The Rams defeated the Bengals 23-20 in Super Bowl 56 with a second-half comeback on a night the stars showed up at SoFi Stadium.
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson started the festivities before kickoff. Eminem, Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre were part of one of the best halftime shows in Super Bowl history.
And then Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp and Aaron Donald delivered in the clutch to give the Rams franchise their second Super Bowl victory. The Bengals watched a touchdown lead slip away in the fourth quarter as they suffered the franchise's third heartbreaking loss in as many Super Bowl appearances.
MORE: Will Aaron Donald retire? Rams defender 'in the moment' amid speculation
Who were the winners and losers in Super Bowl 56? Sporting News takes a closer look:
Winners: Matthew Stafford & Cooper Kupp
Stafford and Kupp formed one of the most unstoppable connections in the regular season. Stafford, acquired by the Rams from the Lions in the offseason, found a go-to target in Kupp, who had a league-high 145 catches for 1,947 yards and 16 touchdowns.
But the Bengals were effective in bracketing Kupp in coverage and Stafford's job became more difficult when Odell Beckham Jr. left with a knee injury in the first half. The Rams' running game was nonexistent (23 carries for 43 yards in the game).
Kupp did have an 11-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter, but he was held in check until the go-ahead drive. He took a jet sweep for a first down on fourth-and-1 at LA's 30, had three catches for 38 yards to get the Rams in the red zone, and then caught a touchdown that was negated by offsetting penalties.
Stafford then hit Kupp for a 1-yard touchdown on a quick out with 1:25 remaining. Stafford finished 26 of 40 for 283 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. Kupp earned Super Bowl MVP honors with eight catches for 92 yards and two TDs.
Loser: Bengals' pass protection
The Rams tied a Super Bowl record with seven sacks, capping a major pregame storyline: Could the Bengals protect franchise quarterback Joe Burrow, who took nine sacks in the AFC divisional playoff round victory against Tennessee?
Even when the Bengals flipped a 13-10 Los Angeles halftime lead to a 20-10 advantage in the second half, the Rams' pass rush was ever-present. Donald and deadline acquisition Von Miller finished two sacks apiece.
Burrow finished 22 of 33 for 263 yards and a touchdown. Given that he suffered a major knee injury as a rookie (and another knee injury Sunday) and faced pressure through the entire postseason, pass blocking will be a major area of need in the offseason.
Winner: Aaron Donald
Donald is generally considered the best defensive player in the NFL. He has 98 sacks in eight seasons.
He made his presence felt in Super Bowl 56. He teamed with fellow defensive tackle A'Shawn Robinson (six tackles) to stuff the run. Cincinnati managed just 79 yards on 20 rushes. And in addition to his two sacks, Donald pressured Burrow into a hurried throw on fourth-and-1 on the game's final drive that fell incomplete.
Donald's performance was similar to Reggie White's for the Packers in Super Bowl 31. That's the kind of impact player Donald is. There are rumors he'll consider retirement this offseason, but there is no reason the 30-year-old couldn't continue his Hall of Fame career.
Loser: Zac Taylor's fourth-and-1 calls
Fourth-down analytics was a popular topic this season, and Cincinnati coach Zac Taylor will be second-guessed after a pair of fourth downs his offense failed to convert.
The first was on the Bengals' opening drive from the Rams' 49. After Samaje Perine was stopped on third-and-1, Burrow missed a fourth-down pass to a double-covered Ja'Marr Chase.
Stafford threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to Beckham on the ensuing series to give the Rams a 7-0 lead.
The same pattern unfolded on the Bengals' final drive. Perine was stuffed for no gain on third-and-1, and Donald pressured Burrow on the next play.
Was going for it on the first drive the right call? Those are the hidden points that can make a difference in a Super Bowl. And Cincinnati's inability to run the ball reared its head in both instances.
Winner: Sean McVay
McVay, 36, has a coaching tree that includes Taylor and Packers coach Matt LaFleur.
He is 55-26 and has made two Super Bowl appearances in his five seasons with LA. The victory made up for the 13-3 loss to the Patriots in Super Bowl 53 and offered a blueprint that other teams might follow.
The Rams were all-in this season from the moment they traded Jared Goff and multiple first-round picks for Stafford. Miller and Beckham were flashy in-season additions, and both made big plays throughout a NFC playoff run that included a dramatic 30-27 victory over the Buccaneers and Tom Brady.
McVay was the subject of retirement rumors during the week, which he denied Saturday and Sunday. He has no reason to retire now. He is one of the best coaches in the NFL, and he has the Super Bowl ring to prove it.
Loser: Late-game officiating
Cincinnati fans will have gripes with the calls that were made during the Rams' go-ahead drive, given that there were no impact penalties called through the first three quarters, even when Bengals receiver Tee Higgins grabbed Jalen Ramsey's face mask before catching a 75-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the second half.
Linebacker Logan Wilson was called for holding Kupp on third-and-goal from the Cincinnati 8 with 1:47 remaining, giving the Rams a first down. Eli Apple was called for pass interference on Kupp on the same drive, which gave Los Angeles a first-and-goal at the 1.
In a game where the officials mostly let the players on the perimeter play, those were ticky-tack penalties.
Winner/loser: Odell Beckham Jr.
Beckham left with 3:54 remaining in the first half with a knee injury, but he still made an impact in the game. He caught a 17-yard TD pass from Stafford and had a 35-yard catch on third-and-11 to help set up Kupp's first touchdown.
Beckham had 21 catches for 288 yards and two touchdowns in the Rams' four-game playoff run. He had 17 catches for 232 yards in six games with the Browns this season before the move to Los Angeles.
Beckham's injury was unfortunate and that might impact his next contract. But there is no doubt he was a difference maker for the Rams.
