The Super Bowl is here. Picking NFL games straight up is hard enough, but picking against the spread is even tougher. Here is Super Bowl LVI Picked Against the Spread. (Spreads are from TallySight as of Monday morning)
Last week: 1-1, Season total: 132-134-1
Los Angeles Rams (-4.5) vs. Cincinnati Bengals (Game in Los Angeles)
Joe Burrow once again showed he had the magic against the Chiefs. The Bengals were able to go into Arrowhead and upset the Chiefs with a stellar second-half performance. After going down 21-3, Burrow orchestrated the biggest comeback in AFC Championship history. The defense deserves plenty of credit for slowing down Patrick Mahomes in the second half as well.
The Rams also needed to come back to beat the 49ers. After being down 17-7 in the fourth quarter, the defense stepped it up, while Matt Stafford made the most of it. With some help from Cooper Kupp, the Rams offense showed up when it mattered most, which sets up a Super Bowl between two teams that were seeded fourth.
There are plenty of matchups worth watching in the game. The Bengals’ offensive line has been inconsistent, although they did play a good game against the Chiefs. They will have to matchup against some of the league’s best against the Rams. Aaron Donald on the interior specifically will give the Bengals trouble. On top of that, Jalen Ramsey going up against Ja’Marr Chase is one of the better cornerback vs. wide receiver matchups possible.
On the other side of the ball, the Bengals’ defense has been great on the playoff run. They have allowed 19.7 points per game and have come up with timely turnovers. Limiting Mahomes to three second-half points is one of the best performances of the season.
With that being said, the game will be close. The Bengals haven’t been aggressive enough with their playcalling in these playoffs. There were times when they couldn’t find the endzone and they consistently run the ball on first down, making them predictable. If they want to win, they need to open up the playbook from the start of the game and not have to play for a comeback again.
In the end, the Rams will win by a field goal, but won’t cover the spread.
Pick: Bengals
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