Super Bowl Odds 2022: Opening Las Vegas Betting Lines for Bengals vs. Rams

The pool of NFL teams pursuing championship bliss has been whittled down to its final two.

The Cincinnati Bengals knocked off the Kansas City Chiefs to capture the AFC crown, while the Los Angeles Rams topped their division rival San Francisco 49ers to emerge from the NFC.

Now that the participants are locked in for Super Bowl LVI, the wagering world can get down to business.

After laying out the latest line, we'll break out the crystal ball to help identify the best bets on the board.

Who: Rams vs. Bengals

When: Sunday, Feb. 13, at 6:30 p.m. ET

Where: SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles

TV: NBC

Spread: Rams -4

Total: O/U 49

All odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook

The Bengals won't fear this matchup, because after knocking off the AFC's top two seeds in consecutive weeks, they should fear no one at this point.

Joe Burrow is rattle-proof. Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins form one of the most electric pass-catching tandems in the league. Joe Mixon can break out for big plays as a rusher or receiver. The defense is no slouch either, having just intercepted Patrick Mahomes twice and sacking him four times.

But, as the title of this slide indicates, we like the Rams not only to win—but also cover a four-point spread.

Why? A few things.

First, as good as Burrow has been in the postseason, Stafford has simply played better. He has more yards (905 to 842), a higher completion percentage (72.0 to 68.8), more touchdowns (six to four) and fewer interceptions (one to two). Stafford has also been sacked five times to Burrow's 12, and that number might haunt the latter with Aaron Donald, Von Miller and Leonard Floyd now awaiting him.

While Cincy can confidently go into most games feeling it has superior playmakers on offense, that might not be the case here. Cooper Kupp is the best receiver in this matchup—full stop. If Odell Beckham Jr. looks like he did Sunday (nine receptions on 113 yards), he might be the second-best. While Mixon is the most electric running back, a healthy Cam Akers gives L.A. at least a puncher's chance to win that battle, too.

Throw in the fact the Rams are playing on their home turf, and they check every necessary box to believe they'll cover this spread.

Looking at the quarterbacks in this contest and the caliber of pass-catchers at their disposal, it's easy to let the imagination run wild regarding the potential point total.

However, that undersells the strength of these respective defenses.

The Rams have allowed 18.3 points in these playoffs. While one of those matchups came against a club quarterbacked by Jimmy Garoppolo, the others put them up against Kyler Murray and Tom Brady. They have the juice along the front line to make any opposing quarterback feel antsy, and they arguably have the league's best cornerback in Jalen Ramsey.

The Bengals, meanwhile, have allowed 19.7 points this postseason. They gave up three touchdowns in their first three playoff games while intercepting Derek Carr once and Ryan Tannehill three times. Then, after falling into an early hole, they limited Mahomes and Co. to three points after halftime, intercepting him twice—including on the third play of overtime.

The defenses alone can bother the quarterbacks. Then, add the brightest of lights on a stage neither quarterback has ever experienced, and it figures to be tough enough sledding for bettors to cash on the under.

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