Super Bowl 2022: Rams-Bengals By The Numbers
Just two teams remain as the quest for the Lombardi Trophy comes to SoFi Stadium on Sunday.
The Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Rams are gearing up to play in the NFL's biggest game of the year. And as you make your own food and housing preparations for the show, we've got you covered with the season's final edition of By The Numbers.
Here are the numbers you need to know for Sunday's big game.
Matchup: The Bengals lead the all-time series against the Rams, 8-6, but this will be their first meeting in the playoffs. In their most recent matchup, which came in Week 8 of the 2019 season, the Rams won 24-10 in a game that was played in London at Wembley Stadium).
The Rams are 25-27 all-time in the playoffs (.481). They're making their fifth Super Bowl appearance (1-3 all-time). They're just the second team (2020 Buccaneers) to play a Super Bowl on their home field.
The Bengals have an 8-14 (.364) all-time playoff record. This is their third appearance in the Super Bowl, a game they have never won (0-2). With a loss, the Bengals would join the Broncos, Vikings and Bills as the only franchises to lose each of their first three Super Bowl appearances.
The Rams (12-5 in the regular season) and Bengals (10-7 in the regular season) combined for 12 losses this season, the most combined losses for any matchup in Super Bowl history. This is the first Super Bowl that does not feature a top-three seed from either conference.
QUARTERBACKS
1: Matthew Stafford (No. 1 Pick in 2009 NFL Draft) and Joe Burrow (No. 1 Pick in 2020 NFL Draft) were each selected first overall in the NFL Draft, making this just the second Super Bowl in which both starting quarterbacks were selected first overall. The other was Super Bowl 50, which featured Cam Newton (Panthers, No. 1 pick in 2011) and Peyton Manning (Broncos, No. 1 pick in 1998).
1: Stafford, who was hit by the interception bug toward the end of the regular season, has tossed just one in the postseason. His 72% completion rate is the highest by a Rams QB in a single postseason, and he has registered the second-most completions, passing yards and passing TDs by a Rams QB in a single postseason, behind only Kurt Warner.
2: Stafford is the first QB in Rams franchise history to throw two-plus touchdown passes in three games in a single postseason.
7: Stafford is the seventh starting QB in NFL history (fourth since 2000) to reach the Super Bowl in his first season with a new team, joining Trent Dilfer (2000 Ravens), Jake Delhomme (2003 Panthers) and Tom Brady (2020 Buccaneers).
49,995: Stafford has recorded 49,995 passing yards and 323 passing TDs in regular-season games, both of which were the most by any player with zero Super Bowl appearances entering this postseason.
842: Burrow has the most passing yards (842) and most completions (75) by a Bengals QB in a single postseason. He needs two more passing touchdowns to set the Bengals franchise record for pass TDs in a single postseason (the current record is five by Ken Anderson in 1981-82 postseason).
1: Burrow is the first QB selected No. 1 overall to reach a Super Bowl within his first two seasons.
1: With a win, Burrow would become the first QB to win the Heisman Trophy, a college national championship and a Super Bowl. Tony Dorsett, Marcus Allen and Charles Woodson accomplished it as non-QBs.
RAMS NUMBERS
386: Rams WR Cooper Kupp leads the postseason in receiving yards (386) and receptions (25), both franchise records. His four receiving TDs is also a franchise record.
2,333: Kupp now has 170 receptions and 2,333 receiving yards in the regular season and playoffs combined, the largest combined total in NFL history. Kupp is the first player in NFL history to record 2,000-plus receiving yards in the regular season and postseason combined.
161: Kupp needs seven receptions and 161 receiving yards in the Super Bowl to set new NFL records for receptions and receiving yards in a single postseason.
220: In the Rams' 2019 win over Cincy, Kupp had a career-high 220 receiving yards.
113: WR Odell Beckham Jr. had nine receptions for 113 receiving yards in the NFC Championship Game, his first game with 100-plus receiving yards since Week 6 of the 2019 season.
54: The Rams' defense has allowed only 54.0 rushing yards per game in the playoffs, the lowest of any team.
18.8: The Rams have allowed their opponents to convert only 18.8% (6-for-32) of their third-down conversion attempts in the playoffs, the lowest of any team this postseason.
40: If he plays, Andrew Whitworth would become the first 40-year-old offensive lineman to play in a Super Bowl and the eighth player 40 or older to play in a Super Bowl at any position. He would also be the first player in Super Bowl history to be older than both head coaches.
4: With a win, the Rams would become the second 4-seed from the NFC to win a Super Bowl, joining the 2011 New York Giants (Super Bowl XLVI).
2: With a win, the Rams would become the second Los Angeles franchise to win a Super Bowl. The Los Angeles Raiders defeated Washington in Super Bowl XVIII (Jan. 22, 1984). The last California team to win a Super Bowl was the 1994 San Francisco 49ers (Super Bowl XXIX).
.722: The Rams are 13-5 (.722) at SoFi Stadium since it opened for the 2020 season (11-5 in regular season, 2-0 in playoffs).
BENGALS NUMBERS
190: RB Joe Mixon is leading all players in rushing yards (190) this postseason. He has recorded 100-plus scrimmage yards in each of the last two games. With 100-plus scrimmage yards in the Super Bowl, Mixon would become the first player in Bengals franchise history to record 100-plus scrimmage yards in three straight playoff games.
279: WR Ja'Marr Chase has the most receiving yards (279) by a rookie in NFL history and also the most receiving yards in a single postseason by a Bengals player. He needs three receptions to set the rookie record for postseason receptions (Joseph Addai, 22 receptions in 2006 playoffs).
12: Kicker Evan McPherson has the most field goals made (12) by a rookie in NFL postseason history. He's also the first player in NFL history to make four-plus FGs in three straight playoff games. With three-plus field goals in the Super Bowl, McPherson would set a new NFL record for field goals made in a single postseason (Adam Vinatieri, 14 field goals made in 2006).
21: With a win, the Bengals would become the 21st different franchise to win a Super Bowl.
.500: With a Bengals win, the AFC and NFC would be tied at 26-26 all-time in the Super Bowl (the first four Super Bowls took place before AFL-NFL merger).
6: The Bengals defense has recorded six interceptions in the playoffs, the most of any team.
7-2: Starting QBs with the first name "Joe" have a 7-2 all-time record in the Super Bowl, tied with "Tom" for most wins, all by Tom Brady).
COACHES
74: This is the youngest matchup of head coaches in Super Bowl history, with a combined age of 74 years old (Sean McVay is 36, Zac Taylor is 38). It's also the first Super Bowl to feature two head coaches under 40. It's a stark turnaround from last year, which featured the oldest matchup of head coaches in Super Bowl history, with Andy Reid and Bruce Arians having a combined age of 130 years old at the time.
6-3: Rams coach Sean McVay is 6-3 (.667) in the playoffs as Rams head coach. He's the first head coach in Rams franchise history to reach multiple Super Bowls (second Super Bowl appearance).
36: With a win, McVay would become the youngest head coach in NFL history to win a Super Bowl (36 years, 20 days old). Mike Tomlin is currently the youngest HC to win a Super Bowl (led the Steelers to a Super Bowl XLIII win at 36 years, 323 days old).
3: Bengals HC Zac Taylor is the first head coach in Bengals franchise history to win each of his first three playoff games (tied with Sam Wyche for most playoff wins by a Bengals head coach).
2: With a win, Taylor would become the second-youngest head coach in NFL history to win a Super Bowl at 38 years old, trailing only Tomlin.
2: Taylor served under Sean McVay for two seasons (2017-18), as the Rams assistant wide receivers coach in 2017 and quarterbacks coach in 2018.