CBS4's Steve Goldstein Recaps Championship Games, Super Bowl Match Up Set
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - The first game of championship Sunday was the 5th consecutive NFL playoff game to be decided on the final play.
This time it was Cincinnati beating Kansas City in overtime to reach the Super Bowl for the first time since 1988. The Bengals won two games in 2019 and drafted quarterback Joe Burrow first overall. Last season, they only won 4 games but they're one win away from the franchise's first Super Bowl win.
Bengals And Burrow
The quarterback will get all the glory and he certainly deserves much of the credit, but the Bengals defense thoroughly shut down the Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes on the road in the 2nd half and then in overtime. It was a stirring comeback from down 21-3 to take the game over and win it.
Burrow is an Ohio native and now leads the Bengals to the Super Bowl.
Coach's Miami Ties
Bengals head coach Zac Taylor was with the Dolphins from 2012-2015 on the offensive staff. At the time I was doing morning radio and used to see him at about 5:15 a.m. as we both stopped for coffee. He was a great guy back then, happy for him now.
The NFC championship game turned out to be a tough, hard nosed battle that saw the Rams comeback, like the Bengals, from a double-digit deficit to beat San Francisco 20-17. Los Angeles was down by 10 points in the 4th quarter, becoming the first team ever to come back from that far behind in the final quarter of the NFC title game. It was the 6th consecutive game that came down to the end in this year's playoffs.
Stafford Can
For years, Matthew Stafford faced criticism in Detroit. The change of scenery to Los Angeles, with plenty of offensive weapons and an offensive coach with imaginary gameplans, has done wonders for the quarterback. Like last week in Tampa, Stafford made big throws late in the game when needed.
LA All In
The Rams not only got Stafford but during the season picked up Odell Beckham Jr and Von Miller. In previous seasons they traded many draft picks for veterans. They clearly were going for it this year and it paid off in a Super Bowl appearance.
Staying Home
For the 2nd straight season, the NFC team reaching the Super Bowl will play it in its home stadium. Tampa won it last year at Raymond James Stadium and the Rams will take on the Bengals at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles in two weeks.