Super Bowl 2022: Rams vs. Bengals Favorite and Betting Odds from Las Vegas

Like perhaps nobody predicted, it's the Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Rams set to play for the Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl LVI. 

Those Bengals emerged from a chaotic AFC, earning their first playoff victory in 30-plus years, turning a drought into a streak that culminated in an AFC title. The Rams, giving off NBA superteam vibes by going all-in on trades for big names like Von Miller, bested the defending champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second round before winning the entire NFC. 

The result is a set of lines and odds that understandably favor the Rams given the fact Matthew Stafford and Co. will play in the home confines of SoFi Stadium. But as a wild season stressed to would-be bettors constantly, nothing at face value is reliable, making the NFL's final game of the year a tough call. 

Super Bowl Schedule, Latest Line

Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press

Who: Rams vs. Bengals

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

Where: SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles

TV: NBC

Spread: Rams -4.5

Total: O/U 48.5

Money line: Rams -195, Bengals +165

                

All odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.

Notable Prop: Ja'Marr Chase Super Bowl MVP (+1800)

Mark Zaleski/Associated Press

Yes, quarterbacks dominate the NFL and most of its awards, but it wasn't too long ago that New England Patriots wideout Julian Edelman won the MVP award of Super Bowl LIII (2019). 

The tally there? Ten catches for 141 yards. 

That's a yardage number Bengals rookie wideout Ja'Marr Chase surpassed four times during his record-breaking season. He drummed up 1,455 yards and 13 scores while averaging a gaudy 18 yards per catch, before 279 yards and a score over three playoff games (two 100-plus-yard performances). 

Which is to say, if there's a non-quarterback and underdog capable of stealing the MVP award, it's probably Chase. He's been unstoppable, and before effectively sitting out Week 18, he led the NFL with 872 yards against single coverage, according to Pro Football Focus, so even a lot of attention from Rams star corner Jalen Ramsey shouldn't deter would-be bettors from eyeballing the big upside of this prop. 

Quick Look: Over/Under 48.5

Reed Hoffmann/Associated Press

The Bengals and Rams both average 27.1 points per game, so an over 48.5 line looks pretty appealing. 

Then again, the Rams allow just 21.9 points per game on average while the Bengals surrender just 22.1. 

Still, these are quarterback-driven teams before anything else, and the playoffs are perhaps the best thing to look at. Defenses have had 17 or more games of film to analyze in an effort to stop these offenses, and yet the Rams have scored 30-plus in two of their three playoff games and the Bengals 26 or more twice. 

Keep in mind the backdrop too—Rams coach Sean McVay faces a former offensive-minded understudy and an extension of his coaching tree in Bengals coach Zac Taylor. 

The points—and over—should be a lock.

Point Spread Projection

Ed Zurga/Associated Press

Something has to give. Matthew Stafford never won a playoff game over 12 seasons in Detroit. The Bengals hadn't won a playoff game in three decades. 

It's easy to look at Cincinnati's miserable time keeping Joe Burrow protected (51 sacks during the regular season, 12 more in the playoffs) and call it for the at-home Rams.

But the Bengals won while Burrow suffered nine sacks in Tennessee to advance to the AFC title game. Von Miller-Aaron Donald is scary, but the embattled Bengals line has now fended off other elite duos to get to this point (Maxx Crosby-Yannick Ngakoue, Jeffery Simmons-Bud Dupree, Chris Jones-Frank Clark). 

The Bengals aren't as sexy in the name-recognition department on defense either but have held opposing passers in the playoffs to five touchdowns and six interceptions. That, plus Burrow and Chase feeling like a unicorn that still hasn't lost in the playoffs in college or the pros (7-0) makes the Bengals a hard team to root against in this one. 

Prediction: Bengals 28, Rams 23

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