TV Take: Cooper Kupp comes up clutch in memorable final drive to win Super Bowl MVP
Cooper Kupp isn’t the first Inland Northwest-claimed NFL star to play in the Super Bowl, he’s just the latest. And Sunday at the 56th version of the league’s championship, he was the best. And the game’s Most Valuable Player.
His 1-yard touchdown catch with 1 minute, 25 seconds left lifted the Los Angeles Rams to their first Super Bowl title, 23-20, and lifted Kupp into a pantheon of local athletes who have shined on the NFL’s biggest stage.
“I’ll never forget that Rams drive,” said Chris Collinsworth, the former Bengal who has been NBC’s top analyst for years, “with Matthew Stafford having no one to throw it to and just force-feeding Cooper Kupp all the way down the field to take the lead.”
What they saw …
• To get to that point, as with every Super Bowl, you wade through a mile of commercials and a half-hour of a halftime show to appreciate it. Thankfully, there were a quartet of veterans on NBC leading us through it.
From Al Michaels on play-by-play for a record-tying 11th time to Michele Tafoya on the Rams’ sideline for the final time, those of us watching at home – and some 100 million did – were guided through Kupp’s first Super Bowl by a veteran crew.
When Odell Beckham Jr. went out with a first-half knee injury – he had two catches for 52 yards and a touchdown – Kupp had to be the No. 1 option. At the end he was the only option.
“That injury to Odell Beckham Jr. is huge,” Collinsworth said right after halftime, “because all that coverage is going to shift to Copper Kupp.”
It did.
“You are starting to see the pain of Odell Beckham Jr.’s injury already,” Collinsworth said as the Rams’ offense stalled in the third quarter.
Kupp, however, can do more than one thing – though passing turned out not to be among his talents, as he missed a wide-open Matthew Stafford on a second-half trick play.
When he did gather in a 12-yard third-quarter pass, however, the So-Fi Stadium crowd could be heard doing the “Coop” chant.
“He has to rely on Cooper Kupp,” Collinsworth said after that catch, adding the Bengals’ defense knew that as well. “The double teams are going to start to come.”
They did. They didn’t matter.
• The final drive started with 6:13 left.
“Somehow, some way, Cooper Kupp has to be engaged in this comeback effort,” Collinsworth said. “He has to.”
The drive almost ended with a fourth-and-1 on the Rams’ 30. Instead of a fullback dive, Los Angeles gave it to Kupp, who took the quick handoff and raced around right end for 7 yards and a first down.
Kupp caught an 8-yard pass near midfield. He caught a 22-yard pass to take the ball deep into Cincinnati territory. Another 8-yard catch. On third-and-goal, he drew a holding call. A touchdown catch was negated by penalties. He drew a pass interference flag. And then, on second-and-goal, he broke free on the outside and gathered in the game winner.
He had eight catches for 92 yards and two touchdowns.
• Kupp wasn’t the centerpiece of the broadcast at first. Quarterbacks always take that role, especially in the climactic game of the NFL season. And with Stafford – redemption story – and Joe Burrow – young star – in those spots,
Kupp wasn’t breaking the barrier until he did something spectacular. It took about 13 minutes.
That’s how long after kickoff (in real time), before Kupp gathered in a short pass, broke a tackle and rambled for 20 yards.
“I’ll tell you,” said Collinsworth, “that Cooper Kupp can run after the catch, can’t he?”
That was the beginning.
• Kupp caught his first Super Bowl touchdown early in the second quarter, working himself free to catch Stafford’s 11-yard toss in the back-right corner of the endzone.
“Cooper Kupp blocks so much that people believe him when he goes down to fake block,” Collinsworth said as the replay rolled. “Because then Eli Apple (the defender) reacted up to that and simply could not get back.
“So it is the work ethic, the blocking ethic, really, of Cooper Kupp that helped sell that one.”
That comes as no surprise for Eastern Washington University fans who watched Kupp do all of that against Big Sky foes for years.
What we saw …
• A few too many blah commercials. Honestly, who would spend $7 million for 30 seconds of airtime and show a box bouncing around the screen? A cryptocurrency company of course.
There were other ones worth watching, to be sure. Steve Buscemi’s bowling alley seems like a cool place to drink a Michelob Ultra, if you hate craft beer. And don’t mind dealing with Peyton Manning’s trash talk.
Larry David’s usual brand of self-deprecating humor. Ancient football fans featuring barbarians breaking tables – wonder how Buffalo Bills fans took that – and Romans. Dr. Evil. Electric cars. Movies. Old rappers. Old TV stars. Old nursery rhymes. Old wrestlers.
After years and years of trash, this year’s batch seemed more than decent.
• Officiating can decide a close Super Bowl. Ask any Seahawks follower. They have their sad songs. Now Rams fans can join the chorus.
On the game-turning 75-yard touchdown pass from Burrow to Tee Higgins, replays showed the Bengal receiver grab Jalen Ramsey’s face mask, tug him off balance, make the catch and leave the corner sprawled on the turf. There was no flag.
As Collinsworth saw it, “(the Bengals) get away with a foul on that one.”
But they didn’t near the end, not when Kupp was involved.