‘Oh my god’: Super Bowl LVI decided in late scandal
The Los Angeles Rams are Super Bowl champions in one of the most controversial finishes as the final minutes became chaos.
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The Rams are Super Bowl champions after an insane, controversial finish to Super Bowl LVI in Los Angeles.
The rollercoaster battle came down to the final 30 seconds after a series of questionable referee decisions saw the Rams take the lead with less than 90 seconds remaining.
Los Angeles took advantage of the referee calls to go ahead 23-20 — and their defence held strong to stop the Bengals from scoring a miracle last-minute victory.
Stream all the action from Super Bowl LVI with ESPN on Kayo. Cincinnati Bengals vs Los Angeles Rams Live Monday 14th Feb from 10AM. New to Kayo? Try 14-days free now >
‘Oh my god’: Huge controversy in Super Bowl finish
There were five flags thrown in the space of three plays, leaving ESPN’s commentary in a spin inside the two-minute warning.
The insane drive ended with Cooper Kupp latching on to a pass from Matt Stafford in the endzone.
Kupp went on to be awarded Super Bowl MVP for his fourth quarter heroics. He finished the game with eight catches, 99 total yards, 2 touchdowns.
The play came after the Rams were controversially awarded a penalty for holding and were gifted a first-down, when it appeared that they had failed to convert at third-and-goal.
Replays showed Cincinnati’s Logan Wilson barely made contact with Kupp.
It was a sucker punch ruling that was described ESPN’s Brian Griese as “soft”.
Wilson said in his post-match press conference: “Cooper came up to me and tried to push off of me and I thought I made a good play on the ball.
“The refs saw otherwise. It was a tough call.”
“That’s not even as bad as what happened on the previous play,” he said.
The critical call allowed the Rams to eventually score the go-ahead touchdown
“Oh my god. What a finish,” ESPN commentator Steve Levy said of the late drama.
It ended with 39 seconds to play when Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow was sacked by Aaron Donald — for a Super Bowl record eighth time as Cincinnati rolled the dice on fourth down.
The sacking gave the ball back to the Rams, and the party in Los Angeles got off to an early start as Rams players ran onto the field.
Earlier, the drama at the end of the Rams’ match-winning drive included two penalties being awarded in the play that immediately followed the penalty being awarded against Wilson.
There was an offensive holding penalty awarded against the Rams, but it was cancelled out when Kupp was hit by Vonn Bell in a cheap shot as he completed a catch in the endzone.
The unnecessary roughness penalty allowed the Rams to score two plays later.
CBS Sports reporter Wes Rucker posted on Twitter: “Kupp holding call was soft. Henderson was held like crazy the previous play and wasn’t called, though. Whole lot of woof there”.
Former Associated Press reporter Chuck Bartels wrote: “It wasn’t Donald or Kupp. It was that first phantom flag that set this absurd ending in motion.
“What a sour turn of events.”
Chicago Sun-Times sports reporter Steve Greenberg wrote on Twitter the Rams’ victory should come with an “indelible asterisk”.
“Still just can’t believe the third-down flag on Logan Wilson. Good defence, bad throw, weak call — awful,” he wrote on Twitter.
It didn’t do anything to stop the wild celebrating inside the SoFi Stadium as the Rams became just the second team to ever win a Super Bowl at their home venue.
“I’m just so happy,” Rams defensive star Donald said.
“I wanted this so bad. I dreamed this.”
“One play and we’re world champs,” Donald added of his crucial late sack of Burrow.
“Any way to get to him. We made it.”
It was a sweet, sweet win for the Rams, three years after their loss to Tom Brady’s New England Patriots at Super Bowl LIII.
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, meanwhile, paid tribute to his team’s never-say-die approach.
“I’m so proud of this team,” Stafford said.
“There are so many guys on our team that deserve this, so many guys who gave their heart and soul to this team.
“That game today is the story of our season. It’s up and down it’s tough. We’re a tough team. We showed up late and got it done.”
The Bengals had stormed into a 20-13 lead early in the second half after a controversial Tee Higgins touchdown and an Evan McPherson field goal.
Higgins raced for a 75-yard score but replays showed he grabbed Rams’ safety Jalen Ramsey’s facemask before shrugging him off — an infringement that should have led to a penalty.
ESPN’s analyst and former NFL analyst John Parry said the Bengals got away with one.
“It is an offensive face mask and also offensive pass interference because the ball was in the air,” he said.
Tee Higgins definitely got away with one. Grabbed Ramsey's facemask. pic.twitter.com/yg4yFxd9VY
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) February 14, 2022
ESPN commentator Steve Levy responded by saying: “That’s a blown call by officials. That touchdown should not stand
“The game has been flipped on its head.”
But the Rams, who had struggled to build momentum on offence after a game-ending injury to Odell Beckham, clawed their way back into the game thanks to their rampant defence led by Donald.
Burrow was sacked repeatedly at key moments to prevent the Bengals from extending their lead.
The defeat was brutal on Bengals quarterback Burrow, the 25-year-old rising star who has helped transform Cincinnati’s fortunes this season.
Burrow finished with 263 passing yards and one touchdown but was buffeted all night and sacked eight times, a record for a Super Bowl.
Stafford, meanwhile, finished with 283 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions.
It was the Rams second franchise Super Bowl victory and their first since returning to Los Angeles from St. Louis in 2016. Their previous win came in 2000.
It was the third Super Bowl defeat in as many appearances for the Bengals, who also dropped the title contest in 1982 and 1989.
Sunday’s showstopping finale was a fitting end to one of the most gripping NFL post-seasons in years.
With Los Angeles basking in a February heatwave, a 70,000-capacity crowd packed with Hollywood celebrities were given a show-stopping halftime show led by icons Snoop Dogg, Dr.Dre, Eminem and Mary J. Blige.
— with AFP
Matthew Stafford returns after scary moment
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford was stretchered from the field after his ankle took an ugly twist in the third quarter.
However, he was able to return a few minutes later, after being assessed by medical staff on the sidelines.
The news was much worse for star receiver Odell Beckham, who was officially ruled out for the rest of the game as a result of an earlier knee injury.
Scary moment superstar collapses, helped off the field
Rams receiver Odell Beckham needed to be taken from the field after he struggled to get back to his feet following a play in the second quarter.
Beckham suddenly collapsed and immediately clutched his left knee.
Replays showed his lightning feet were attempting to change direction when he suddenly fell to the ground.
He was seen grimacing on the ground and took his helmet off as medical staff rushed onto the field.
He was taken to the locker room to receive medical treatment.
The Rams told reporters Beckham was “questionable” to return.
‘Insult’ in national anthem bungle
There has been an unfortunate start to Super Bowl LVI with a TV error causing some outrage.
There was a moment that angered fans during the pre-match national anthem when country singer Mickey Guyton was broadcast on the screen when artist Jhene Aiko was beginning her performance of America The Beautiful.
The camera instead showed Guyton who was scheduled to perform the national anthem immediately after Aiko’s performance.
The broadcast also titled the mistaken vision of Guyton by putting ‘Jhene Aiko’ at the bottom of the screen.
Both artists smashed their songs — but the focus for many turned to the TV mistake.
Not them putting Jhene Aiko name under Mickey Guytin. NFL diversity inclusion team Slack bout to ring off ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ðŸ˜#SBLVIpic.twitter.com/5EegbrXqPy
— DDOT. (@DDotOmen) February 13, 2022
VICE News reporter Alexis Johnson posted on Twitter the moment was “weird” and “all bad” with a face palm emoji.
Los Angeles Times reporter Matt Wilhalme said it was “embarrassing”.
Fox News TV anchor Kristi Coleman wrote on Twitter: “Jhene Aiko is not Mickey Guyton. What an insult”.
Tom Brady has jokes
Retired NFL legend Tom Brady has dropped a hilarious gag with a Twitter post that is going viral.
The seven-time Super Bowl champion was eliminated from the Playoffs last month, but — such is the casual way he has routinely booked his team a spot in the Super Bowl — he appears to have failed to update his calendar notifications.
He posted a screenshot of his phone, showing a reminder the Super Bowl was happening today — just not involving him.
Sh*t… pic.twitter.com/TR6kr6Bgss
— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) February 13, 2022
Fans lose it as over superstar’s bold arrival
Joe Burrow has arrived at the Super Bowl with an outfit that sends a statement.
The star quarterback showed up to the stadium casually striding inside with an eye-catching silver and black suit with a black top hat completing his ensemble.
Dripping with swagger, Burrow’s outfit was soon the talk of social media.
Super Shiesty #RuleItAll | #SuperBowlpic.twitter.com/fQouljp6xe
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) February 13, 2022
Teammate Joe Mixon did his best to upstage Burrow.
.@Joe_MainMixon brought it. #RuleItAll | #SuperBowlpic.twitter.com/Azdyvtj9d5
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) February 13, 2022
NFL superstar’s baby could cost Drake $3.2m
Drake is perhaps the only person more nervous about the birth of Odell Beckham Jr.’s child than the man himself.
The Los Angeles Rams wide receiver is “on standby’’ as he looks ahead to his first Super Bowl, and also the birth of his first child.
Beckham and his girlfriend, Lauren Wood, are expecting any day now.
The former Giants first-round pick did not want to dwell on what decisions he would have to make if the baby’s birth and the blockbuster game coincide.
“I don’t need you to put that energy in the air about the Saturday night or the Sunday thing,’’ Beckham said.
“I think God has a different plan. I don’t need it during the Super Bowl. I want to see my child being born, so I’m on watch.
“You have two of the biggest blessings, two once-in-a-lifetime moments and opportunities all happening at the same time.”
Drake will be praying Wood doesn’t go into labour this week – the Canadian rapper has placed nearly AU$1.7 million worth of bets in Bitcoin on the Los Angeles Rams and their star receiver in Sunday‘s game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
“Man, I’ve got to come through for him,” Beckham laughed when asked about the wagers.
“I‘ve got to come through for him, but ultimately, bro, I just want to be able to hold that trophy up, look your brothers in the eyes like, ‘Man, we did it.’ And just feel that joy. … Honestly, I feel like if I play my game, I catch everything that comes my way, I make the plays, I stay locked in, one play at a time, all of those things are very possible.”
As revealed on his Instagram, Drake placed six-figure bets on the Rams to win outright, and for Beckham to top 62.5 receiving yards and score at least one touchdown.
“All bets are in on the family,” he captioned the post.
If the rapper wins all three bets, he would receive a total payout of just under $3.2 million.
Originally published as ‘Oh my god’: Super Bowl LVI decided in late scandal
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