Superbowl LVI, the Cincinnati Bengals versus the Los Angeles Rams, started out with a beautiful rendition of the national anthem sung by country artist Mickey Guyton. With a little bit of country flair, she stayed rather truthful to the song and delivered a respectful and powerful performance. After the national anthem, the coin toss was won by the Bengals, resulting in the Rams’ receiving. After a very WWE-esque introduction from wrestler turned actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, the crowd was hyped up and the game was ready to begin. Both teams came out strong and fighting, but the Rams were able to pull off the first touchdown midway through the first quarter. The Bengals attempted to make a touchdown after a 46-yard pass but they ultimately failed.  They were forced to kick a field goal and luckily score. The first quarter ends with the Rams at 7 points and the Bengals only slightly behind at 3. In the second quarter, the Bengals surprisingly intercepted a pass intended for Rams receiver Odell Beckham Jr. in the end zone. Beckham injures his knee and leaves the game without returning to play. The first half of Superbowl LVI ends, with the Rams leading the 13 to 10 over the Bengals.

The Superbowl isn’t only popular because it is the grand finale of the NFL’s season. It is also well-known for its exciting and surprising halftime show.  Each year’s performance consists of different artists and talents, which makes the Superbowl halftime show a highly anticipated event, especially during the football season. With so many iconic performances over the years, including Katy Perry’s 2015 production and Lady Gaga’s 2017 performance, this year may have topped them both. Superbowl LVI’s halftime show showcased classic hip-hop/r&b soul and rap artists Dr. Dre, Mary J. Blige, 50 Cent, Eminem, Snoop Dog, and Kendrick Lamar. A big component of this year’s show was the set. It was a depiction of the Compton cityscape from an aerial view. With glowing streets and buildings, created using different lights, the vibe of the performance was almost perfectly matched. The main stage was comprised of different “rooms,” almost like a house or building in Compton. In addition to the house and cityscape floor, old cars, similar to the ones in the Still D.R.E. music video by Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Dog, were also brought in, which the backup dancers performed to Iconic songs like Still D.R.E, California Love, and Lose Yourself were just a few performed during the show. Along with the halftime show, some cameos were made by popular celebrities. Dolly Parton and her god-daughter Miley Cyrus made appearances in a Verizon 5G commercial, which may not be the most predictable setting for either of them, but the outlandishness and randomness is part of what makes a Superbowl commercial so memorable.

The Bengals seemed to be rejuvenated after halftime and started out strong in the third quarter. They quickly scored a touchdown, making the score Bengals 17 to Rams 13. The game continues with a back-and-forth pattern on which team is in the lead. First, the Rams score a field goal, then soon after the Bengals score a field goal. The game remains this close leading all the way to the last two minutes when the Bengals have a slight lead with 20 to 16 as the score. With only a minute and thirty seconds left in the game, the Rams scored a nail-biting touchdown and win the game 23 to 20. While the Los Angeles Rams’ win was not completely unexpected, the game was still competitive and exciting. Although the main focus of the Superbowl is obviously football, it wouldn’t be the spectacle it is without the commercials and halftime show entertainment. The anticipation leading up to Superbowl Sunday is somewhat based on what commercials might be broadcast and who will be performing at halftime.