The 2021-2022 football season has, unfortunately, come to an end. The Los Angeles Rams, aided by home-field advantage and the probability of the coin toss on top of the enormous talent of the players and coaching staff, bested the Cincinnati Bengals with a final score of 23-20. 

Right off the bat, numerous big-name athletes and entertainers came on the field prior to kickoff. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson came out to hype up the crowd and to announce the two teams. Tennis idol Billie Jean King did the official coin toss. The National Anthem was sung by Mickey Guyton, a Grammy-nominated country music artist.

During the coin toss, a statistic was shown that revealed that the team that won the coin toss lost the Super Bowl in each of the last 7 years. Coincidentally, the Bengals won the toss and eventually lost the game.

The game itself got off to a slow start, with a 7-3 score after the first quarter with the Rams leading. In the first half, Rams powerhouse wide receiver, Odell Beckham Jr. went down with a gruesome knee injury. After his exit from the game, the Rams struggled to pick the pace back up. But, with a very late touchdown caught by Cooper Kupp, the Rams got their second Super Bowl title in franchise history, and all while in their hometown.

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford threw for 283 yards with a 65% completion percentage. He threw three interceptions, but his game-winning throw to Kupp sealed the deal. 

Bengals QB, the young and popular Joe Burrow, had a rough second half. As the Rams regained their focus, Burrow got sacked a total of 7 times, and at one point in the 3rd quarter, it seemed like he might not be able to get back onto the field.

But, for at least the first portion of the game, it was very evenly matched. The Rams had a total possession time of 30:47 and the Bengals trailed with 29:13. Both teams had nearly identical total yardage: the Rams had 313 to the Bengals 305. 

Kupp ended up winning the MVP award after his phenomenal catch and performance throughout the game. He finished the night with 2 touchdowns, 92 yards, and 8 receptions. Other notable Rams are Beckham Jr. with one touchdown, Aaron Donald with two sacks, and Cam Akers with 13 carries. 

The Bengals still presented a strong team, despite their ultimate loss. Burrow had a 66% completion percentage, Joe Mixon had 15 carries, Trey Hendrickson had one sack, and notorious kicker Evan McPherson continued his streak with 2 good kicks and 8 points.

In between the plays, the infamously outrageous Super Bowl commercials did not disappoint. The majority of the commercials were focused on electric vehicles, 5G internet, and cryptocurrency. Some of the most memorable ones of the night were Zendaya’s campaign for SquareSpace, Guy Fieri’s “Flavortown” ad for Bud Light Seltzer, Doja Cat for Taco Bell, and a number of professional athletes going bowling for Michelob Ultra. 

Overall, the football game itself was quite slow until after halftime. The commercials were as good as they’ve ever been, and the halftime show provided a nostalgic performance for adults while still being enjoyable for younger audiences. It was an excellent close to the season, as two evenly matched teams fought it out with the interjection of music and advertisements.