Super Bowl LVI preview: Joe Burrow ready to light up the stage for the Cincinnati Bengals

Super Bowl week is back and quarterback Joe Burrow, one of the new stars of the NFL, is busy getting preparing for the biggest test in his football career on February 13.

The Cincinnati Bengals take on the formidable Los Angeles Rams on their own home turf at SoFi Stadium, a match-up that will see Joe Burrow become the earliest number one selected quarterback to make a Super Bowl appearance in what is just his second season in the NFL.

The former Heisman Trophy winner will be taking on another top pick in Matthew Stafford, who coincidentally will set the record for the longest time a QB drafted first overall has made it to the Super Bowl.

Two players at different stages of their careers both out to claim the biggest prize in sport.

Bengals reborn

An Ohio native, Burrow has become face and saviour of the Bengals, taking the franchise from the fifth worst record in the league just a season ago to within a victory of their first Lombardi Trophy.

Having also led the Bengals to their first AFC North in more than 30 years (that 1988 season to be precise), Burrow threw for 4,611 yards, 34 touchdowns and finished with a league-leading 70.4 percent completion rate during the 2021 regular season, all three are now franchise records.

In what will be just their third Super Bowl appearance – first since the 1988 season – this offseason run has been no fluke for the Bengals.

Burrow has quickly become on of the stars of the NFL and has been performing at the highest level for the Bengals ever since returning from a torn ACL injury.

Cincinnati head coach Zac Taylor told reporters on February 7: “He is built for this stage. He’s played for state championships, he’s played for national championships, now he’s playing for the Super Bowl.

“He rises to these occasions, and we’re certainly happy to have him.”

O-L difficulties

Not many people anticipated the Bengals to go this deep into the postseason.

There have been and still remain question marks regarding some areas of the Bengals roster ahead of Super Bowl LVI, mainly around how their offensive line with perform against one of the premier pass rush defenses in the Rams.

Burrow was sacked an NFL-worst 51 times during 2021 and the Bengals have troubles up front, which have continued during the postseason.

This was most notable against the Tennessee Titans, where the former LSU man went down a further nine times.

But having a talented partner in wideout Ja’Marr Chase, who has established himself as one of the best in his position as a rookie and formed an explosive wide receiver core alongside the likes of Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd, Burrow is more than capable of making this Bengals offense tick.

Tight end C.J. Uzomah has also made it clear that he’ll be available for Sunday, despite spraining an MCL in the AFC Championship game against the Kansas City Chiefs.

On the other side of the ball, the Bengals defense had a stellar second half versus the Chiefs and Burrow will be confident of his team stopping Stafford and the Rams.

Super Bowl LVI will be a great occasion and whatever the outcome, the Bengals can be immensely proud how quickly they’ve been able to build around Burrow and form a Championship contending side.

But make no mistake, they’ll be out to impress this Sunday

Expect Burrow to star in LA.