Los Angeles Rams

The Los Angeles Rams will get a chance to play in their home stadium for Super Bowl LVI, but they will still be considered the "road" team against the Cincinnati Bengals. 

As Ian Rapoport of NFL Network noted, the NFL alternates the home designation between the AFC and NFC each year, regardless of where the game is being played. The NFC champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers were the home team last year in their win against the Kansas City Chiefs, which coincidentally took place in their own Raymond James Stadium.

It was the first time a team ever played the Super Bowl in its home stadium, a feat that will now be replicated by the Rams in SoFi Stadium.

The road designation means the Bengals will get first choice on jerseys, but the Rams get to call the coin toss. The latter could be especially important if the game goes to overtime, as we have seen during these playoffs.

On the plus side, the Rams will still get to use their own locker room for the game, according to Ben Volin of the Boston Globe. The Bengals will use the Los Angeles Chargers locker room. 

Super Bowl LVI is set.

The Cincinnati Bengals pulled off an improbable comeback victory over the Kansas City Chiefs and the Los Angeles Rams scraped by the NFC West foe San Francisco 49ers to earn a chance at the sport's largest prize.

The Rams opened as 4.5-point favorites at DraftKings Sportsbook, which is an even bigger advantage than they had hosting the NFC Championship Game against the 49ers. While the game will be played at Los Angeles' SoFi Stadium, the ticket distribution will—at least theoretically—not favor either side.

Early money seems to indicate bettors feel the line was too favorable on the Rams' side. The Bengals are currently listed at -115 to cover the 4.5-point spread, meaning the line could soon drop to four points if action keeps pouring in.

Cincinnati enters the Super Bowl with a 13-7 record against the spread, the NFL's third-best winning percentage. By contrast, the Rams are an even .500 against the spread this season.

Taking the Bengals moneyline currently pays out at +165 versus -195 for the Rams. 

If you're looking for hints regarding the 49.5-point total number, good luck. The Rams are 10-9-1 hitting the over (seventh in NFL) and the Bengals are 8-12 (tied for 28th), making the overall odds slightly favor the under but not by much. It's worth noting only two of the six total games for the Rams and Bengals in these playoffs would have hit a 49.5-point over.

There are few clues we can pick up from recent Super Bowls, either. Six of the last 10 Super Bowls have hit over 49.5 points, making the difference a negligible one game. 

In a nutshell: This is not going to be an easy Super Bowl from a betting perspective. Early money on the Bengals suggests the line was set a half-point or full point too high, but they're also generating a ton of public support due to their rabid fanbase that's finally getting a winner and Joe Burrow's burgeoning star power. 

Underlying numbers suggest the Rams are a better team. They're certainly more experienced, with the front office pushing their chips to the middle of the table to build a veteran-laden roster designed to win now. The Bengals are two years ahead of even their most optimistic expectations. 

The Rams are a deserving favorite, but those were the same words uttered heading into the AFC Championship Game before Kansas City fell apart in the second half. 

If you're willing to take slightly worse odds—and are a Same Game Parlay fiend—bumping the line up to Bengals +7.5 and the under to 56.5 points would pay out at +115 and seem like a safe bet. 

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For all the latest betting information and reaction, check out B/R Betting.

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The AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals are all about building through the draft. There have been free-agent additions (edge-rusher Trey Hendrickson), but key contributors like quarterback Joe Burrow, running back Joe Mixon and wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase all began their careers in the Queen City.

The Los Angeles Rams have taken a different approach to team-building—the "we're going to win today future-be-damned" approach. Thanks to a bevy of trades, the Rams haven't made a selection in the first round since selecting Jared Goff first overall back in 2016. Los Angeles won't pick again in Round 1 until at least 2024 after swinging a trade before the season for Goff's replacement under center.

The trade that brought Matthew Stafford to La-La Land was criticized and lauded in equal measure. For every fan and pundit who applauded the move as the final piece in a Super Bowl puzzle, there was another who lambasted it as an overly expensive transaction for a veteran signal-caller who shrinks in the big moment.

Well, after a dozen seasons in Detroit (and three losses in as many postseason starts), Stafford led the Rams to a 12-5 record and an NFC West title. He won his first career playoff game in downing the Arizona Cardinals. Won his second in taking out Tom Brady and the defending Super Bowl champions in Tampa. And then Sunday, Stafford and the Rams outlasted the San Francisco 49ers to advance to the second Super Bowl of the Sean McVay era.

The Rams went all-in on winning now. Mortgaged the future to win in the present. And as Los Angeles prepares to become the second consecutive team to "host" a Super Bowl in their home stadium, the franchise is one victory away from seeing that bold strategy pay off with a Lombardi trophy.

It was a year ago to the day that the Rams agreed to give up a third-round pick in 2021, first-round picks in 2022 and 2023 and quarterback Jared Goff for Stafford. Back in March, Rams general manager Les Snead told Stu Jackson of the team's website that the motivation for the trade was simple.

"Put simply, [it was a] chance to bet on going from good to great at that position," Snead said. "And especially from where our team was, our core group of players, where they were in their career, the coaching staff we have, felt like it was just too good of an opportunity to pass up."

For the most part, Stafford has held up his end of the deal. On the way to leading the Rams to 12 wins and a division title, Stafford threw for 4,886 yards (third-most in the league), tied a career-high with 41 touchdown passes (second in the NFL), posted a passer rating of over 100 for just the second time in his career and averaged over eight yards an attempt for the second time. Thanks to an instant rapport with Cooper Kupp, the fifth-year receiver led the league in catches, yards and touchdowns.

The gaudy numbers carried over into the postseason. In the win over the Buccaneers, Stafford completed 28 of 38 passes for 366 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He posted similar numbers in Sunday's win over the 49ers—45 attempts, 31 completions, 337 yards and two more scores.

While talking to Erin Andrews of FOX Sports after Sunday's win, Stafford made it clear he wasn't about to let his first chance at a Super Bowl slip away.

"That was an unbelievable performance by our team," Stafford said. "It didn't start the way we wanted it to, but our guys battled. I said in the locker room, 'there's no way we're not going to win this damn game. And our guys put our minds to it and came out and did it. So proud of this group, man."

Now, Stafford was far from flawless this season—he threw 17 interceptions, which tied Jacksonville's Trevor Lawrence for the NFL lead. He threw a costly interception in the end zone Sunday and would have had a second if 49ers safety Jaquiski Tartt could catch even a little bit.

It's also not like Stafford carried the team this far on his own. Whether it's long-time Rams like Kupp and defensive tackle Aaron Donald or fellow newcomers like running back Sony Michel, wide receiver Odell Beckham and edge-rusher Von Miller, there have been plenty of players who made big contributions to the Rams NFC title.

But it can't be denied that the Los Angeles passing game is light-years better under Stafford than it ever was with Goff at the helm. Stafford's numbers are better nearly across the board than even Goff's own Super Bowl season back in 2018. Per the Associated Press, head coach Sean McVay said that Stafford also has a veteran presence and fire that just can't be measured statistically.

"He's very poised in front of the media and he's poised during games, but he's got a lot of stuff to him that I think people wouldn't realize," McVay added. "And that's exactly what you want from your quarterback. I love that fire that he has."

Of course, composure or no, Stafford is in uncharted territory now—his 3-3 record in the postseason only had that second three in it until a few weeks ago. None of the Rams playoff wins have been easy, and Stafford played a part in letting the Buccaneers back in the game and keeping the 49ers in it Sunday. If Stafford throws three picks in two weeks and the Rams lose, the naysayers will go right back to blasting the Rams for giving up too much to get a player who can't do the job when it matters most.

But the NFL is a results-oriented business. Mistakes or no, Stafford did enough to make the Rams one of the last two teams standing this season. And Vegas appears to have at least some faith in the 33-year-old—the Rams opened as a four-point favorite over Joe Burrow and the Bengals at DraftKings.

Beating the red-hot Bengals won't be easy—Cincy is loaded on offense, and Burrow is rapidly ascending to superstar status. But if Stafford can play one more good game at home and lead the Rams to a victory in Super Bowl LVI, then all those years of futility in Motown will be forgotten.

So will the hefty price it took to bring Stafford to Los Angeles—and Snead and McVay will be hailed for doing what it took to bring the Rams their first championship since the 1999 season.

                    

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Much like Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. has been waiting his entire career for an appearance in the Super Bowl, and he still can't believe it's finally happening. 

"This is everything," Beckham said following a 20-17 win over the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday. "This is everything. You know, I've been through a lot. I prayed up. I stay prayed up and God came through. So, just gotta enjoy the moment."

"We gotta finish the job."@obj shares his emotions with @JosinaAnderson after advancing to the Super Bowl with the Rams. pic.twitter.com/tf37KDkXLc

— CBS Sports HQ (@CBSSportsHQ) January 31, 2022

Beckham was L.A.'s second-best receiver on Sunday night behind Cooper Kupp, catching nine passes for 113 yards. 

The 29-year-old signed with the Rams after being released by the Cleveland Browns in November. Shortly after signing with the Rams, Beckham said heading to L.A. "felt right in my heart and in my soul," and now that the team is off to the Super Bowl, he surely doesn't regret his decision. 

Beckham began his NFL career with the New York Giants, who selected him 12th overall, in 2014. He spent five seasons with the franchise before joining the Browns in 2019. His only postseason appearance before this season came during the 2016 campaign when the Giants lost to the Green Bay Packers in the Wild Card Round. 

When Beckham joined the Rams, he wasn't projected to have a major impact in Sean McVay's system. However, when Robert Woods went down with a torn ACL, it opened the door for Beckham to have a more significant role alongside Kupp and Van Jefferson.  

In eight regular season games with the Rams, Beckham caught 27 passes for 305 yards and five touchdowns. And before Sunday's NFC Championship Game, he tallied 14 catches for 151 yards and one touchdown on 23 targets in the Wild Card and Divisional Rounds. 

While the Super Bowl is typically played at a neutral site, the Rams will have the opportunity to win it all on their home turf at SoFi Stadium when they take on the Cincinnati Bengals. That alone will make a win that much more special.

And if Beckham walks away a champion, he'll likely be one of the most sought-after free agents on the market this offseason.  

Move over, Nostradamus. You may have some company.

While most bettors were likely looking at moneyline gambles or point spreads during Sunday's conference championship games, one bettor attempted to predict the scores right for both games. It turns out this bettor has quite the eye for the future, and the result was a two-leg parlay that turned $20 into $579,000.

BENGALS 27 - 24 CHIEFS
RAMS 20 - 17 49ERS

WE HAVE SERIOUS LIFE ON THIS $20 -> $549K EXACTA PARLAY 😱

(IG: jetthonig_/@FDSportsbook) pic.twitter.com/Lpf68zZalz

— br_betting (@br_betting) January 31, 2022

All it took for the Cincinnati Bengals to defeat the Kansas City Chiefs 27-24 was Joe Burrow and Co. overcoming a 21-3 deficit while the visitors' defense held Patrick Mahomes and his mighty offense to three points in the second half.

Oh, and a victory in overtime thanks to Evan McPherson's field goal.

And then all it took for the Los Angeles Rams to defeat the San Francisco 49ers 20-17 was Matthew Stafford directing three scoring drives in the fourth quarter as the home team overcame a 10-point deficit.

The result was quite the day for one fortunate gambler.        

After praising Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow for his performance in Sunday's win over the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James turned his attention to his old friend Odell Beckham Jr.

Beckham and the Los Angeles Rams clinched a spot in the Super Bowl against Burrow and the Bengals with a 20-17 win over the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday night, and James praised Beckham for his performance.

@obj going to the SuperBowl!!! Did y’all see the game he just had! EARNED NOT GIVEN!!

— LeBron James (@KingJames) January 31, 2022

The veteran receiver had an incredible game, catching nine passes for 113 yards. He trailed only Cooper Kupp, who caught 11 passes for 142 yards and two touchdowns.

James has been vocal in his support of Beckham since the star receiver was a member of the Cleveland Browns. Before the Browns released Beckham in November, James tweeted "#FreeOBJ."

OBJ will show again why he’s special. WR1 #FreeOBJ

— LeBron James (@KingJames) November 2, 2021

Then when Beckham signed with the Rams, James was one of the first star athletes to welcome him to Los Angeles.

Welcome to LA my brother @obj! It’s GO TIME!!

— LeBron James (@KingJames) November 11, 2021

While James' Lakers are having a rough go of things with a 24-27 record, the Rams are off to the Super Bowl for the second time in four years, and it's all thanks to players like Beckham, Kupp, Matthew Stafford, Aaron Donald, Jalen Ramsey and more.

Matthew Stafford didn't win a single playoff game throughout his 12 seasons with the Detroit Lions, but he is going to the Super Bowl in his first campaign with the Los Angeles Rams after Sunday's 20-17 victory over the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game.

"You can't write this story any better," he told Fox Sports' Erin Andrews following the victory:

"You can't write this story any better."@ErinAndrews talked to @RamsNFL QB Matthew Stafford after winning the NFC Championship! pic.twitter.com/rRHaoTwgHF

— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) January 31, 2022

A trip to the Super Bowl in his first season away from the Lions alone would be quite the story, especially since the game will be at SoFi Stadium, the home of the Rams. However, Sunday's win coming against the 49ers added another layer.

After all, San Francisco entered play with a six-game winning streak against its NFC West rivals. 49ers fans also took over the crowd for extended stretches both in the regular-season finale and again in the NFC Championship Game.

It looked to be more of the same when the visitors built a 10-point lead heading into the fourth quarter, but Stafford found Cooper Kupp for a touchdown before directing two field-goal drives to take the lead for good.

Despite finding success early, Jimmy Garoppolo struggled in winning time on the other side as the 49ers were held scoreless in the fourth quarter. His interception to Travin Howard with 1:09 remaining ended any hope of a seventh straight win over the Rams.

Now, Stafford will have a chance to cement his legacy with a Super Bowl victory, but Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals will be standing in the way.

Burrow has dazzled with a group of weapons that includes Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Joe Mixon, while Stafford can counter with Kupp and Odell Beckham Jr.

If the Rams signal-caller plays like he did in crunch time of Sunday's game on his way to 337 passing yards and two touchdown throws, he will be lifting the Lombardi Trophy in two weeks. Otherwise, it may be Burrow who rises to the top of the sport in just his second season in the league.               

Thanks to the Los Angeles Rams' win over the San Francisco 49ers in Sunday's NFC Championship Game, Rams receiver Odell Beckham Jr. has some more money in the bank.

ESPN's Field Yates reported that Los Angeles' trip to Super Bowl LVI nets Beckham a $750,000 incentive, and he has now totaled $2 million in playoff win incentives this season. Beckham has a chance to make another $1 million if the Rams win the championship.

Beckham registered nine catches for 113 yards in Los Angeles' 20-17 win. He now has 19 catches for 236 yards and a touchdown in the 2021 postseason.

Beckham signed with the Rams on a one-year deal in November after he was released by the Cleveland Browns following a disappointing and tumultuous three-year tenure. His gamble on himself more than paid off.

In six games this year with the Browns, Beckham had 17 receptions for 232 yards and no touchdowns. He recorded 27 catches for 305 yards and reached the end zone five times in eight regular-season games with the Rams.

Los Angeles entered the season considered to be among the favorites to reach the Super Bowl. The midyear addition of Beckham and trading for Pro Bowl linebacker Von Miller pushed the Rams to the head of the pack, and they were able to deliver Sunday.

The Rams overcame a 17-7 fourth-quarter deficit to earn the victory. Cooper Kupp scored on an 11-yard pass from Matthew Stafford early in the final frame, and veteran kicker Matt Gay followed with a pair of field goals.

Los Angeles will face the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI on Feb. 13.

What a time for the Los Angeles Rams to finally beat the San Francisco 49ers.

Los Angeles defeated its NFC West rivals 20-17 in Sunday's NFC Championship Game at SoFi Stadium to clinch a spot in the Super Bowl for the second time in four years. Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp and the defense led the way for the victors, who snapped their six-game losing streak against San Francisco in the process.

Jimmy Garoppolo's interception to Travin Howard in the final two minutes ended any hopes for the 49ers, who lost a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter and missed an opportunity to reach the Super Bowl for the second time in three years.

RAMS GET THE INT AND THAT SHOULD BE GAME 😱

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/329LNk80jP

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 31, 2022

What a matchup for #SBLVI #RuleTheJungle | #RamsHouse pic.twitter.com/mSWN46eCKw

— NFL (@NFL) January 31, 2022

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Notable Player Stats

• Matthew Stafford, QB, LAR: 31-of-45 passing for 337 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT
• Cooper Kupp, WR, LAR: 11 catches for 142 yards, 2 TDs
• Odell Beckham Jr., WR, LAR: 9 catches for 113 yards
• Jimmy Garoppolo, QB, SF: 16-of-30 passing for 232 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT
• Deebo Samuel, WR, SF: 4 catches for 72 yards, 1 TD; 7 carries for 26 yards
• George Kittle, TE, SF: 2 catches for 27 yards, 1 TD

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Rams Overcome Mistakes, Slow Start to Clinch Super Bowl in 4th Quarter

It's not often a storyline other than the pursuit of the Lombardi Trophy lingers over an NFC Championship Game, but that was the case Sunday given the 49ers' run of success against the Rams. Even their fans outperformed Los Angeles' in SoFi Stadium during the regular season.

The Rams didn't exactly shake the narrative in a first half that included Jimmie Ward picking off Stafford in the end zone, a rare drop by Kupp on a potential touchdown pass and another drop by Ben Skowronek on a definite touchdown pass.

Throw in a missed field goal by Matt Gay and injuries to Tyler Higbee (knee) and Cam Akers (shoulder), and there was plenty to worry about even after Akers returned to the game.

Fortunately for the Rams, they were down just three at halftime even with those issues because they marched 97 yards in 18 plays on their one scoring drive. Kupp had three catches on the drive and fittingly snagged the touchdown in the back corner of the end zone to start the scoring.

INTERCEPTED AT THE GOAL LINE! @49ers take over. #NFLPlayoffs #FTTB

📺: #SFvsLAR on FOX
📱: https://t.co/vywGt5Kgfz pic.twitter.com/F30lfiZzqw

— NFL (@NFL) January 30, 2022

... pic.twitter.com/trfFzp9ekO

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 31, 2022

Stafford to Kupp for 6️⃣

Rams get on the board first

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/fd5T8ETy44

— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) January 31, 2022

2nd TD of the night for Kupp 🔥

Rams bring it to within 3

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/YZ3rlXjJAB

— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) January 31, 2022

@obj going to the SuperBowl!!! Did y’all see the game he just had! EARNED NOT GIVEN!!

— LeBron James (@KingJames) January 31, 2022

The pattern of Kupp keeping his team close despite a series of mistakes continued when he grabbed his second touchdown early in the fourth quarter. The Rams found themselves down just three as a result even though they burned through their timeouts with two failed challenges from head coach Sean McVay and turned it over on downs when Stafford was stuffed on a quarterback sneak.

Even with all that, it was tied after Gay drilled a field goal with fewer than seven minutes remaining to finish a drive that should have ended with a Jaquiski Tartt interception on a pass the safety dropped. That dropped pick was magnified for San Francisco when Gay hit another field goal after two more clutch catches from Kupp to give the Rams a three-point lead in the final two minutes.

The 13-point stretch in the fourth quarter was not only the most important sequence of Stafford's career, it was also all the offense needed as the Rams defense finished the game by shutting down Garoppolo and Co. in the fourth quarter.

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Jimmy Garoppolo, 49ers Collapse Down Stretch

It's unbelievable San Francisco was even in this game considering Garoppolo threw for fewer than 200 yards, zero touchdowns and one interception in each of the first two playoff wins, but the special teams and defense overcame the quarterback concerns.

It was more of the same Sunday when the defense forced an early turnover and held the Rams to just seven points in the first half while the offense punted on its first two possessions.

Garoppolo overthrew a wide-open George Kittle on the first drive and struggled to settle in until his wide receivers started making plays. After falling behind 7-0, Deebo Samuel took a bubble screen and burst through the entire Los Angeles defense for a touchdown shortly after Brandon Aiyuk hauled in a deep ball.

Aiyuk also set up Robbie Gould's go-ahead field goal that ended the half with a slant route underneath as Garoppolo used shorter passes to find a rhythm.

OMG DEEBO 🤯

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/N3UoNiWwOv

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 31, 2022

Kittle with the strong grab for the Niners second TD of the night 💪

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/1n7PH2bmld

— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) January 31, 2022

AD hyping up the Rams defense in the 4th 😤

(via @NFLonFOX)pic.twitter.com/ja50SRDv3o

— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) January 31, 2022

Can't believe he dropped that pick… 😳 @brgridiron pic.twitter.com/tO6ZtEsmEU

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 31, 2022

It didn't take much to create some separation with San Francisco's defense largely dialed in, and the offense did just that in the third quarter when Jauan Jennings battled for extra yards on a key third-down conversion before Garoppolo found Kittle for a touchdown.

That 10-point lead didn't last long, though, as the 49ers defense finally cracked in the fourth quarter. The blown lead put the pressure squarely on Garoppolo's shoulders in crunch time, and the result was two straight punts after Kittle's touchdown before he got one more opportunity for a narrative-defining drive in the last two minutes while trailing by three.

And he cemented the narrative that the 49ers ultimately couldn't overcome the poor quarterback play even with a loaded roster when he threw the ugly interception to Howard.

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What's Next?

The Rams will represent the NFC against the Cincinnati Bengals in the Super Bowl at SoFi Stadium on Feb. 13.

Los Angeles Rams linebacker Von Miller said teammate Odell Beckham Jr. delivered a simple message when they discussed teaming up during workouts last offseason.

"Don't come to Cleveland," Beckham said, as Miller described in an interview with Greg Bishop of Sports Illustrated on Friday.

They ended up landing in L.A. a short time apart. Miller was traded from the Denver Broncos to the Rams on Nov. 1, and Beckham signed there just 10 days later after being waived by the Browns.

The three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver's career was derailed during his two-plus year stay in Cleveland. After a dominant start to his NFL tenure with the New York Giants, including three straight years with at least 1,300 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns, he posted more pedestrian numbers with the Browns, thanks in part to injuries.

Beckham had also become basically frozen out of the Cleveland offense this year, tallying just 17 catches through six appearances, and it led his father, Odell Beckham Sr., to post an 11-minute Instagram video showing how his son was being misused.

The 29-year-old LSU product was released by the Browns less than a week later and generated interest from several contenders, but Miller told Bishop the receiver was ready to make their offseason conversations become reality.

"It's time, man," Beckham told Miller. "Time to put it all together."

The veterans have played a key role in helping the Rams earn a place opposite the San Francisco 49ers in Sunday's NFC Championship Game.

Miller recorded 10 total tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble in playoff wins over the Arizona Cardinals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Beckham tallied 10 receptions for 123 yards and one touchdown in those contests.

Both players are also scheduled to become unrestricted free agents this offseason, so they will have the opportunity to continue their partnership, either in Los Angeles or elsewhere.

Just don't bet on Cleveland as the destination if they decide to link up with a new team.