Rams vs. Bengals: The best defensive props for Super Bowl LVI

It’s often said that “defense wins championships,” and in many ways, the Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals can thank their stoppers for getting them to Super Bowl LVI.

Both units are capable of taking over a game from time to time; the Rams boast arguably the best cornerback in football in Jalen Ramsey and a three-time Defensive Player of the Year in Aaron Donald, while the Bengals were able to limit Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs to only a field goal in the entire second half of the AFC Championship Game.

Having already discussed our favorite interception props, let’s take a look at some of the prop bets available concerning sacks and tackles for Super Bowl LVI. 

Los Angeles Rams vs. Cincinnati Bengals, Feb. 13, 6:30 p.m. ET, NBC

Von Miller Over/Under 4.5 total tackles

Perhaps the most high-profile trade deadline acquisition by any team this year, linebacker Von Miller has put together a solid but unspectacular start to his Rams career. Miller had 31 total tackles over eight games in the regular season, and 12 over his first three postseason games. That’s good for an average of just 3.9 total tackles per game.

In short, unless Miller overachieves here, Under bettors should cash at “plus” odds. Considering Joe Burrow and the Bengals might be wont to pass in the Super Bowl – especially if they fall behind early – the Under looks like a solid play.

NFL pick: Under (+120)

Aaron Donald Over/Under 0.5 sacks

Cincinnati’s offensive line has proven to be a weak spot on their roster, and no player in the NFL is more capable of exploiting that weakness than Donald.

The Bengals were barely able to keep Burrow upright when they faced a talented Tennessee Titans front seven in the Divisional Round, allowing nine sacks. L.A. ranked third in the regular season in sacks (50), with Donald leading his club at 12.5 quarterback takedowns.

This is a fair price on Donald to score at least one sack in the Super Bowl.

NFL pick: Over (-195)

BJ Hill Over/Under 0.5 sacks

This handicapper was caught by surprise by this line on BJ Hill. While it’s true that Hill was only third on his team in sacks in the regular season (5.5), he’s proven to be a disruptive force in these playoffs.

In addition to recording 1.5 sacks through three postseason games, Hill also had a game-changing interception of Mahomes in the AFC Championship Game. Over bettors should be willing to go out on a limb at these odds.

NFL pick: Over (+220)