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Who do you have to cheer for within the 2022 Tremendous Bowl?
That’s a simple query for followers of this yr’s individuals — the Cincinnati Bengals and the Los Angeles Rams — however maybe a bit more durable for followers exterior of these realms.
Right here’s three causes to cheer for the Rams on Tremendous Bowl Sunday:
Eric Weddle, the person who unretired
Accidents left Los Angeles in a precarious place because it entered the playoffs. Security Taylor Rapp went into the concussion protocol simply earlier than the postseason, whereas fellow security Jordan Fuller went on injured reserve with an ankle damage.
That opened the door for the Rams to show to the previous for assist in their secondary. Los Angeles added former Professional Bowl security Eric Weddle, who retired two years in the past, to its roster previous to the staff’s wild-card matchup, and he’s been instrumental to the Rams’ postseason run.
Weddle, who starred at Utah earlier than his 13-year NFL profession, performed 19 of the staff’s defensive snaps within the wild-card spherical win over Arizona, then has been on the sector for almost each defensive snap since.
Within the NFC championship sport win over San Francisco, Weddle led the Rams with 9 tackles in Los Angeles’ 20-17 win.
Whereas Weddle is embracing the chance to play in his first Tremendous Bowl, he is aware of the job shouldn't be completed.
“It’s not likely so surreal on this second. There’s a job (that wants) to be achieved, and the job shouldn't be completed,” he stated Monday.
There’s some Hollywood magic with this staff
The Rams have been artistic in constructing a roster that’s full of massive names.
Los Angeles has cashed in with first-round success tales in recent times. There’s defensive sort out Aaron Donald, a three-time NFL Defensive Participant of the 12 months, and vast receiver Cooper Kupp, who led the NFL in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns this yr.
The Rams have additionally develop into identified for buying and selling away draft capital in trade for impactful gamers, an strategy that introduced veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford and lockdown nook Jalen Ramsey to Los Angeles.
They’ve additionally gone massive in buying free brokers like receiver Odell Beckham Jr., a midseason addition this yr who fell out of favor in Cleveland.
That every one results in a roster that feels prefer it’s constructed for the intense lights of Hollywood.
This, too, is a little bit of a snake-bitten franchise within the Tremendous Bowl
Sure, Kurt Warner led the Rams franchise to a Tremendous Bowl championship 22 years in the past when “The Best Present on Turf” took over the NFL world. Their 23-16 win over the Tennessee Titans within the 2000 Tremendous Bowl offers the Rams yet another Tremendous Bowl title than their opponent this Sunday, Cincinnati.
In three different Tremendous Bowl appearances, although, the Rams have come out on the dropping finish.
They misplaced convincingly to Pittsburgh of their first Tremendous Bowl in 1980. Then got here a pair of Tremendous Bowl defeats to New England and Tom Brady, 17 years aside.
Plus, there's a unhealthy style within the mouth of the franchise after getting shut down of their 13-3 loss to the Patriots within the Tremendous Bowl three years in the past.
Can Sean McVay’s program shake off that efficiency and earn a little bit of Tremendous Bowl redemption, as they play in entrance of the house crowd Sunday at SoFi Stadium?