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All Bengals Publisher James Rapien Previews Super Bowl 56

Pair of Former SEC Quarterbacks Make for Interesting Super Bowl

Joe Burrow, Matthew Stafford main headliners, but others may determine outcome
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It may not be luck if Joe Burrow can win the Super Bowl on Sunday.

He won a title at LSU, but a lot of folks said that was the perfect storm where everything came together in one season.

Pretty much what some folks are saying about the Cincinnati Bengals this year. The oddsmakers apparently aren't buying into it.

If former Arkansas quarterback Brandon Allen gets in this game, you'll know it's not good news for the Bengals.

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Brandon Allen warms up before the final game of the regular season against Cleveland. The second Battle of Ohio featured neither starting quarterback as Cleveland's Baker Mayfield was out recovering from surgery while Cincinnati chose to protect quarterback Joe Burrow who was sacked 53 times in the regular season.
Brandon Allen-Cleveland
Brandon Allen-2018

He's Burrow's backup and only one scenario that gets Allen into the game is good (a Bengals' blowout) isn't really likely.

The Los Angeles Rams are a four-point favorite for those looking to be among what will be a huge day at casinos across the USA. In case you don't know, they don't care who wins as long as people bet both sides of the game.

If the Bengals win Sunday, uh, Burrow might have a little to do with it. Folks might want to start just saying the guy's a winner instead of being in the right place all the time.

On the biggest stages, Burrow doesn't seem to be overwhelmed.

Joe Burrow
Joe Burrow-Chiefs-Bengals
Joe Burrow
Joe Burrow-Jarran Hill
Joe Burrow

But the guy everybody expects to be hoisting the Lombardi Trophy after the game is Matthew Stafford. It's the reason he came to the Rams.

He's won as many playoff games this season as the Lions played in the 12 years he was there.

This is the biggest game he's played in, though. While at Georgia, the Bulldogs were good but they weren't great, mainly because Tennessee was still winning as the Phillip Fulmer era was coming to an end in Knoxville.

The SEC will have the winning quarterback from the game.

The Rams are the popular choice, playing the game in their home stadium with a couple of defensive players in Aaron Donald and Von Miller many are anticipating being the biggest factors in the game.

If they have big games, Burrow probably won't. Those two pass rushers will keep a lid on that.

Matthew Stafford-Rams
Cooper Kupp-Rams
Matthew Stafford-Rams
Nick Scott- Deebo Samuel
Matthew Stafford-Rams

But Los Angeles is expected to get a hometown win, much like Tom Brady did last season with Tampa Bay winning the game in its home stadium.

The Rams also played the first Super Bowl game in its home market in history when they were boat-raced by the Pittsburgh Steelers after the 1979 season.

That was in the Rose Bowl, though, not in the Coliseum where they had just wrapped up their last season in that stadium.

For the Bengals, it's their third appearance in the Super Bowl, but the first against someone other than the San Francisco 49ers.

What does all that mean in the final analysis? Probably nothing.

The guess is this game is going to come down to whether Cincinnati can move the ball enough on the ground to open up something in the passing game.

That's where Burrow comes in.

And it's really hard to bet against him in these big games.

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