The Sportsletter - Super Early Super Bowl Primer

BY JEFF YODER

FEB. 1, 2022  |  SUBSCRIBE  |  BROWSER VIEW

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Good Morning,

So begins the next 12 days of Super Bowl hype. And we’re no better. Today’s feature provides a brief team-by-team comparison of the Bengals and Rams alongside a first look at the endless sports media supply of Super Bowl previews.

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NFL

Super Early Super Bowl Previews

Photo: Allen J. Schaben / Getty Images

12 Days to Super Bowl LVI Between the Bengals & Rams

After Sunday’s Championship games, two quarterbacks and one unlikely underdog team are set to meet for Super Bowl LVI in Los Angeles. The Rams are early 3.5-point favorites at home, but it’s the Bengals who will be the “home” team on the scoreboard. Here’s a look at the quarterback comparisons and team stats between the two eerily similar squads (seriously, look at the team stat comparisons), plus a handful of Super Bowl previews to get the ball rolling for the two-week media circus ahead.

QB Comparison

M. Stafford (LAR): 4,886 yards, 41 TDs, 17 INTs, 67.2% Comp.

J. Burrow (CIN): 4,611 yards, 34 TDs, 14 INTs, 70.4% Comp.

Yards (Offense)

Rams: 372.1 yards per game (9th)

Bengals: 365.1 yards per game (15th)

Scoring (Offense)

Rams: 27.1 points per game (8th)

Bengals: 27.1 points per game (7th)

Yards Allowed (Defense)

Rams: 344.9 yards per game (17th)

Bengals: 350.8 yards per game (18th)

Points Allowed (Defense)

Rams: 21.9 points per game (15th)

Bengals: 22.1 points per game (17th)

Super Bowl Previews

Super Bowl Records That Could Fall

(CBS Sports)

First Look at the Surprising Super Bowl LVI Matchup

(ESPN)

How the Bengals & Rams Punched Their Tickets to Super Bowl LVI

(SI Daily Cover)

Super Bowl 2022 Odds: Opening Lines, Picks & Prop Bets

(FOX Sports)

32 Things We Learned From 2021 Conference Championships: Unexpected Super Bowl Matchup

(USA Today)

SOCCER

Transfer Deadline Day

Photo: Martin Rickett / Getty Images

Barcelona Acquires Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Dembele Opts to Stay

The European transfer window closed yesterday with one big splash dominating the headlines. Barcelona signed Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang after the Arsenal striker came available on free transfer. The Spanish juggernaut also retained winger Dembele, who was rumored to want out of Camp Nou. Here’s a look at the biggest moves during the January transfer window:

Top-10 Transfers During January Window

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Barcelona)

Dusan Vlahovic (Juventus)

Ferran Torres (Barcelona)

Luis Diaz (Liverpool)

Bruno Guimaraes (Newcastle)

Lucas Digne (Aston Villa)

Chris Wood (Newcastle)

Vitaliy Mykolenko (Everton)

Rodrigo Betancur (Tottenham)

Additional Storylines

ESPN: Deadline Day as it Happened

BBC: Barcelona Sign Aubameyang on Free Transfer After Arsenal Exit

NCAA

Rankings: 1 Month to March

Photo: Todd Kirkland / Getty Images

Auburn & South Carolina Retain No. 1 Spots Heading Into February

Men’s AP Top-10

1. Auburn (20-1) | —

2. Gonzaga (17-2) | —

3. UCLA (16-2) | ↑4

4. Purdue (18-3) | ↑2

5. Kentucky (17-4) | ↑7

6. Houston (18-2) | ↑1

7. Arizona (17-2) | ↓4

8. Baylor (18-3) | ↓4

9. Duke (17-3) | —

10. Kansas (17-3) | ↓5

Men’s AP Top-25

Women’s AP Top-10

1. South Carolina (20-1) | —

2. Stanford (16-3) | —

3. NC State (19-2) | —

4. Louisville (18-2) | ↑1

5. Indiana (14-2) | ↑1

6. Michigan (18-2) | ↑1

7. Tennessee (18-2) | ↓3

8. Arizona (15-3) | —

9. Baylor (15-4) | ↑2

10. UConn (13-4) | —

Women’s AP Top-25

Additional Storylines

ESPN: Power Rankings: Auburn Stays No. 1, Kentucky Stirs the Pot, Alabama Stumps

NCAA: 1 Thing to Know About Every Team in the Women’s Basketball Top-16 Reveal

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🎥THE HIGHLIGHTS

🏀 NBA: Curry Drops 40 in Dubs’ Win

Steph Curry was scorching on Monday night with 40 points on a 7-for-14 night from 3, including 21 points in the 4th quarter. He also added nine assists and five rebounds in the Warriors’ win over the Rockets (122-108). Golden State has now won six in a row.

🏒 NHL: Matthews Hits Hat Trick, 400th Point

Auston Matthews recorded his fifth career hat trick on Monday night to help the Maple Leafs beat the Devils (6-4). In the process, Matthews reached the 400-point milestone. The Leafs are winners of four straight.

🏀 NCAA Men’s Basketball

#8 Baylor def. West Virginia (81-77)

#9 Duke def. Notre Dame (57-43)

🏀 NCAA Women’s Basketball

#6 Michigan def. #5 Indiana (65-50)

#7 Tennessee def. Arkansas (86-83, OT)

THE STORYLINES

🏈 Grading the NFL Head-Coaching Hires

Four of the NFL’s head coach vacancies have been filled so far. Nathaniel Hackett (Broncos), Matt Eberflus (Bears), Brian Daboll (Giants) and Josh McDaniels (Raiders) get graded. (ESPN+)

🏀  NBA Trade Deadline Buyers Guide

The NBA is overloaded with buyers: Who are they, what are they trying to accomplish and how are they going to do it? (CBS Sports)

⚾️  MLB Lockout: Where We Stand Now

Nearly two months have passed since Major League Baseball began its first work stoppage in over a quarter century. Here’s where we stand now… (Bleacher Report)

📰 THE HEADLINES

Angels’ Shohei Ohtani Becomes First Asian Athlete on Cover of MLB Video Game

(ESPN)

Lakers’ LeBron James Out Indefinitely With Knee Injury

(Yahoo! Sports)

Glove From Antonio Brown’s Meltdown Up For Auction

(USA Today)

Tom Brady Says ‘Still Going Through Process’ of Deciding NFL Future

(CBS Sports)

Breanna Stewart Re-Signs With Seattle Storm on 1-Year Supermax

(SI)

NWSL Ratifies First CBA in League History

(Bleacher Report)

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