Super Bowl Odds 2022: Prop Picks, Spread Projections for Rams vs. Bengals
At one point, there were 32 NFL teams in pursuit of the Super Bowl LVI title.
Now, the field has dropped down to two with the Cincinnati Bengals representing the AFC and the Los Angeles Rams emerging from the NFC.
There's always a bittersweet feeling to the end of football season, since we won't be setting (or betting on) games for months. But at least it goes out with a bang, right?
Everything about the Super Bowl is special, especially if you have action on the game—provided, of course, you never gamble more than you can afford to lose. Turning hunches into stacks of cash maybe the most the magical thing we ever do.
Speaking of hunches, we'll break down a few of our favorites here.
Super Bowl Schedule, Latest Line
Who: Rams vs. Bengals
When: Sunday, Feb. 13, at 6:30 p.m. ET
Where: SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles
TV: NBC
Spread: Rams -4.5
Total: O/U 48.5
Money line: Rams -195, Bengals +165
All odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook
Prop Picks
Matthew Stafford: Over 281.5 Passing Yards
That's a big number, and Cincy's defense can be stingy.
It doesn't matter. L.A.'s offense runs through Stafford (in part because this rushing attack doesn't always get out of first gear). His average game this season featured 287.4 passing yards; his most recent two totaled 703 yards. Take the over and feel good about your chances.
Cam Akers: Under 63.5 Rushing Yards
Remember what we just said about the Rams' struggles running the football? Apparently, oddsmakers are willing to ignore them.
You shouldn't make the same mistake. You know what 64-plus yards would be for Akers? A new season-high (by nearly 10 yards) and the sixth-highest yardage total of his career.
Tee Higgins: Over 69.5 Receiving Yards
Higgins just delivered the first 1,000 yard season of his two-year career, and yet it feels like he's flying below the radar here. Although, in a game featuring Cooper Kupp, Odell Beckham Jr. and Ja'Marr Chase, Higgins just isn't a top-three receiver by name recognition.
That's good news for the gambling world, though, because that number undersells Higgins' ability and likely opportunity. He turned 19 targets into 199 yards over his last two outings (96-plus yards in both) and has better than 95 receiving yards in six of his last nine games.
Point Spread Projection
The Bengals could give the Rams real problems, but as the point spread suggests, L.A. is the team to beat here.
Joe Burrow has had a really impressive run as a sophomore quarterback in his first ever postseason, but Stafford has been more productive and efficient in the playoffs. The Chase-Higgins tandem doesn't have many rivals, but the Kupp-Beckham duo packs more punch.
Cincy's inability to keeup Burrow upright—12 sacks in three playoff games, league-high 51 in the regular season—is a worry against anyone. It's a potentially fatal flaw against a defensive front featuring Aaron Donald, Von Miller and Leonard Floyd.
There are ways the Bengals can win this game, sure, but not enough for our crystal ball to see it happening. Given the age of their most critical contributors, their best football is probably ahead of them. The Rams, who have sacrificed one future draft pick after another to get here, were built for this very moment right now.
Prediction: Rams 27, Bengals 20
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