WATCH: Bengals use trick play for first touchdown of game
In the second quarter, the Bengals scored their first touchdown of the game on a trick play that caught the Rams defense off guard. On second-and-goal, Joe Mixon received a toss from Joe Burrow as the play appeared to be a rush to the outside. As the defense was sucked in by the fake, Mixon threw a pass over the top to Tee Higgins as he ran across the back of the end zone, bringing the Bengals to a 13-10 deficit.
Bengals score touchdown on trick play
After a quick offensive outburst from the Rams, Cincinnati finally found an offensive rhythm in the second quarter. Trailing by ten, the Bengals found themselves driving into a goal line drive and decided to reach into their playbook for a unique option. The play worked to perfection with Mixon selling the run, as the Rams defense left the end zone undefended for an easy pitch and catch.
The score gave a burst of momentum to the Bengals after a slow start to the game. Mixon’s connection to Higgins helped buoy the Bengals in the first half, allowing for a major comeback as the second half began. After a controversial touchdown pass to Higgins for his second touchdown of the game, the Bengals intercepted a pass from Matthew Stafford on the Rams’ side of the field on the following possession. With the momentum fully switched over to their side, the Bengals would hold a lead throughout most of the second half, until a go-ahead touchdown by Stafford with time running out in the game.
On a fourth-and-one attempt from just outside of field goal range on their final possession of the game, the Bengals called a passing play with the intent to give Burrow room to scramble for a first down if the defense allowed it. Rams star Aaron Donald managed to grab Burrow and began to sack him for the win, as Burrow flipped a pass that fell to the ground. The game ended with the turnover-on-downs, and the Rams won their second Super Bowl in franchise history.
Joe Burrow suffers scary injury
The Bengals allowed Joe Burrow to be sacked for the seventh time earlier in the second half, and their young star quarterback suffered a painful looking injury as a result. After being brought down by Von Miller for a second time, Burrow immediately grabbed at his knee and appeared to be in tremendous pain on the field. After getting up, he attempted to jog off the field with a noticeable limp.
Despite the apparent severity of his injury, Burrow was seen on the sidelines waving away his team’s training staff and indicating that he was okay. Burrow would return on the Bengals’ next offensive possession, apparently determined to finish the game.
Both quarterbacks suffered injuries to their legs in the second half of a hotly contested Super Bowl matchup. The Los Angeles Rams had Matthew Stafford limp off the field prior to Burrow’s injury, having his ankle rolled over on a sack he took. Neither quarterback let their injury keep them out of the game, using the other team’s possession as a chance to get ready.
Burrow finished the game without appearing to have any major issues with his leg, but the constant pressure of the Rams’ defensive line proved too much in the game’s final moments. After Stafford completed a go-ahead touchdown with under two minutes in the game remaining, Burrow began to drive the Bengals down the field to potentially tie the game with a field goal.