Bengals now feel they’re in Super Bowl after flying to LA

The Cincinnati Bengals lastly, actually really feel as in the event that they’re within the Tremendous Bowl now.

The Bengals flew into Los Angeles on Tuesday, a pleasant swap from making ready for Sunday’s sport again dwelling in frigid Ohio to being in heat and sunny California.

Cincinnati offensive coordinator Brian Callahan mentioned being on-site helps make the sport actual and tangible after feeling like one thing distant final week when the Bengals went about their common routine again in Ohio.

“It’s chilly and depressing and all these issues,” Callahan mentioned. “It’s the wintertime in Ohio. Had a snowstorm and all that. It simply felt like the conventional course of.”

The Bengals have been greeted with loads of cameras on the airport, and Tremendous Bowl logos are all over the place. They announced their arrival with a simple tweet saying, “We’ve made it to California.”

“Now it feels actual,” Callahan mentioned. “It seems like we’re on the point of play the Tremendous Bowl. It’s thrilling. It’s enjoyable, attempting to take pleasure in each second of it.”

Callahan mentioned the Bengals have earned all the consideration and the chance to showcase themselves to the world. That doesn’t imply they’ve forgotten why they’re right here.

“As soon as we begin the prep, we’re again into it, able to go win a soccer sport,” Callahan mentioned.

MOMENTUM BUILDER

No group within the NFL has been as productive because the Bengals at scoring late within the first half. That’s been very true within the playoffs when the Bengals have scored within the remaining two minutes of all three video games to get to the Tremendous Bowl.

Joe Burrow threw a TD cross to Tyler Boyd in opposition to the Raiders within the wild-card spherical, Evan McPherson kicked a late discipline purpose to offer the Bengals a halftime lead over Tennessee within the divisional spherical and Burrow’s TD cross to Samaje Perine began the comeback from 18 factors down within the AFC title sport at Kansas Metropolis.

These scores give the Bengals a league-high 74 factors within the remaining two minutes of the primary half within the common season and playoffs, the fourth most in a season since 2000.

“It’s one thing we have been actually constructed for,” coach Zac Taylor mentioned. “What I imply by that’s considered one of our first installs is actually on the ball, no huddle. So it doesn’t actually have an effect on the communication course of. It’s one thing we’ve invested quite a lot of time in. Joe does an excellent job managing that.

“The receivers and the opposite talent guys perceive the urgency to get set and be the place it’s essential to be. After all, we acquired quite a lot of playmakers. That’s why we’re within the place we’re. These guys have executed an excellent job on the finish of the half, giving us some actually optimistic momentum going into halftime.”

SUPER BOWL BABY WATCH

Rams large receiver Odell Beckham Jr. is retaining his cellphone shut by always. As he places it, he’s on name for child watch.

He and his girlfriend Lauren Wooden introduced in November that they have been anticipating. Beckham signed with the Rams in November after being launched by Cleveland. When a reporter requested what would occur if the child arrives Saturday evening forward of the Tremendous Bowl.

“I don’t want you to place the vitality within the air in regards to the Saturday evening or the Sunday factor as a result of, I feel God’s acquired a special plan,” Beckham mentioned. “I don’t want it in the course of the Tremendous Bowl. I need to have the ability to see my youngster being born, so I’m on watch, I’m on standby.”

Beckham’s hope? That his child arrives by Wednesday on the newest.

LANDRY CHATS WITH OBJ

Odell Beckham Jr. couldn’t fairly place the voice at first.

However inside a couple of seconds of listening to the particular person on the opposite facet of the Zoom name, the Los Angeles Rams large receiver realized it was his buddy and former LSU and Cleveland Browns teammate Jarvis Landry.

Beckham broke out in an enormous smile as Landry, a shock visitor in the course of the Rams’ media session Monday, instructed him how comfortable he’s he’s taking part in within the Tremendous Bowl.

“I ain’t acquired no questions, man, however I wish to begin by saying, you’re deserving of this second,” mentioned Landry, who performed with him in school after which for 3 seasons in Cleveland till Beckham was waived in November.

Beckham’s drama-filled stint with the Browns included his father sharing a video on social media highlighting occasions when Baker Mayfield didn’t throw Beckham passes and ended with the large receiver being instructed to remain dwelling from apply.

Beckham was signed by the Rams a couple of days later and has develop into a key contributor throughout Los Angeles’ Tremendous Bowl run.

“You set numerous hours to the place you might be at present and I’ve witnessed all of it first-hand,” Landry mentioned. “You have got scars to indicate for the place you might be at present. It is a dream that you’re truly turning right into a actuality and I needed to come back on right here and simply let that I’m pleased with you, bro. There are such a lot of folks supporting you each step of the best way bro. Proceed to make use of your gentle, proceed to be a blessing to others.”

Landry additionally identified that his buddy resides out a quote from Martin Luther King Jr. that Beckham has on his left arm: “The last word measure of a person isn’t the place he stands in moments of consolation and comfort, however the place he stands at occasions of problem and controversy.”

Beckham tapped his coronary heart and mentioned, “You’re giving me chills,” earlier than thanking Landry.

“If it wasn’t for you and I actually imply this from the underside of my coronary heart, and I all the time let you know this, bro,” Beckham mentioned. “However in addition to Pop, there’s no man who ever got here into my life and has had the impact and influence that you’ve needed to make me a greater particular person, participant, a person, soon-to-be father, brother, lover. You’ve proven me the sunshine, canine, and I really like you a lot, bro.

“And this second, it’s for us, bro. That is every thing we ever talked about, canine, so I recognize you approaching right here. You already know it’s nothing however love.”

Landry mentioned the sensation’s mutual and added: “Go get that ring, dude!”

SPECIAL SPOT

Tremendous Bowl viewers on the dwelling of the Baseball Corridor of Fame will get a primary have a look at an inspirational baseball story in the course of the huge soccer sport.

A TV industrial previewing the upcoming movie, “Landis, Simply Watch Me” will air Sunday evening on WKTV, the NBC affiliate in upstate New York. The station’s viewing viewers consists of Cooperstown — dwelling of baseball’s corridor.

“Landis, Simply Watch Me” chronicles the journey of Indiana teenager Landis Sims, who was born with no arms or toes, as he tries to make his varsity highschool baseball group. The film, directed by Eric Cochran, is scheduled to be launched in the course of the summer season.

Bob Babbitt, an Ironman Triathlon Corridor of Fame inductee and Challenged Athletes Basis co-founder, was an government producer on the movie. He got here up with the thought of airing a industrial in the course of the Tremendous Bowl. However moderately than purchase a multimillion-dollar spot on nationwide TV, the one-time industrial — created by Cochran and his group at Taikuli Productions — will air in upstate New York for simply $3,000.

“Tremendous Bowl Sunday is a time to be impressed,” Babbitt mentioned. “Following Landis as he works to beat obstacles to additional his love of baseball is close to unattainable to explain. It should be seen. We determined the Cooperstown space, so wealthy in baseball historical past, is the place the place folks will most recognize the influence of baseball on this superb story.”

SUPER BOWL FIRST & LAST

In the course of the closing notes of the nationwide anthem efficiency earlier than the Tremendous Bowl, pilot Steve Hinton will lead a five-plane flyover formation above So-Fi Stadium. The primary-of-its-kind Tremendous Bowl flyover formation options the U.S. Air Pressure Heritage Flight group.

Hinton, whose movie credit embrace Pearl Harbor, Die Onerous 2, Dunkirk and Iron Man, will pilot a classic P-51 Mustang “Wee Willy II” from the Air Pressure Heritage Flight Basis and supply a reside in-flight feed to NBC’s Tremendous Bowl viewers from a digital camera mounted on the plane.

“Our basis flies with the Air Pressure at aerial occasions everywhere in the nation, and this explicit one could be very particular as a result of we’re going to have all of the demo groups flying collectively,” Hinton mentioned on the AP Professional Soccer Podcast.

Hinton, who led the flyover earlier than the Tremendous Bowl in Minneapolis in 2018, is retiring from the Heritage Flight Group so this will probably be his final flyover.

“There’s no higher approach to put a cap on it and be part of this very historic flight,” Hinton mentioned of his 25-year profession.