Los Angeles Rams vs. Cincinnati Bengals Predictions, Picks, Odds

Michael Crosson Sports Betting Expert

7 minute read

After 18 weeks of regular-season action and three playoff rounds, the wait is finally over. Super Bowl 56 between the Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals will kick things off from SoFi Stadium at 6:30 p.m. ET this Sunday evening on NBC.

SCORE PREDICTION

Rams 30, Bengals 23

BEST BETS

Rams -4 (-110) at Caesars

LOS ANGELES RAMS VS. CINCINNATI BENGALS PREDICTIONS

After finishing last in the AFC North with a record of 4-11-1 SU last year, Cincinnati kept that same ball rolling with another pedestrian start to this season, as the Bengals opened with a relatively lackluster 5-4 SU and 4-5 ATS stretch – which included frustrating SU losses to the Bears and Jets.

Cincinnati has successfully ridden the coattail of its offense since the midway point of the year, highlighted by the Bengals averaging 26.9 PPG on 355 YPG across their current 8-3 SU run. The youthful inexperience of the Bengals’ offense still shows through occasionally though, considering Cincinnati scored 23 PTS or less in nearly half of those matchups (5).

On the other hand, the Rams were fairly inconsistent throughout the first half of Matthew Stafford’s opening campaign with the team, as L. A. opened with a relatively unimpressive 7-4 SU run – while tallying 20 PTS or less in SU losses to the Niners, Titans, and Cardinals.

L. A. has dominated since mid-December though, considering the Rams have scored 27.2 PPG and allowed just 18.2 PPG across their current 8-1 SU and 7-2 ATS run – which includes sturdy averages of 28 OPPG and 18.3 DPPG across three playoff matchups.

I’ll lay the points with L. A. here, as the main discrepancy between these teams was defense down the homestretch, considering the Bengals have surrendered 23.4 PPG since Week 13, while the Rams allowed just 18.2 PPG across that same window. And with several other variables also leaning in L. A.’s favor ahead of Sunday’s matchup, such as postseason experience, home-field advantage, pass protection, etc. – it’s tough to make a legitimate case for Cincinnati without factoring in emotions.

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LOS ANGELES RAMS VS. CINCINNATI BENGALS BETTING ODDS

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The Bengals will travel to L. A. for Super Bowl 56 as roughly four-point underdogs against the Rams at SoFi Stadium – marking the seventh time Cincinnati has been an underdog across their last nine games. The total for Sunday’s event is stationed just south of OU 49 at most shops, which ties the lowest number set for a matchup containing Cincinnati this postseason – and the highest for a postseason matchup containing Los Angeles.

LOS ANGELES RAMS VS. CINCINNATI BENGALS BETTING RESOURCES

• Matchup: NFC West vs. NFC North
• Date: Sunday, February 13, 2022
• Venue: SoFi Stadium
• Location: Inglewood, California
• TV-Time: NBC - 6:30 p.m. ET

• Weather Report
• Injury Report
• Super Bowl 56 Betting
• Super Bowl 56 Futures
• Super Bowl 56 Odds
• Super Bowl Betting History
• Super Bowl 56 Betting Central
• Super Bowl 56 Props
• Super Bowl 56 MVP Odds
• Super Bowl 56 Value Index Edge
• Super Bowl 56 Tech Trends
• Super Bowl 56 Team-Player Prop Picks
• Super Bowl 56 Betting Angles

LOS ANGELES RAMS BETTING ANALYSIS

Straight Up - SU, Against the Spread - ATS, Over-Under (O/U)

• SU: 15-5
• ATS: 10-10
• O/U: 10-9-1
• ATS - Away: 5-5

After acquiring Stafford from Detroit this past offseason, the Rams’ offense dominated immediately out of the gate, as L. A. tallied 27.2 PPG on 384 YPG across Weeks 1 through 11 – yet were somewhat letdown defensively, considering their defense allowed a lofty 24 PPG on 352 YPG across that same timeframe. 

The Rams’ defense has stepped up enormously down the homestretch though, considering L. A. has surrendered 23 PTS or less in seven of their last nine games (18.4 PPG, 313 YPG) – which includes a trio of gutsy postseason defensive efforts against the Cardinals, Bucs’ and Niners (18.3 PPG, 274 YPG).

CINCINNATI BENGALS BETTING ANALYSIS

Straight Up - SU, Against the Spread - ATS, Over-Under (O/U)

• SU: 13-7
• ATS: 13-7
• O/U: 8-12
• ATS - Home: 5-5

After finishing last in the AFC North with a record of 4-11-1 SU last year, the Bengals bounced back with a surprisingly excellent 2021 campaign, as Cincinnati defied its +2500 preseason divisional odds by winning the AFC North with a sturdy record of 10-7 SU – and solidified that claim to the throne with impressive playoff victories over the Raiders Titans, and Chiefs on the way to the franchise’s first Super Bowl berth since 1988.

Despite the hype surrounding Burrow though, the Bengals’ recent success has primarily come via excellent defense, considering Cincinnati has scored 24.7 PPG and allowed just 21 PPG across their current 6-2 SU run – but crafting a low-scoring victory typically isn’t feasible against a Rams squad that’s scored 30+ PTS in five of their last eight games (30.1 PPG).

INSIDE THE STATS - LOS ANGELES RAMS

• Record: 12-5
• Division Standing: 1st - NFC West
• Points Scored: 460
• Points Allowed: 372
• PS/G: 27.1 (7th)
• PA/G: 21.9 (15th)

INSIDE THE STATS - CINCINNATI BENGALS

• Record: 10-7
• Division Standing: 1st - AFC North
• Points Scored: 460
• Points Allowed: 376
• PS/G: 27.1 (7th)
• PA/G: 22.1 (17th)

KEY PLAYERS TO WATCH

• LAR: Matthew Stafford - QB (67.2% CMP, 287.4 PYPG, 41 TD, 17 INT)
• LAR: Cooper Kupp - WR (145 REC, 114.5 YPG, 16 TD)
• CIN: Joe Burrow - QB (70.4% CMP, 288.2 PYPG, 34 TD, 14 INT)
• CIN: Ja'Marr Chase - WR (81 REC, 85.6 YPG, 13 TD)

LOS ANGELES RAMS VS. CINCINNATI BENGALS BETTING CONCLUSION

After pulling off a thrilling come-from-behind victory over Kansas City in last week’s AFC Championship Game (W, 27-24 OT), the Bengals hit the road again for Super Bowl 56 as four-point underdogs against the Rams at SoFi Stadium – marking the fifth time Cincinnati has been an underdog across their last six games.

I’ll lay the points with L. A. here, as the Bengals adequately protected Burrow during last week’s thrilling overtime victory over the Chiefs, as Kansas City brought him down for just one sack in their latest event. 

Prior to last week though, Cincinnati’s o-line was a serious concern, considering Burrow was sacked 32 times across their previous seven matchups stretching from Week 13 through the Divisional Round, highlighted by the Titans and Raiders getting to him for 11 sacks in the first two postseason rounds – and that type of protection typically doesn’t bode well against a ferocious Rams’ front spearheaded by three-time DPOY Aaron Donald.https://www.youtube.com/embed/vIWnL04yTC8?enablejsapi=1&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.vegasinsider.com

LOS ANGELES RAMS VS. CINCINNATI BENGALS BETTING TRENDS

• The total has gone UNDER in four of the last five Bengals' games.
• The Rams are 6-3 ATS in their last nine games.
• The Bengals are 7-0 ATS in their last seven games.
• The total has gone UNDER in five straight matchups between the Bengals and Rams.
• The Rams are 5-1-1 ATS in their last seven matchups against Cincinnati.

Where to place a bet this NFL Season?

• Use our exclusive BetMGM Bonus Code VIBONUS1500 to unlock BetMGM’s welcome offer for new sportsbook users!
• Compare the latest NFL Odds from the best sportsbooks before placing a bet on this week's games.
• Check out the North Carolina Sportsbooks just before they launch legal online sports betting.

Michael Crosson

Michael Crosson began his time at VegasInsider as a freelance NBA writer back in 2019 while he continued to study Psychology and Biology at James Madison University. Following his graduation in 2021, Michael joined the team full-time, and he's been with VI ever since. Michael still writes NBA, NFL, and MLB for VI, as well as gambling industry news. He's also become a crucial part of our editorial production team. More from Michael Crosson