Super Bowl LVI Set: Los Angeles Rams Will Meet Cincinnati Bengals

It’s official. Super Bowl LVI in Los Angeles will have a true “home” team, as the Los Angeles Rams topped the stubborn San Francisco 49ers today 20-17, thanks to a field goal with under two minutes to play.

The Rams will be joined by the upstart Cincinnati Bengals, who surprised the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship with a 27-24 overtime victory.

Super Bowl LVI will be held at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Feb. 13. Kickoff at the Rams home field is at 3;30 pm, with NBC televising. The game will mark the first time a team has hosted the championship game and the Super Bowl in their own stadium.

The Rams were down 17-7 at one point in the third quarter, but came back strong, thanks to key receptions by Cooper Kupp and Odell Beckham Jr. A 30-yard field goal by Matt Gay provided the winning margin. A last desperation drive by the 49ers was stopped by a Travin Howard interception, thanks to intense pressure by Aaron Donald.

Now, the team that went all-in with in-season acquistions of Odell Beckham Jr. and Von Miller – not to mention importing quarterback Matthew Stafford in the off season – finds itself with one more mountain to climb.

Earlier, the Cincinnati Bengals upset the Kansas City Chiefs 27-24 in an overtime game at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. It was the team’s first conference championship since 1989, long before its quarterback, Joe Burrow, was born.

Cincinnati rookie kicker Evan McPherson hit at 31-yard field goal in OT to bring the Bengals the win. Kansas City actually won the toss in overtime and elected to receive, but were stopped by a staunch Bengals defense.

Cincinnati’s comeback from an 18-point deficit tied for the largest-ever in a title game during the Super Bowl era. The 2006 Indianapolis Colts also rallied from 18 down to win the AFC title against the New England Patriots.