After two wild games on Championship Sunday, the Super Bowl is set: It will be the Los Angeles Rams against the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Bengals are headed to the NFL‘s biggest game after shocking the Chiefs in Kansas City. The Bengals tied an AFC title game record by overcoming an 18-point deficit to beat the Chiefs in overtime, 27-24. The Bengals will be headed to the Super Bowl for the third time in franchise history and first time in 33 years.
Although the Bengals will be flying more than halfway across the country for the game, their opponent won’t be flying anywhere and that’s because the Super Bowl is being played in the Rams’ home stadium.
The Rams advanced by pulling off a wild comeback of their own against the 49ers. San Francisco was leading 17-7 in the fourth quarter, but the 49ers weren’t able to hold on as the Rams clawed their way back to shock the Niners 20-17.
The Rams will now become the second team in NFL history to play a Super Bowl in their home stadium. The Rams will also be going up against a Bengals team coached by Zac Taylor, who was on the Rams’ coaching staff the last time Los Angeles made the Super Bowl back in 2018.
Here’s a look at the playoff schedule along with the results of each game that’s been played so far.
Super Wild Card Weekend
Saturday, Jan. 15
- (4) Bengals 26-19 over (5) Raiders. The Bengals ended their 31-year playoff drought, but things definitely got dramatic before that happened. The Bengals’ win wasn’t clinched until Carr threw an interception from Cincinnati’s 9-yard line with 12 seconds left in the game. In his first playoff start ever, Joe Burrow threw two touchdown passes, while kicker Evan McPherson set a franchise record for playoff field goals with four.
- (3) Bills 47-17 over (6) Patriots. The Bills handed the Patriots a historical beatdown in a game that was never close. The Bills scored a touchdown on each of their first seven possessions, which is something that had never been done before by any playoff team in the Super Bowl era. The Bills’ offensive blitzkrieg was led by Josh Allen, who threw for 308 yards and five touchdowns on a night where the Bills totaled 482 yards.
Sunday, Jan. 16
- (2) Buccaneers 31-15 over (7) Eagles. The Buccaneers jumped out to a 31-0 lead in this game and never looked back. Tom Brady threw two touchdown passes and then Tampa Bay’s defense did the rest with two interceptions and a sack of Jalen Hurts.
- (6) 49ers 23-17 over (3) Cowboys. The 49ers looked like they were on their way to a blowout win with a 23-7 lead in the fourth quarter, but then things took a dramatic turn after the Cowboys mounted a furious comeback to cut the lead to 23-17. However, the comeback fell just short with the Cowboys’ final drive of the game ending at San Francisco’s 24-yard line.
- (2) Chiefs 42-21 over (7) Steelers. The Steelers jumped out to an early 7-0 lead after scoring a defensive touchdown, but it was all Chiefs after that. Patrick Mahomes threw for 404 yards and five touchdowns as Kansas City rolled to a win that will now set up a rematch with a Bills team that beat the Chiefs earlier this season.
Monday, Jan. 17
- (4) Rams 34-11 over (5) Cardinals. The Rams scored the first 28 points of this game and it was never close after that. A big reason the Rams were able to jump out to such a big lead is because the Cardinals offense fell on its face coming out of the gate. The first half was a total nightmare for an Arizona team that only totaled 40 yards in the first two quarters while also watching Kyler Murray throw a pick-six.
Divisional Round
Saturday, Jan. 22
- (4) Bengals 19-16 over (1) Titans. For the first time in 33 years, the Bengals are headed back to the AFC Championship Game. Although Joe Burrow got beat up in the game — he got sacked nine times — he still managed to throw for 348 yards to propel the Bengals to one of their biggest wins in franchise history. The Bengals wouldn’t have won this game without Evan McPherson, who hit four field goals, including the game-winner from 52 yards out as time expired.
- (6) 49ers 13-10 over (1) Packers. The 49ers were able to pull off the upset in Green Bay thanks in large part to some stellar special teams play. Not only did the 49ers block a field goal in the game, but they also returned a blocked punt for a touchdown to tie the game at 10 with just 4:41 left. Robbie Gould then punched San Francisco’s ticket to the NFC Championship with a 45-yard field goal as time expired.
Sunday, Jan. 23
- (4) Rams 30-27 over (2) Buccaneers. Tom Brady almost pulled off another improbable comeback, but Matthew Stafford mustered up just enough magic in the final minute to lead Los Angeles to the win. At one point, the Buccaneers trailed 27-3, but they managed to tied things up at 27 after a wild fourth quarter. The Rams were able to escape with the win though after Matthew Stafford connected with Cooper Kupp for a 44-yard play with under 10 seconds left. The pass play set up a 30-yard walk-off field goal by Matthew Gay.
- (2) Chiefs 42-36 over (3) Bills. Patrick Mahomes threw for 370 yards and three touchdowns as the Chiefs were able to hold on to beat the Bills in what will likely be remembered as one of the most exciting playoff games in NFL history. Mahomes hit Travis Kelce for an 8-yard TD in overtime to steal the win. Mahomes also engineered a 44-yard drive in the final 13 seconds of regulation to set up Harrison Butker’s 49-yard field goal, which tied the game and sent it to OT.
Championship Sunday
Jan. 30
AFC Championship
(4) Bengals 27-24 over over (2) Chiefs (OT). The Bengals tied an AFC title game record by coming back from 18 points down to shock the Chiefs in overtime. The Bengals got 250 yards and two touchdowns from Joe Burrow, but the most important production came from kicker Evan McPherson, who hit four field goals in the game, including the game-winner from 31 yards.
NFC Championship
(4) Rams 20-17 over (6) 49ers. The Rams trailed by 10 points in the fourth quarter and looked to be all but done, but then their offense came alive in a miraculous comeback where Los Angeles outscoring the 49ers 13-0 over the final 13 minutes and 30 seconds of the game. Cooper Kupp caught his second TD pass of the day in the fourth quarter and Matt Gay tacked on two field goals for the Rams, who beat the 49ers for the first time since 2018.
Super Bowl LVI
Feb. 13
Bengals vs. Rams in Los Angeles, 6:30 p.m. ET (NBC)
