Super Bowl 56 is here as the week of festivities ends with the big game kicking off today. As the 2021-2022 season comes to a close, we wrap up another crazy yet fun season with many surprises along the way. So what time does Super Bowl 56 kick off today? Continue reading below for everything you need, including the start time, channel, and live stream options for the Super Bowl, as well as a preview and prediction.
What time does Super Bowl 56 start today?
- Channel: NBC
- Start time: 6:30 PM ET
- Live stream:
- Peacock
- Sling
- Hulu + Live TV
- fuboTV
- YouTube TV
- Locast (selected markets)
- AT&T TV
- NFL Mobile App
What to expect when Super Bowl 56 kicks off?
Super Bowl 56 marks the first time in NFL history that both No. 4 seeds will represent their respective conferences in the Super Bowl. It’s also the first time a Super Bowl will not feature a team that was seeded first or second. The Rams will also be the beneficiary of a two-year scheduling coincidence. After never seeing an NFL team play a Super Bowl in their home stadium, the Rams will play Super Bowl 56 in SoFi Stadium after Tampa Bay played in Raymond James Stadium last year.
While the Rams made a series of moves throughout the offseason and regular season to insinuate a Super Bowl-or-bust mentality, it is pretty surprising to see the Bengals here this time around. Not that Cincinnati isn’t a talented team, it just seems they’ve arrived a year or two ahead of schedule.
The Bengals become the third team to go from worst to first in their division and appear in a Super Bowl in one year. They join the 2009 New Orleans Saints and 2017 Philadelphia Eagles, both of whom hoisted the Lombardi Trophy.
Furthermore, the coaching matchup between Rams head coach Sean McVay and the Bengals’ Zac Taylor features the youngest head coach matchup in Super Bowl history. Taylor is 38, while McVay still undercuts him at 36 despite being the Rams’ leader for five years already.
The young Bengals come up just short in their Super Bowl quest
The young wave is coming, but some veterans will show why experience matters. All postseason, the Achilles heel of the Bengals’ offense has been pass protection. Despite Joe Burrow being sacked 9 times, beating Tennessee was incredible and highlights just how unique Cincinnati being in Super Bowl 56 is.
Burrow has struggled with the pre-snap, two-high scheme. Los Angeles runs more snaps with this look than any other team in the league. McVay has been on this stage before, and his previous failure will help him navigate the Rams to their first Super Bowl victory since the 1999 season.
Super Bowl 56 Prediction: Rams 31, Bengals 24