Super Bowl LVI featuring the Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Rams kicks off today.
Matthew Stafford, a Texas high school football product and 2005 state champion with Dallas Highland Park, leads an established Rams team lined with NFL All-Pro players like Aaron Donald, Von Miller and Jalen Ramsey into battle. Standing on the opposite sideline will be Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and the young gun Bengals, a squad that has proven no stage is too big for the new era of pro football in Cincinnati.
While 60 minutes on Sunday will determine a winner, here’s how a few local football head coaches think about this year’s Super Bowl matchup.
DONNA NORTH HEAD COACH JUAN CUEVAS
“The storyline with Stafford being with the (Detroit) Lions having those down years and now having the opportunity to win a Super Bowl is awesome. I like the storylines for both teams, but in my opinion, I think the Rams have the edge with the experience, especially at the quarterback position. Burrow has been playing out of his mind, making plays and they’re ultimately the Cinderella story. But Stafford with the experience, Cooper Kupp playing amazing at wide receiver and Von Miller — I graduated from Texas A&M in 1996, so I’m an Aggie and Von Miller’s an Aggie so I’m supporting the Rams.”
MISSION VETERANS HEAD COACH DAVID GILPIN
“I think the Rams are the better team. Defensively, those guys are so fast and physical and an outstanding defense. The weapons they have on offense are incredible. You add Odell Beckham Jr., Cooper Kupp, that backfield they have with Cam Akers and Sony Michel, and Stafford has been exactly what they were hoping for when they brought him over. You look at these two teams and think that’s going to be a hard team to beat, but there seems to be something about Cincinnati. Some teams get on a roll, I’m not a believer in teams of destiny and all that, but when things just click, and they click at the right time, that’s what’s happened for Cincinnati. They’re obviously a very talented football team, but certainly weren’t expected to be here in this position. With the Rams, there was a general thought they could win the Super Bowl when the season started; the Bengals weren’t in that conversation and had a great run through the playoffs. It’s going to be a fun one, I think.”
PSJA NORTH HEAD COACH MARCUS KAUFMANN
“I’m a Rams guy. I’m not normally, but in June when they picked up Stafford, I was immediately on the Rams because I knew he was a baller. With (Sean) McVay, I’m a run the football guy and play action, and that’s what they do. They control games that way and they’ve been able to control games pretty much all year running that offense. They do a good job defensively, too. But of course, if you would have asked me about the AFC championship game, I would have picked Kansas City, and the game before that I would have picked Tennessee.”
SHARYLAND PIONEER HEAD COACH EDDIE GALINDO
“I’m a (Dallas) Cowboys fan thick and thin. I’m loyal and I’m not a fair-weather fan, but as far as predictions go, I’d like to see Matthew Stafford win it, being a state champion Texas high school QB and all. It would add to the list of Texas high school quarterbacks who have won a Super Bowl along with (Patrick) Mahomes, (Drew) Brees and (Nick) Foles and keep representing our great state and Texas Football for what it is…KING!”
