Rams’ Aaron Donald blows up Bengals offense to clinch Super Bowl LVI

Leading 23-20, the Los Angeles Rams‘ defense needed a stop against the Cincinnati Bengals to clinch a victory in Super Bowl LVI. With the Bengals facing a 4th-and-1, the best player on the Rams, Aaron Donald, rose to the occasion.

Donald broke through the blockers to get his hands on Joe Burrow. Burrow did manage to get a throw off before being sacked, but it fell incomplete.

The Bengals knew that containing Donald and the Rams would be key. The Los Angeles defensive front definitely got the better of that matchup, though, especially on Cincinnati’s final offensive play.

The Rams were in position to win the game because of the 15-play, 79-yard touchdown drive orchestrated by Matthew Stafford and the offense. That drive was punctuated with a one-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to Offensive Player of the Year and eventual Super Bowl MVP, Cooper Kupp.

The Bengals got into good field position on the first play of the ensuing drive when Ja’Marr Chase took a quick pass and went 17 yards. Burrow and Tyler Boyd connected on a nine-yard pass on the next play, setting up a 2nd-and-1. But an incomplete pass on second down and Samaje Perine picking up no yards on a third-down run set up the fourth down, where Donald took over.

Prior to kickoff, rumors had swirled that Donald would strongly consider retirement if the Rams won. In his postgame interview with NBC’s Michelle Tafoya, Donald declined to answer that question. But if this is his final game, that’s quite a sendoff.