WRITTEN By Gavin Murillo(‘24)
DATA ANALYSIS BY Charlie Neuenschwander(‘24)
Following a legacy defining 23-20 Super Bowl LVI win against the Cincinnati Bengals, Los Angeles is the city of champions once again! For the first time since 1981 the coveted Lombardi Trophy has returned to Hollywood thanks to the efforts of Sean McVay’s high flying offense and dominant defense. Here, we break down how the new look Los Angeles Rams were able to climb to the peak of NFL stardom.
1. The Kupp Connection
Cooper Kupp was absolutely electric in 2021 averaging 114.5 receiving yards per game with 145 receptions, 1,947 yards, and a league high 16 touchdowns. Being the first player since 2005 to accomplish the triple crown, Kupp was able to cement his legendary season with the accolades of Offensive Player of the Year, Super Bowl MVP, and most importantly, the coveted Super Bowl victory.
With the gunslinging, no-look-throwing, and dime dropping Quarterback of Matthew Stafford now on his team, Kupp was able to excel reaching never before seen heights as an NFL receiver. Including the playoffs, Kupp has accumulated over 2,330 receiving yards in total, earning him most single season reception yards in NFL history.
Scoring 20 touchdowns in total including the postseason, Kupp only trails the Hall of Fame receivers of Randy Moss and the greatest statistical receiver of all time in Jerry Rice.
Even with the Rams already loaded receiving core of Odell Beckham Jr., Robert Woods, and Van Jefferson, Kupp was able to consistently put up monster numbers earning his place in Super Bowl History.
2. Defense Wins Championships
This is especially true when you have 285 pound 4x Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald and 8x Pro Bowler Von Miller on your team.
Since the first Super Bowl in 1969,16 of the Super Bowl champions have led the NFL in scoring defense while 13 more finished within the Top 10. Even as the league has shifted towards dynamic, quarterback-driven offensive play, the secret sauce to winning an NFL championship hasn’t been how much a team can score but rather how much they can prevent the other team from scoring.
Throughout the course of the first ever 17-game NFL season, the Los Angeles Rams allowed only 17 touchdowns in the entire year. Along with this, the Rams were able to hit their stride when they needed it most, finishing the last two games of playoffs by holding their opponents to a combined total of 0 points in the fourth quarter.
With Aaron Donald leading defensive tackles in sacks and Von Miller contributing to many of the 50 sacks that ranked the Rams third in that category, the Los Angeles defensive front is scarier, more versatile, and outright more talented than ever.
3. City of Stars
In a city that’s known for it’s Hollywood endings, it is only fitting that the Rams were able to climb to the top of NFL’s Mount Everest and win Super Bowl LVI in their home stadium. Yet unlike many of the Super Bowl Champions of the distant past, the Rams went all in on creating a star studded roster spending over $200 million in cap space.
But, it paid off.
After signing an extension with the Detroit Lions in 2017, Matthew Stafford became the highest paid player in the league, yet saw little success on the field. But for Stafford, it would only take one season to change it all. Signing with the Rams this past summer for a five year, $135 million contract, the former No. 1 pick is now a Super Bowl Champion.
For Odell Beckham Jr., questions still lingered about his playmaking ability after minimal success in his previous 3 seasons with the Cleveland Browns. Yet much like Stafford, it only took one season in the right system for fans to remember his name, as well as his game. Signing a deal worth up to $4.25 million, Beckham received a $500k signing bonus, $750k guaranteed, and of course an illustrious and legacy defining Super Bowl.
Even after the Blue and Gold Confetti had rained down from the rafters of Sofi Stadium and the rushing flood of cheering fans had left the streets of Los Angeles, a legacy had been defined. A champion had been crowned. And the 2021 Los Angeles Rams would forever be known as Champions of the World.