Matthew Stafford's Rams Edge Bengals in Super Bowl XVI: Can Falcons Be Next?

The Falcons can keep climbing, with tight end Kyle Pitts and cornerback A.J. Terrell the dual foundation of it all.

Think back to the beginning of the 2021 NFL season.

Think back to where the Cincinnati Bengals were.

Think back to where the Atlanta Falcons were.

Obviously, it does not seem like this at the moment, as the loaded Los Angeles Rams' 23-20 victory over the upstart Bengals in Sunday's LVI showdown at SoFi Stadium in Southern California would seem to accentuate the gap between the league's "have's'' and "have-not's.''

But look again, at the start of the year.

The Bengals had virtually no chance of winning the Super Bowl, according to the oddsmakers - had Cincy at +12000, with an 0.8-percent chance of becoming the champ.

The Falcons, meanwhile, were at +6000 with a 1.2-percent chance.

Is this supposed to be comforting after having watched the Los Angeles star power, led by University of Georgia product and Matthew Stafford, who last offseason escaped the Detroit Lions hoping for exactly this, reach the mountaintop?

Is this supposed to be reassuring because the Bengals at least made it by acquiring top-of-the-draft selections which resulted in back-to-back pickups of QB Joe Burrow and receiver Ja’Marr Chase?

Well, kind of.

Cap problems will make it difficult for Atlanta to mimic the Rams' path; big-money free agents, right now, likely don't fit.

But the Rams' deep roster isn't all about pricy trades (Stafford, Von Miller, Jalen Ramsey) and risky signings (receiver Odell Beckham Jr.). The team's best player is defensive tackle Aaron Donald, a draftee.

And the Falcons can keep doing that, with tight end Kyle Pitts and cornerback A.J. Terrell the dual foundation of it.

And what of the Bengals? Obviously, they've also signed free agents. But in this "copycat league,'' the franchise turnaround moves have included the hiring of a wiz head coach in Zac Taylor combined with the NFL Draft rewards for being bad.

The issue, really, is how gigantic is the gap between these two rosters - both teams, remember, were No. 4 seeds after winning their divisions, so neither spent the year as some unstoppable juggernaut - and the Atlanta roster, which could be considered middle-of-the-pack?

The Falcons must approach this offseason as if the gap is close-able, as if the difference between the "have's'' and the "middle-of-the-roads'' is something to be attacked. And at the same time, Atlanta should embrace the fact that it's not about "perfection'' here; it starts with getting in the tournament.

Cincinnati allowed a league-high 51 sacks during the season, and gave up 12 more in the postseason. ... and yet, kept winning.

That first part sounds familiar to fans who watched QB Matt Ryan get harassed this year. That second part? Hey, Atlanta is only a few seasons removed from a Super Bowl. Whether it's Ryan now, or his heir later, the goal needs to be viewed as realistic ... or it will never be reached.

The Falcons are 0-2 in Super Bowls. The Bengals entered the day 0-2 in Super Bowls. There are more similarities than most think between "What is a Super Bowl team?'' and what the Falcons are. Get to work. Chase the dream. Beat the odds.

That's half the championship battle.