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California teachers union leader under fire for maskless picture at Rams game

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The Five – Monday, February 14

On today’s episode, ‘The Five’ debate when the hypocrisy of mask mandates will end after celebrities weren’t wearing them at the Super Bowl. Plus, the Clinton campaign hacked into Trump Tower servers to link Donald Trump to Russia.

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A member of the California Teachers Association Board of Directors is under fire for the union’s continued support of school mask mandates despite being pictured at a recent Los Angeles Rams game without a mask.

“This California Teachers Association Board of Directors Member, Jesse Aguilar, isn’t interested in a ‘cautious’ approach for adults, only our kids. This is Jesse Aguilar. He went to NFC championship game with 70k strangers – he is #DoneWithCovid but his Union wants kids masked,” the LA Parent Union, a group advocating for an end to California’s school COVID-19 restrictions, posted on Twitter Monday.

Masked students wait to be taken to their classrooms at Enrique S. Camarena Elementary School, Wednesday, July 21, 2021, in Chula Vista, California.
(AP Photo/Denis Poroy, File)

CALIFORNIA MASK MANDATE IGNORED BY HIGH-PROFILE CELEBRITIES SPOTTED ENJOYING SUPER BOWL LVI

Pictured in the tweet was CTA Board of Directors member Jesse Aguilar, who appeared to be celebrating the Rams NFC Championship win last month. A Facebook profile belonging to Aguilar features the same photo from Jan. 31.

Attached to the LA Parent Union post was a recent statement from the California Teacher’s Association, which included CTA President E. Toby Boyd applauding the state’s decision to keep COVID-19 restrictions such as masks in place for K-12 students.

Photo of Gov. Gavin Newsom and Magic Johnson 
(@MagicJohnson)

“We support the administration’s decision to pause and gather more information to make a science-based decision on school masking that responds to this moment in the pandemic and helps the state transition with an eye on equity,” the statement reads.

The picture of Aguilar comes from the same game that saw California Gov. Gavin Newsom generate controversy for his own maskless photograph, a move he defended despite a policy in place that required all spectators to wear masks.

“I was very judicious yesterday, very judicious, and you’ll see the photo that I did take where Magic was kind enough, generous enough, to ask me for a photograph, and in my left hand’s a mask and I took a photo,” Newsom said of the photo he took with NBA legend Magic Johnson. “The rest of the time I wore it as we all should — not when I had a glass of water or anything, and I encourage everybody else to do so.”

California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
(AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)

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Aguilar took a similar line of defense to his maskless picture in a Facebook post Monday, claiming that he only took off his mask to snap the photo.

“This person wants to know where my mask was. It was in my pocket. I took it off for the picture. There was nobody in front of me,” Aguilar said in the post. “I’m glad to wear my mask in a pandemic. It’s not hard and it shows I care about the people around me. I was glad SoFi required proof of vaccination. Getting vaccinated is the sane thing to do in a pandemic. I’m glad sane people behave in a sane manner in an insane time. Where’s your mask?”

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Sports

Sean McVay’s Super Bowl Blueprint Failed. The Rams Won Once He Adapted.

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I’m going to let you in on a little secret. During Sunday’s Super Bowl, all of us football writers spent time thinking about how the outcome of the game would shape upcoming narratives. How could we not? Instead of waiting to see what would happen after the Rams or the Bengals won, we tossed the prompt to ourselves: If Team X finds a way to pull this out, that will mean [insert take here].

Midway through the fourth quarter of the Rams’ eventual 23-20 victory, that meant focusing on Sean McVay takes. The Los Angeles head coach was the story. L.A. was trailing 20-16, and its offense had just stumbled to its third consecutive three-and-out—two of which had started just shy of the 50-yard line. McVay’s Rams were on the cusp of a second Super Bowl faceplant. This wasn’t as bad as L.A. scoring three total points against the Patriots in Super Bowl LIII, but scoring three second-half points against the Bengals was still pretty bad.

The Rams’ offensive woes in the second half had an easy explanation: injury. Star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., who had been the Rams’ most productive target in the first half, hurt his knee late in the second quarter and never returned. His absence, coupled with the absence of starting tight end Tyler Higbee, left the Rams with four active wide receivers and two active tight ends—and then backup tight end Kendall Blanton went down with a shoulder injury in the third quarter, leaving only third-stringer Brycen Hopkins to play the position. The team’s first three drives without Blanton? All three-and-outs.

With Beckham and Blanton both sidelined, the Rams were slim on pass catchers. But the passing game was the only way they could move the ball. After that third three-and-out ended with just over 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter, the Rams had recorded 11 drives in the game. They had carried the ball 18 times—and not a single run had generated positive EPA. Put another way: Every single Rams rushing attempt made the Bengals more likely to win the game. Surprisingly, this was not the first game in which a team had failed to net a positive running play. But it was the first in which a coach did not stop dialing up running plays in the face of that poor performance.

Perhaps McVay felt it was necessary to run the ball, given the injuries to the pass catchers. Perhaps he felt that the runs—even the ineffective ones—would set up play-action shots to come. Either way, McVay was wrong. The Rams’ running game was only helping the Bengals.

We can see this by looking at Cincinnati’s response to the L.A. rushing attack. The Rams wanted to run out of condensed formations, which ask receivers to get in tight to the offensive line to provide another blocker. The Rams have rarely played in anything but 11 personnel (a grouping with one running back, one tight end, and three wide receivers) this season. For that strategy to be viable, L.A.’s wide receivers must contribute as blockers in the running game.

The problem Sunday was twofold. First, without Higbee and Blanton, the Rams had no blocking tight end. Hopkins, who was forced into playing time, is more of a supersized wide receiver at 6-foot-4 and 245 pounds. Neither he nor Blanton saw a ton of snaps in the regular season, and both struggled with recognition, communication, and synergy when working with the rest of the Rams offense to block the Bengals’ fronts.

And second, the Bengals intentionally changed the picture that they presented to the Rams’ line. By reducing the front (moving defensive linemen closer to the middle of the formation) or sending blitzers right at the snap, the Bengals created confusion and advantageous angles for their linebackers and safeties. For L.A., executing double-teams or coordinating combination blocks suddenly became a lot more difficult.

While the Rams found success in the play-action passing game out of condensed sets early—quarterback Matthew Stafford was 4-of-5 passing for 54 yards with a touchdown on under-center, play-action dropbacks in the first half—the Bengals countered by using late shifts to disguise pressure packages and rob Stafford of the time necessary to set up deep shots. As the Rams sat in their condensed sets, the Bengals were able to bring tons of bodies into the formation, thereby making it difficult for even a veteran like Stafford to identify which player was blitzing. The clips below show how this worked: On the first snap in this cut, the slot defender comes after Stafford and creates a hurry and a quick checkdown. On the second snap in this cut, the slot defender stops, confuses the running back in protection, and fills the checkdown window.

The Rams’ running game wasn’t working. The Rams’ play-action passing game had stopped working too. L.A. had no subs at wide receiver or tight end. And star wideout Cooper Kupp—who was recently named the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year—had somehow become a nonfactor; he didn’t see a target in any of the Rams’ fourth-quarter three-and-outs. McVay, one of the masterminds behind modern offense, was going to fall short once again, because the core tenets of his scheme (condensed sets, play-action passing) had been taken away. Sixteen points in 11 drives. The narrative was starting to settle.

Then the Rams’ 12th drive happened.

The first thing L.A. did was expand. Per Keegan Abdoo of Next Gen Stats, the Rams’ average formation width on their 12th drive was 26.5 yards—a substantial jump from the 23.1 yards they averaged on the first 11. It was a reasonable, even obvious, change on the surface: The Rams no longer were going to threaten the run, as they got the ball with just over six minutes remaining and needed a touchdown to take the lead.

This was also an act of mimicry. Bengals head coach Zac Taylor, a branch of the McVay coaching tree, quickly expanded his formations once he took the Bengals’ job. You can see Cincinnati’s leap in formation width after the team drafted Burrow.

Spread formations force the defense to spread with them, making it easier for smart quarterbacks like Burrow and Stafford to make presnap reads in identifying blitzers or diagnosing coverage shells. After going to these formations, the Rams expected to see zone coverage from the Bengals defense—and they got it. Again from Keegan Abdoo at Next Gen Stats: On their first 11 drives Sunday, the Rams were in 3×1 formations on 54 percent of their offensive snaps. That number dropped to 33 percent on the 12th drive. Those snaps were replaced by 2×2 formations with four receivers (three traditional wideouts and Hopkins, a flex tight end). L.A. used these formations on 16 percent of snaps on its first 11 drives, and a massive 40 percent of snaps on its 12th.

It wasn’t just the new formations that helped. It was also the tempo with which the Rams got into those looks. The Rams didn’t need to substitute new players, so they hustled to the line and forced the Bengals to make quick and simple defensive calls in order to keep defensive pace. Those defensive calls presented the Rams with zone coverage, which they could anticipate and exploit. “We were kind of in a hurry on that whole last drive,” Kupp said after the game. “Being able to keep them from setting some rushes but also keeping them in zone calls where you can put some pressure on them and get calls they just feel comfortable playing and zone some stuff off and allow Matthew and I to find some soft spots in there.”

Put aside the spread sets and four-wide formations for a moment. The tempo was the straw that stirred the drink. After the game, Stafford said the Bengals “played a bunch of man coverage, they were doubling Coop on every third down and, you know, we just missed on a few plays here and there that could’ve been big plays for us. And on that final drive, I thought Sean did an unbelievable job of letting us go out there and play with a bunch of tempo.”

Bengals cornerback Chidobe Awuzie said that the Rams “were going on the ball, they were going fast, and we weren’t really able to capitalize like how we always do.” Cincinnati defensive end Sam Hubbard said that the Bengals were expecting the Rams to go to tempo at some point, but it wasn’t enough. “They did an amazing job of putting 15 plays or something together at the most critical time,” he said. “Matt Stafford is an incredible quarterback, so credit to them, they went down and won the game, and we had to stop them.”

All game long, the Bengals were defending a McVay offense—until suddenly they weren’t. They were defending a Taylorian offense in terms of formations and quick throws. Once McVay got the Bengals on their back foot with this approach, he never paused to let them recover. The Rams’ game-winning drive was far from perfect; L.A. had to convert a fourth-and-1 after a third-and-1 run from a condensed set failed to gain an inch. But it did the job: Easy, underneath throws became much more available.

This drive was fueled by Stafford above all else. This moment was a final, emphatic reminder of what he’s always been capable of, but was constantly overlooked when he was playing in meaningless regular-season games in Detroit. In Sunday’s decisive sequence, after carefully moving the Rams offense down the field, Stafford pulled Vonn Bell just far enough out of his zone window to zing a no-look strike to Kupp in stride, over the middle. It was a 22-yard gain—the only 20-plus-yard play the Rams had after Beckham left with his injury. It was the only one they needed.

The 12th drive was all about change for McVay. Not just change at quarterback, as the Rams’ trade to upgrade from Jared Goff to Stafford was the defining move of the last offseason. Not just change in personnel, as the Rams had to overcome myriad injuries both leading into and during the Super Bowl. It was also about in-game tactical changes that he failed to make in his first Super Bowl appearance. The opposing defense took away what he wanted to do, but unlike in that 13-3 loss to the Patriots, he adapted. It wasn’t pretty, and it wasn’t immediate. It was still enough to change the narrative.

There are a lot of universes in which that 12th Rams drive never happens. Heck, there are a lot of universes in which the Rams don’t kick last-second field goals against the Buccaneers or 49ers, and in which the Bengals fall short against either the Titans or Chiefs. This was a chaotic playoffs, and from that chaos we will extract and distill many narratives. For all the focus on Stafford and the Rams’ all-in approach, though, the NFL season came down to one drive. McVay had both the talent and the wherewithal to adapt, and as a result the Rams are Super Bowl champions.



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Sports

Rams fans ordered to ‘clear the streets’ after Super Bowl win; at least 1 gunshot victim reported

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The celebration in downtown Los Angeles got out of hand Sunday night after the hometown Rams won Super Bowl LVI – with police ordering a crowd of partiers to disperse around 9 p.m. local time, according to a report.

Several off-ramps of Interstate 110 were closed in the downtown area, causing some traffic congestion, the Los Angeles Police Department wrote on Twitter, citing information from the California Highway Patrol. LAPD also declared an unlawful assembly after the crowds turned violent and resisted the orders to disperse.

“We are seeing violent and destructive behavior by large crowds in the heart of the Downtown LA area. We have issued several dispersal orders and have a large police presence,” the LAPD said in a statement.

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“Everyone that is part of those crowds, obey all dispersal orders and clear the streets immediately,” the LAPD added.

Meanwhile, at least one person was shot in East Los Angeles on Sunday in an area where more fans had gathered, officials said.

The wounded person, who was not identified, approached law enforcement officers near an intersection around 8:50 p.m. requesting aid, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Deputy Tracy Koerner said, according to the Los Angeles Daily News.

4 INJURED IN SHOOTING OUTSIDE LA RESTAURANT FREQUENTED BY CELEBRITIES FOLLOWING JUSTIN BIEBER CONCERT

The shooting took place near Atlantic and Whittier boulevards, when a suspect possibly fired from one vehicle into another vehicle, Koerner said, according to the report.

The victim was transported to a hospital with injuries that were not believed to be life-threatening, officials said.

Members of the Los Angeles Rams celebrate their Super Bowl LVI victory on Sunday at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
(Getty Images)

Video posted online by FOX 11 LA reporter Marla Tellez appears to show a huge crowd of people walking down the street, with some people shaking and climbing on cars.

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Photos and videos posted by Los Angeles Times reporter Kevin Rector appeared to show people — many wearing Rams jerseys — climbing onto vehicles, including a city bus that was graffitied, during the chaotic celebrations.

Crowds in Los Angeles celebrating the Rams’ victory in Super Bowl LVI.
(FOX 11 Los Angeles)

Photos and videos posted by Los Angeles Times reporter Jeong Park also seemed to show violent behavior, including the same graffitied Silver Line Metro bus.

Violent weekend

Sunday’s shooting took place one day after four people were injured in a shooting incident outside The Nice Guy, an Italian restaurant in West Los Angeles, where Justin Bieber was hosting a party with celebrity guests following his concert.

A 19-year-old male and a 60-year-old male were shot and hospitalized in stable condition, while another victim was shot and drove to the hospital, officials said. A 24-year-old male, later identified as rapper Kodak Black, whose real name is Bill Kapri, was also shot and was posing with fans outside the restaurant when the shooting erupted. 

Kodak Black performs during Rolling Loud New York 2021 at Citi Field on October 29, 2021 in New York City. 
(Getty Images)

Celebrities including Jeff Bezos and NFL Hall-of-Famer Tony Gonzalez, Drake, Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey McGuire, Kendall Jenner, and Khloe Kardashian, attended Bieber’s party.

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“Preliminary investigation revealed there was a physical altercation between several individuals at the location,” the Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement. “Gunshots were fired by an unknown suspect, who then fled south from the location.”

Police were still searching for the suspect.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.



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Sports

Super Bowl 2022: LA Rams beat Cincinnati Bengals 23-20

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The suspenseful game ended with a fourth-down stop by Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald to win it all. The big game took place at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, and it was the second time in Super Bowl history a team played on its home field. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were the first team to do so, last year at Raymond James Stadium.
“I’m just so happy, I wanted this so bad. I dreamed this, man. I dreamed this and it’s, like, surreal,” Donald said with tears in his eyes after winning. “It’s the best feeling in the world. God is great.”

Quarterback Matthew Stafford said he was proud of the team.

“There’s so many guys on our team that deserve this,” Stafford said.

The Rams controlled much of the first half, with receivers Odell Beckham Jr. and Cooper Kupp scoring the first two touchdowns of the day. The Bengals answered late in the second quarter with a trick play that led to a touchdown and an interception by safety Jessie Bates III.
Beckham — one of the premiere Rams receivers — left the game in the second quarter with a knee injury, according to the Rams’ official Twitter account.
A Bengals touchdown and interception within the first 22 seconds of the second half changed the tempo. Receiver Tee Higgins caught a 75-yard touchdown in the first 12 seconds of the half and 10 seconds later, cornerback Chidobe Awuzie picked off a pass from Stafford.
The fourth quarter began with uncertainty as to who would leave the game victorious, but it all came down to the last two minutes. After a long drive that included 15 plays — four runs and 10 passes — Kupp scored a crucial touchdown, giving the Rams a three-point lead. The Bengals had an opportunity to answer back, but were unable to convert on fourth down, ending the game.

Kupp — who had eight receptions for 92 yards and two touchdowns — was named Super Bowl MVP on Sunday. Kupp was also named NFL’s offensive player of the year Thursday.

The Rams came to the Super Bowl looking to redeem themselves after losing the big game in 2019 against the New England Patriots. That game saw head coach Sean McVay making his Super Bowl debut as the youngest ever to coach a team in the Super Bowl, according to the NFL.

Stafford also had something to prove. This was his first season with the Rams after playing his first 12 seasons in the NFL with the Detroit Lions. McVay said a few weeks ago the team wouldn’t be where it is today without Stafford’s leadership.

The Rams solidified themselves as “Hollywood’s Team” after returning to the City of Angels in 2016 from St. Louis. Between Los Angeles and St. Louis, the Rams have made five Super Bowl appearances, with their only other championship win in 2000, in Super Bowl XXXIV.

CNN’s David Close and Claire Colbert contributed to this report.



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Los Angeles Rams 23-20 Cincinnati Bengals: Cooper Kupp TD seals comeback win in Super Bowl LVI

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The Rams gave Los Angeles a story that will be remembered around these parts for some time.

Their 23-20 victory in Super Bowl LVI came thanks to a cast including Super Bowl MVP Cooper Kupp, Aaron Donald and Sean McVay, who at 36 becomes the youngest head coach to win a Super Bowl.

Kupp finished one of the greatest individual seasons in fairytale style. He led the NFL in catches, yards and touchdowns, setting an NFL record for receiving yards and won Super Bowl MVP and Offensive Player of the Year.

The Los Angeles Rams celebrate their Super Bowl triumph after a late comeback to win 23-30 against Cincinnati Bengals

LA Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp caught the match-winning touchdown as they came from behind to win Super Bowl LVI 

Rams pass-rusher Aaron Donald celebrates after taking down Joe Burrow to seal the victory in Los Angeles in the last minute

Star Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow shakes the hand of Rams counterpart Matthew Stafford after full-time 

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell gives the Vince Lombardi Trophy to Rams owner Stan Kroenke in the $5bn arena he funded

Rams QB Stafford celebrates at full-time after a late match-winning drive to earn his first Super Bowl title at the age of 34 

‘I don’t feel deserving of this… I don’t know what to say,’ Kupp told NBC’s Mike Tirico on the podium after receiving the gong.

Over 21 games he produced 178 catches, 2,425 yards and 22 touchdowns. The last two came here, where his eight receptions yielded 92 yards.

His second score, a one-yard reception with 1min 25 sec remaining gave the Rams a lead they would not relinquish.

‘Odell went down and Coop made some unbelievable plays on that last drive,’ Stafford said. ‘On that last play, I was so happy they were playing man [coverage], I was going to throw the ball to my man and he made a great play.’

There were redemption stories too with McVay and Kupp exorcising the demons of Atlanta three years ago. Kupp was injured and didn’t play, while McVay still blames himself for the defeat by the New England Patriots. 

Stafford found Odell Beckham Jnr early on in the first quarter for the game’s opening touchdown in a sold-out SoFi Stadium

Star receiver Beckham only moved to the Rams franchise earlier this season but was the star of the show in the early stages 

Yet Beckham Jnr was forced off in the second quarter – and did not return – after injuring his knee in a huge blow to the Rams 

‘I can’t say enough about the resilience of this team. Guys stepping up when they had to and it’s going to sound like a broken record, but that’s what makes this team great. That’s why they’re world champs. Our best players stepped up in the most crucial and critical moments,’ McVay said.

Quarterback Matthew Stafford capped his first four playoff wins with a title thanks to the 35th come-from-behind fourth quarter victory of his career. He was intercepted three times but came up big when it counted, leading the Rams to victory with a little help from some penalty flags. 

But it wasn’t pretty. For every failed run by the Rams – and there were plenty – Joe Burrow was sacked. Neither team had a first down beyond the third quarter, with a run of seven consecutive punts ended by Donald, who forced the ball out of Burrow’s hand as the Bengals turned the ball over on downs.

Bengals safety Jessie Bates intercepted a pass in the end-zone, which swung the momentum in favour of Cincinnati 

Joe Burrow, in just his second season in the NFL, then found his rhythm towards the end of the second quarter in Los Angeles 

From struggling early on, the Bengals came back from a heavy deficit to lead in the second-half, but could not move clear 

Tee Higgins ran in for his second touchdown in the first play of the second-half despite clutching Jalen Ramsey’s facemask 

The likes of Stafford, Beckham, Donald, veteran offensive lineman Andrew Whitworth and Von Miller celebrated while blue and yellow ticker tape covered the field of SoFi Stadium, where the Rams became the second straight team to win the Super Bowl in their patch.

They overcame adversity in the shape of a knee injury to wide receiver Odell Beckham Jnr – who scored the opening touchdown of the game – but there is uncertainty over some of their key actors, among them McVay.

Veteran offensive tackle offensive Andrew Whitworth is also talking retirement, while Van Jefferson’s wife went into labour during the game.

And despite struggling on the ground all game, it means redemption for head coach McVay after the heartbreak in Atlanta three years ago.

It means the end of a remarkable season for Cincinnati, led by the transformative figure of quarterback Burrow. 

Burrow also went down clutching his knee at one point in the second half – and he was unable to extend Cincinnati’s lead 

Yet without Beckham to call on, Rams head coach Sean McVay was struggling to get his offence to tick as the game crept on

Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor, who used to work under McVay, was matching his former boss stride for stride

‘We’re a young team,’ Burrow added. ‘You like to think that we’ll be back in this situation multiple times over the course of the next few years. We’ll take this and let it fuel you for the rest of our careers.’

With Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase causing havoc through the air – Higgins had 100 yards and two touchdowns; Chase 89 yards – the Bengals were firmly in position to win. But their name will be added to those unfortunate teams who failed to kill off an opponent.

Not to mention an inability to protect their quarterback, with Burrow sacked seven times.

‘We just did the things that we thought we needed to do to win the game,’ Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said.

Of his quarterback, he said: ‘He’s one of the toughest guys I’ve ever met. So much respect for Joe it’s so unfortunate we couldn’t finish it off as a team.’

This was the Rams 11th home game at SoFi Stadium with supporters, most played in front of more away fans than their own.

It looked to be following the trend early on this morning, with orange and black the more noticeable among the 70,048 spectators.

With Cam Akers struggling from the off – the Rams running back rushed for a meagre 21 yards off 13 carries – Stafford took matters into his own hands, scrambling for seven yards. It was the Rams’ joint-longest of the game. 

Dr Dre and Snoop Dogg opened up a blistering half-time show at Super Bowl LVI as day turned to night in Los Angeles 

Eminem was also among the star performers captivating the 70,000 in attendance and millions watching on worldwide 

It was a stunning spectacle to witness, with hundreds of performers adding to the show on the pitch during the interval 

Cincinnati’s defense struggled to adjust to Kupp in motion, Stafford tossed a beauty into the endzone and Odell Beckham Jnr did the rest. Plucking the ball out of the air, he shrugged off Mike Hilton’s tight coverage to score his seventh touchdown in 12 games as a Ram.

A key to the game would be how Jalen Ramsey handled Chase and the Rams’ prized cornerback began in ungainly fashion as he flapped and trailed in Chase’s wake.

But despite a 46-yard gain Cincinnati had to settle for a field goal, dispatched by the ever-reliable Evan McPherson.

The Rams powered ahead on their next possession. First Beckham danced through the secondary for 35 yards, then Darrell Henderson bulldozed for 25.

Losing track of Kupp in the endzone was not the best tactic and Cincinnati were duly punished. Stafford casually rolled to his right and floated a pass to Kupp, for arguably the easiest touchdown of the season. 

Their trick play two-point conversion was a bodge, kicker Jonny Hekker’s pass intercepted by Germaine Pratt. Cincinatti failed with some impromptu rugby and the Bengals were down 13-3.

The game needed a big drive and Burrow, Mixon and Higgins delivered.

Combining for 12-play, 75-yard drive, it was ended by a trick play – this time a successful one. Mixon’s pass to an equally wide open Higgins put the Bengals right back in it.

Yet with his final drive of the match, Stafford led the team down the field as he linked up consistently with Kupp 

Beckham, by this point, was watching and praying on the sideline as he was unable to return due to his first-half injury 

After numerous late penalties on both sides, Stafford found Kupp in the end-zone to give the Rams a three-point lead 

Just when it was looking like a shootout, with the next play Beckham landed awkwardly, a non-contact injury to his left knee. He did not play another snap.

Minus one of his top targets, Stafford looked long. Was there a window to find Van Jefferson? If there was, Jessie Bates closed it, and his interception sparked wild celebrations on the Bengals benches.

While Burrow suffered the 13th sack of the postseason, Leonard Floyd forcing a punt, the Rams couldn’t do any damage and an intriguing first ended with the Rams 13-10 up.

After a blistering half-time show the game continued in a similar vein.

A 75-yard touchdown pass from Burrow to Higgins was greeted by an almighty roar. Ramsey slipped, Higgins snaffled and sprinted away. ‘Who dey! Who dey!’

Sensing something, Bengals fans upped the noise as the play clock ticked down. But it was nothing compared to the din of the following few seconds as Stafford’s pass deflected off Ben Skowronek’s left hand and into those of cornerback Chidobe Awuzie.

But Donald – who has anchored the Rams defense since 2014 – stalled the drive. After sacking Burrow twice, McPherson converted and Cincinnati led by seven.

Yet Burrow and the Bengals did have time to tie the game with a field goal, but Aaron Donald tackled Burrow on fourth down

It gave the Rams a famous victory, following the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last year in winning a Super Bowl in their home arena

For Burrow, who had guided the Bengals to an unlikely Super Bowl appearance, it was a case of so close and yet so far 

With the Rams deep in Bengals territory, McVay attempted to emulate the Philly Special on third and five. But Kupp overshot Stafford for his only mistake of the night and LA had to settle for three and trailed 20-16.

Suddenly, just when it looked like a shootout, defenses took over with a flurry of sacks against two porous offensive lines. Seven straight punts ensued.

But just when it mattered, Stafford clicked into gear. At the two-minute warning Los Angeles were perched on Cincinnati’s eight-yard line.

The flags flew to increase the tension, with Stafford finding Kupp to seal the final, go-ahead score and give the Rams what many are calling a Hollywood ending.

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Los Angeles Rams top Cincinnati Bengals to win Super Bowl after WR Odell Beckham Jr. (knee) exits

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INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Los Angeles Rams receiver Odell Beckham Jr. suffered an injury to his left knee on a noncontact play with 3 minutes, 50 seconds remaining in the second quarter of Super Bowl LVI Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals and did not return.

“We don’t know yet, we’re gonna wait to hear,” Beckham told CBS Sports after the game when asked about the extent of the injury.

Beckham was running toward the right side of the field on a crossing route, but it appeared as though his left foot got caught in the turf. He dropped a pass thrown by quarterback Matthew Stafford and clutched his left leg as he fell to the turf.

Beckham took off his helmet while on the ground and was soon looked at by athletic trainers on the field before being helped off. He was looked at briefly in the medical tent on the Rams’ sideline before heading to the locker room.

He was listed as questionable to return at halftime. With less than five minutes remaining in the third quarter, the Rams officially downgraded Beckham to out.

The Rams offense struggled after losing Beckham, who had two receptions for 52 yards and scored the first touchdown of the game when he beat Mike Hilton in the right corner of the end zone for a 17-yard score. But Stafford ultimately engineered the winning drive in the fourth quarter of Los Angeles’ 23-20 victory.

After the game, Beckham tweeted: “THIS WAS EXACTLY GODS PLAN.”

“This is everything I’ve ever dreamed of, you know,” Beckham told CBS Sports. “And there was a moment I was in the back room and they told me I was done, I couldn’t play. And I had to come back out there and be a part of this because it’s so much bigger than myself. And these boys pulled through and made it happen.”

Rams veteran receiver Robert Woods, who has been out since November with a torn ACL, said he comforted Beckham at halftime.

“Yeah I actually spent some time with him in the locker room before coming out after halftime and just, really just held him,” Woods said. “It’s tough. He’s dealt with a lot I would say his whole career … but just being able to hold him and say ‘I’m right with you.’ I’ll be here every step. Every rehab day. … He’s a competitor I know he’ll be back even stronger and hopefully he’s back with us.”

According to ESPN Stats & Information research, Stafford was 2-of-6 for 25 yards and an interception in the first half after the Beckham injury. He started 10-of-12 for 140 yards and two touchdowns, one to Beckham.

Beckham was signed by the Rams after being released by the Cleveland Browns at midseason. After a slow start to his Rams career, Beckham has delivered in the postseason. In three NFC playoff games, he had 19 catches on 23 targets for 236 yards and a touchdown, with a long of 31 yards. He was second only to Cooper Kupp in receptions and yards.

Beckham tore his left ACL in 2020 while with the Browns. He’s scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent next month.

ESPN Staff Writer Brady Henderson and The Associated Press contributed to this report.



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Rams fans take to the streets in downtown Los Angeles to celebrate Super Bowl win, LAPD declares it an unlawful assembly

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LOS ANGELES (KABC) — Hundreds of Rams fans took to the streets in downtown Los Angeles Sunday night to celebrate the team’s Super Bowl victory over the Cincinnati Bengals at SoFi Stadium.

The LAPD declared the celebration an unlawful assembly, and “issued a dispersal order in the area of 11th and Hope Street.”

“The crowd is to disperse eastbound on 11th Street from Hope and southbound on Hope from 11th Street immediately,” the LAPD tweeted.

Video from the scene shows a large crowd of people dancing and celebrating on the street as several cars attempt to drive through. At one point, several people were seen jumping on top of one of the vehicles passing through the area.

Fireworks were also set off in the middle of the street several times during the celebration gathering in downtown L.A.

“We ask those that are celebrating tonight, celebrate responsibly,” LAPD said. “Do not allow your actions to tarnish a great Super Bowl win.”

Copyright © 2022 KABC Television, LLC. All rights reserved.



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Super Bowl 56: Live Updates from Bengals vs. Rams

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INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — The Latest on the Super Bowl:

The Cincinnati Bengals are minutes away from the first Super Bowl championship in franchise history.

That is if the Bengals can keep Joe Burrow upright.

The Bengals lead the Los Angeles Rams 20-16 through three quarters despite Burrow getting sacked five times in the third alone. It was the first time since at least 2000 that a quarterback has been sacked at least five times in a quarter in the playoffs.

Burrow now has been sacked six times in this game. It’s the fifth time in Burrow’s short career and third time this season he has been sacked at least six times.

The No. 1 pick overall of the 2020 draft now has been sacked a record 18 times this postseason, and he has been sacked 69 times all season.

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Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford has become the sixth player to throw for 6,000 yards in a single season.

He joins Drew Brees, who had 6,404 yards in 2011, Peyton Manning with 6,387 in 2013, Eli Manning had 6,152 and Tom Brady 6,113 in 2011 and Dan Marino with 6,085 in 1984. Stafford needed 209 yards to reach 6,000, and he got that with a 16-yard pass to Brycen Hopkins in the third quarter.

Three plays later, the Rams tried their version of the Philly Special with Cooper Kupp throwing to Stafford. But they didn’t connect, and Matt Gay kicked a 41-yard field goal with 6:02 left in the third. That pulled the Rams within 20-16 of the Cincinnati Bengals.

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Cincinnati rookie Evan McPherson has matched Adam Vinatieri for the most field goals in a single NFL postseason.

McPherson made his second of the Super Bowl with a 38-yarder with 10:15 left in the third quarter. That gave the Bengals a 20-13 lead over the Los Angeles Rams as they got points off Matthew Stafford’s second interception.

The rookie the Bengals drafted with the fifth pick out of Florida now has 14 field goals this postseason. That matches the NFL record set by Vinatieri in 2006.

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Super Bowl 56 has turned in favor of the Cincinnati Bengals with two big plays all in the span of the first 22 seconds of the third quarter.

The Bengals scored a touchdown on their first offensive play of the quarter. Joe Burrow moved to his right and then up before throwing deep to Tee Higgins, who caught the ball as Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey fell. Higgins ran to the end zone to finish off the 75-yard TD for a 17-13 lead.

On the Rams’ first play to start the next drive, a pass from Matthew Stafford intended for Ben Skowronek bounced to Bengals cornerback Chidobe Awuzie at the Los Angeles 32.

Evan McPherson hit a field goal to put the Bengals up 20-13.

That interception gives the Bengals eight this postseason, most since the Green Bay Packers had eight in 2010.

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There was about as much hip-hop as a stadium can hold at Super Bowl halftime, with Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Eminem and Kendrick Lamar splitting a fiery medley of their hits as expected, and a surprise appearance by 50 Cent.

It was a rare Super Bowl halftime show performed in the daylight, but it still had a feeling of a nightclub at SoFi Stadium on Sunday, with a set made up to look like the houses of nearby Compton and South LA.

Dre and Snoop opened the show with “Next Episode” and “California Love.”

50 Cent, not among the announced performers, started his “In Da Club.”

Blige was decked out in silver sparkles and surrounded by backup dancers as she sang a medley of her hits.

Eminem was surrounded by a rock band as he performed “Lose Yourself,” at one point taking a knee in apparent tribute to Colin Kaepernick’s protests.

The set was surrounded by what looked like a lit-up cityscape from above, with classic convertibles and a replica of the sculpture outside the Compton Courthouse.

The crowd had lanyards with LED lights that flashed in coordination with the show’s beats.

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Rams coach Sean McVay isn’t ready to talk about playing the second half of Super Bowl 56 without wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.

McVay was asked during his halftime interview about playing without Beckham. The receiver hurt his left leg late in the second quarter, the same leg he tore the ACL in during the 2020 season. McVay didn’t say anything about Beckham’s status, which has been announced as questionable to return.

The Rams coach says they have to make some adjustments and have got to be able to make some plays. McVay said the Rams had some opportunities they didn’t capitalize on.

Los Angeles leads the Bengals 13-10 at halftime. Cincinnati gets the ball first to start the third quarter after winning the coin toss and deferring to the second half.

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The Los Angeles Rams lead the Cincinnati Bengals 13-10 at halftime of Super Bowl 56.

Matthew Stafford has thrown for 165 yards and two touchdowns. He may be without one of his top targets in the second half with Odell Beckham Jr. questionable to return after hurting his left leg with 3:50 left in the second quarter. That’s the same knee Beckham tore his ACL in during the 2020 season. The wide receiver went to the locker room, and he has two catches for 52 yards and a touchdown.

Cooper Kupp has three catches for 40 yards and the Rams’ other TD.

Joe Burrow has thrown for 114 yards for Cincinnati. Running back Joe Mixon threw for the Bengals’ lone TD on a pass to Tee Higgins.

Cincinnati safety Jessie Bates got the game’s first turnover, working his way in front of Rams wide receiver Van Jefferson in the end zone. Stafford rolled out left on third-and-14 and threw deep from around midfield. Officials flagged Cincinnati for unsportsmanlike conduct, not for taunting but for a player wearing a hoodie not in uniform who ran into the end zone to celebrate. That forced Cincinnati to start at its own 10 with 2 minutes left in the half.

Stafford tied for the most interceptions in the regular season with 17. He now has two in the postseason. The only quarterback to have the most interceptions in the regular season and win a Super Bowl was Eli Manning in the 2007 season with the Giants.

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Los Angeles Rams receiver Odell Beckham Jr. suffered an injury to his left leg on a noncontact play with 3:50 remaining in the second quarter.

Beckham was running toward the right side of the field on a crossing route, but it appeared as though his foot got caught in the turf. He dropped a pass thrown by Matthew Stafford and clutched his leg as he fell to the turf.

Beckham was looked at by trainers on the field before being helped off. He was looked at briefly in the medical tent on the Rams’ sideline before heading to the locker room.

Beckham, who was signed by the Rams after being released by Cleveland at midseason, had two receptions for 52 yards. He scored Los Angeles’ first touchdown when he beat Mike Hilton in the right corner of the end zone for a 17-yard score.

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The Cincinnati Bengals have answered the Los Angeles Rams with their first touchdown to pull within 13-10 in the second quarter.

Running back Joe Mixon got the ball and ran to his right before throwing to a wide-open Tee Higgins in the end zone for a 6-yard TD with 5:47 left.

That capped a 12-play, 75-yard drive by the Bengals that chewed up 7:04 off the clock.

After the extra point, Bengals’ fans celebrated loudly chanting “Who Dey!”

Mixon joined some exclusive company as only the fifth non-quarterback to throw a TD pass in the Super Bowl. He joins Trey Burton for Philadelphia against the Patriots in 2018, Antwaan Randle El in 2006 for Pittsburgh against Seattle, Lawrence McCutcheon in 1980 for the then-St. Louis Rams against the Steelers and Dallas’ Robert Newhouse in 1978 versus Denver.

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Matthew Stafford is off to a nearly perfect start, and the Los Angeles Rams have a 13-3 lead over the Cincinnati Bengals.

Stafford capped a 75-yard drive with an 11-yard TD pass to Offensive Player of the Year Cooper Kupp with 12:51 left in the second quarter. None of the Bengals even touched Kupp coming off the line as he was wide open for his 21st TD catch this season, including the playoffs.

That puts him in exclusive company. Jerry Rice had 22 TDs in both 1987 and 1989. Randy Moss has the NFL record with 24 TD catches in 2007.

Stafford is 9 of 10 for 127 yards and two TD passes. His passer rating is perfect at 158.3.

Stafford is just the second quarterback with a perfect passer rating through four drives of the Super Bowl since 2000. Matt Ryan also was perfect for the Falcons against the Patriots in 2017.

A botched snap by the Rams on the extra point led to a flurry with the Bengals recovering the ball.

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The Los Angeles Rams lead Super Bowl 56 and the Cincinnati Bengals 7-3 after the first quarter.

Bengals rookie Evan McPherson kicked a 29-yard field goal with 28 seconds left to keep Cincinnati from going scoreless through the first 15 minutes. The field goal was McPherson’s 13th made field goal this postseason, putting him one off the NFL record of 14 set by Adam Vinatieri in 2006.

Cincinnati had first-and-10 at the Rams 11 after an amazing one-handed catch by Pro Bowl receiver Ja’Marr Chase. The Offensive Rookie of the Year tracked the ball as he ran downfield covered by three-time All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey and caught Joe Burrow’s pass with his right hand for a 46-yard reception.

But the Bengals couldn’t pick up even a yard on three plays before sending McPherson out for the field goal.

This is the third straight Super Bowl where both teams scored in the opening quarter. That had happened twice in the previous 12 Super Bowls.

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Playing a Super Bowl anywhere near Hollywood means the stars will come out, and they certainly have with the hometown Los Angeles Rams trying to win their first championship in 22 years.

Charlize Theron danced in her seat wearing a Rams ballcap, while Jennifer Lopez sat regally in her seat watching.

LeBron James is at SoFi Stadium with the Los Angeles Lakers having an off day along with Lakers legend Kareem-Abdul Jabbar. Pitcher Clayton Kershaw, who helped the Los Angeles Dodgers win the 2020 World Series, is on hand watching his high school buddy Matthew Stafford play quarterback for the Rams.

The crowd also includes country singer Kenny Chesney and actors Sean Penn, Matt Damon, Andy Garcia, Chris Tucker and Kevin Hart.

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The Los Angeles Rams have the first score of Super Bowl 56.

Matthew Stafford capped the Rams’ second drive with a 17-yard touchdown pass to Odell Beckham Jr. with 6:22 left in the first quarter. Beckham caught the ball over Bengals cornerback Mike Hilton, then the wide receiver celebrated his TD with a quick moonwalk. Beckham signed with Los Angeles on Nov. 11 after being cut by the Cleveland Browns.

Stafford is 4 of 4 for 47 yards and a 155.2 passer rating to start the game.

The Rams only had to go 50 yards in six plays over 3 minutes, 35 seconds because the defense forced the Bengals to turn the ball over on downs to end Cincinnati’s opening possession.

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Make it nine straight Super Bowls where neither team has scored on its opening drive.

The Los Angeles Rams started on offense and finished with 1 yard thanks to a sack by Pro Bowl defensive end Trey Hendrickson of Matthew Stafford.

Cincinnati went for it on fourth-and-1 at midfield, and linebacker Ernest Jones broke up Joe Burrow’s pass to turn the Bengals over on downs.

The Bengals are looking to score their first touchdown in the first half of a Super Bowl after being shut out in the franchise’s two previous Super Bowls. Cincinnati scored only 17 points on the opening drive all season, which tied for second fewest in the NFL. They had scored 10 points in the playoffs.

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The Cincinnati Bengals have won the coin toss and have deferred to put the Los Angeles Rams on offense to start Super Bowl 56.

It just may not be the omen Bengals’ fans want.

The last seven coin-toss winners wound up losing the Super Bowl. The last team to win the coin toss and the Super Bowl? Seattle beat Denver in 2014.

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford called tails with Los Angeles technically the visiting team. The coin tossed by Billie Jean King came up heads.

King was on hand for the coin toss as the NFL recognized the 50-year anniversary of Title IX enacted in 1972 as part of the Education Amendments providing equal funding for men and women for the first time at high schools, colleges and universities receiving federal funding.

She was joined by the team captains for the California School for the Deaf Riverside Cubs, members of the high school girls flag league of champions and girls youth tackle football players from the Inglewood Chargers and Watts Rams.

King tweeted out video of her practicing the coin toss before kickoff. King wrote “Pressure is a privilege” and she noted the tip to bend her knees actually helped a lot.

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Quickie Mickey” slowed it down for the Super Bowl.

Mickey Guyton, who told The Associated Press this week that she’d earned the nickname for singing “The Star Spangled Banner” in a tight 1:30, sang it in about 1:50 on Sunday before the Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals took the field.

Oddsmakers had put the over/under on the anthem length at 1:35.

“I don’t want to ruin anybody’s sports bets, but let’s just say it’s the Super Bowl, so it most likely won’t be as fast,” the Grammy-nominated country singer told the AP.

She was still faster than the Super Bowl average of around two minutes.

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It’s hot at SoFi Stadium for Super Bowl 56. Just not the hottest ever for this game.

The temperature is 82 ahead of kickoff between the Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals after having cooled off from 85 a couple hours before kickoff. California has been dealing with a heat wave over the past week with temperatures reaching into the low 90s in the region.

That’s short of the record of 84 set on Jan. 14, 1973, at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

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Getting into this Super Bowl at the last minute will mean a big hit to the wallet.

StubHub says the get-in price Sunday was $3,800, a jump of 10% from Saturday, and the average price for tickets sold was $6,136. That’s a dip of 8% from Saturday.

The site still had more than 1,400 tickets available Sunday morning.

Fans from California have bought nearly 40% more tickets over the last 24 hours and also nearly 35% of new tickets sold in that span.

The Cincinnati faithful have been busy with buyers from Ohio accounting for 8% of sales.

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Kickoff at Super Bowl 56 is less than an hour away with both teams warming up on the field at SoFi Stadium.

Joe Burrow is leading the Cincinnati Bengals with Matthew Stafford all decked out in the Rams’ modern throwback white jerseys. This is the first Super Bowl berth for each.

Burrow is the fastest to go from No. 1 overall pick to starting in this game.

Stafford had never won a playoff game before this postseason after the Rams traded for him. Stafford comes in with 49,995 yards passing and 323 TD passes. That’s the most ever for a quarterback making his first Super Bowl appearance. Stafford needs only 209 yards passing to become the sixth player to reach 6,000 in a single season.

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The “Who Dey!” fans are making themselves known inside SoFi Stadium.

The concourses are packed with people with Bengals jerseys and they are outnumbering Rams jerseys by almost a 4-to-1 margin. The most popular jersey is that of Joe Burrow’s No. 9.

The Bengals faithful aren’t waiting for kickoff either. They’re walking around breaking into chants of “Who Dey!” inside the house of their opponent.

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Super Bowl 56 could make history at kickoff before either the Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals begin the opening drives.

The temperature two hours before kickoff was 85 degrees with the chance for the gauge to go even higher by the time the ball is kicked off. That would make this the hottest Super Bowl ever, topping the record of 84 set on Jan. 14, 1973, at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

California has been dealing with a heat wave with eight locations in the region posting record temperatures in the upper 80s and low 90s earlier this week.

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More AP Super Bowl coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/super-bowl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL



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Kyler Murray frustrated with Cardinals following playoff loss to Rams: reports

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Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray reportedly isn’t happy with the organization following their wild-card playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams.

Murray, who led the Cardinals to an incredible 7-0 start, believes the team is framing him as the scapegoat for their troubles, according to ESPN.

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Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray jogs off the field after an NFL football game loss to the Seattle Seahawks Sunday, Jan. 9, 2022, in Glendale, Ariz. The Seahawks won 38-30.
(AP Photo/Darryl Webb)

 Members of the organization have reportedly said that Murray is self-centered, immature, and a finger-pointer, the network reported. The Cardinals are expecting Murray to improve as a leader, and they believe he needs to focus on his maturity and on-field body language, per the NFL Network.

JOE MONTANA SAYS TOM BRADY IS ‘CRAZY’ TO RETIRE: ‘I DON’T THINK IT’S DONE YET’

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray passes during the first half of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears Sunday, Dec. 5, 2021, in Chicago.
(AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Despite the ESPN report, the Cardinals say they are excited about Murray’s future.

“Nothing has changed regarding our opinion and high regard for Kyler Murray. We, as a team, and Kyler, individually, have improved each year he’s been in the league. We are excited to continue that improvement in 2022 and are excited that Kyler Murray is the quarterback leading us,” the team said in a statement obtained by Pro Football Talk.

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) throws a pass against the Dallas Cowboys during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Jan. 2, 2022, in Arlington, Texas.
(AP Photo/Ron Jenkins)

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In the 34-11 playoff loss to the Rams, Murray completed 55.9% of his passes for 137 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions. The star quarterback was without top wideout DeAndre Hopkins, who remained sidelined after Week 14.

After three seasons in the NFL, Murray could get a contract extension this offseason. He has one year left on his rookie deal, but the team can exercise a fifth-year option.



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Super Bowl Live Updates: The Rams Will Face the Bengals

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Feb. 13, 2022, 1:01 p.m. ET

Credit…Sue Ogrocki/Associated Press

A common refrain from Cincinnati Bengals players this week, including stars like Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase, has been that this year’s Super Bowl is “just another game.”

“Obviously it’s not, there are only two teams left and it is for a ring, but I think the best way to go about it is to try to treat it like another game,” Burrow said after Friday’s practice, the last of the season.

Their opponent, the Los Angeles Rams, played in a Super Bowl just three years ago, a 13-3 loss to the New England Patriots. The Bengals, meanwhile, had not won a playoff game since the 1990 wild-card round. This year’s Cincinnati team is also the youngest Super Bowl roster ever, with an average age of 25.8 years, according to an analysis by the website FiveThirtyEight.

But despite their relative youth, Bengals Coach Zac Taylor pointed to the big-stage experience many of his players earned in college or on other N.F.L. teams. Taylor, 38, is in just his third season as a head coach but was the quarterbacks coach for the Rams in Super Bowl LIII.

He said that he and Duke Tobin, the team’s director of player personnel, intentionally built the team around players with postseason experience.

“They certainly are not overwhelmed by these moments — they have proven that over the last two months,” Taylor said. “It’s a lot of guys who have played in championships in college, whether it was at L.S.U. or Clemson or Alabama or Ohio State. And then a lot of these free agents we’ve signed, they have been a part of playoff teams before. So these guys, they know they belong on this stage.”

Nine Bengals players, including Burrow and Chase, won a national championship in college. Trey Hendrickson and Mike Daniels were among the free-agent signings who had playoff experience with their previous teams, the New Orleans Saints and Green Bay Packers.

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