Who’s in, who’s out for Super Bowl

February 10, 2022 admin

Super Bowl 56 is here. Unfortunately for both the Rams and Bengals, several players won’t be available to play in it.

Both teams have several key contributors who will miss the biggest game of the season. Still more are questionable ahead of the Sunday showdown, with both teams’ players trying to gear up and play.

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Super Bowl 2022 odds, prediction, betting trends for Rams vs. Bengals

The Rams have several players listed on their latest injury report, including running back Cam Akers, tackle Andrew Whitworth and cornerback Jalen Ramsey. The good news is they also expect two key returners in running back Darrell Henderson Jr. and defensive lineman Sebastian Joseph-Day.

The Bengals have their own injuries to sort through, notably with tight end C.J. Uzomah, who is listed as questionable ahead of Sunday’s game. The indication is that he will be able to play, which is good news for quarterback Joe Burrow.

Here’s a breakdown of the players listed on the teams’ respective injury reports.

This will be updated when inactives are announced at game time:

Rams on injury report

Player	Position	Injury	Game Status
Joe Noteboom	OL	Chest	OUT (injured reserve)
Cam Akers	RB	Shoulder	—
Christian Rozeboom	LB	Elbow	—
Tyler Higbee	TE	Knee	OUT (injured reserve)
Grant Haley	CB	Quadricep	—
Taylor Rapp	S	Concussion	—
Van Jefferson	WR	Knee	—
Jalen Ramsey	DB	Shoulder	—
Andrew Whitworth	OL	Quadricep	—

Tyler Higbee and Joe Noteboom were placed on injured reserve Friday and won’t play in Super Bowl 56.

Losing Higbee is a not-insignificant blow to the Rams’ passing attack: He is second on the team with 61 receptions, is third on the team with 560 yards and ranks tied for third in touchdown receptions (five). Kendall Blanton, who caught his first touchdown of the season against the Buccaneers, will step up in his place if he can’t go.

“We’re just taking it a day at a time with those guys,” McVay said of both players earlier this week (via Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic). “They’re doing everything in their power to be available, and I’ll probably be able to give you a better answer as we get closer to the game, but there’s no change on those guys’ status.”

Rams of note on injured reserve

Player	Position	Injury
Jordan Fuller	DB	Ankle
Tyler Higbee	TE	Knee
Joe Noteboom	OL	Chest
Robert Woods	WR	Knee
Darrell Henderson Jr.*	RB	Knee
Sebastian Joseph-Day*	DL	Pectoral

It’s not all bad news for the Rams: Running back Darrell Henderson Jr. and defensive lineman Sebastian Joseph-Day have been designated to return for the Super Bowl, and McVay expressed optimism they would be available to play.

Henderson played in 12 games (starting 10), racking up 688 yards and five touchdowns off 4.6 yards per carry. Joseph-Day started in all seven games he played in this season, tallying 38 tackles, three for loss, and five quarterback hits. His return would only bolster a group that includes Aaron Donald, A’Shawn Robinson and Greg Gaines.

*Designated to return from IR

MORE: What happened to Robert Woods?

Bengals on injury report

Player	Position	Injury	Game Status
Cam Sample	EDGE	Groin	—
C.J. Uzomah	TE	Knee	Questionable
Josh Tupou	DT	Knee	—
Stanley Morgan	WR	Hamstring	—
Jackson Carman	G	Back	—

Several players were upgraded to full participants on Wednesday, but the biggest players still listed on the injury report were either inactive or limited in practice: Uzomah and Carman, respectively. That said, Uzomah is reported to have looked good doing individual work, while Carman was a full participant Thursday and Friday.

If Uzomah is unable to go, look for backup Drew Sample (who caught one of two targets for 4 yards against the Chiefs) to take over at tight end. He has 11 catches for 81 yards on the season, compared to Uzomah’s 49 receptions for 493 yards and five touchdowns.

Carman’s participation will also be tantamount to the Bengals’ success. The second-round pick played 51 percent of Cincinnati’s snaps against the Chiefs and will go a long way in providing some continuity to an offensive line unit that not only has been ravaged by injuries but also faces one of the league’s best defensive line units.