:17
(0:0, 10:7, 7:0, 0:13)
The Los Angeles Rams made it into the Super Bowl in their own stadium and surprisingly meet the Cincinnati Bengals in two weeks. Underdog Cincinnati defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 27:24 after overtime on Sunday and prevented the favorite from the third consecutive Super Bowl appearance.
The Rams then beat the San Francisco 49ers 20:17 and, like last year, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers get the chance to win the championship in their own stadium. Before the Bucs’ victory around quarterback Tom Brady, no team had ever played a Super Bowl in their own stadium.
“It was an unbelievable performance by our team. We said in the dressing room that we’re not going to lose this game,” Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford told Fox TV. He had just switched from the Detroit Lions to the Rams before the season.
For the Rams it is the first Super Bowl participation since the defeat against the New England Patriots in February 2019. The Rams won the only Super Bowl so far – then as St. Louis Rams – at the end of January 2000 with a 23:16 against them Tennessee Titans. The Bengals have never won the championship and were last in the Super Bowl 33 years ago.
For the Franconian Mark Nzeocha, the dream of a second Super Bowl participation has burst for the time being. The 32-year-old was part of the team that lost to the Chiefs back in 2020.
The Rams were now 17:7 behind and had a hard time against the guests from northern California. But the team worked back and took the lead with a field goal 109 seconds from time. An interception by the 49ers 30 seconds later sealed the hosts’ victory and the NFC title.