Super Bowl LVI midseason predictions: Rams vs. Bills in title game?

At the midway point of the 2021 NFL season, our analysts predict which teams will compete for — and capture — the Lombardi Trophy at Super Bowl LVI on February 13, 2022, in Inglewood, California.

NOTE: All betting lines — listed alongside each team — are courtesy of Caesars Sports Book and are current as of 11 a.m. ET on Thursday, Nov. 11.

Which team will win Super Bowl LVI?

Gil Brandt: Rams over Bills. Both teams boast a top-ranked passer, but the Rams have the better overall team, especially after trading for Von Miller.

Brooke Cersosimo: Rams over Bills. Matthew Stafford has handled the Hollywood spotlight well so far, proving me right in my initial Super Bowl prediction. While the Rams’ defense has more big-name stars, it’s Stafford who delivers a game-winning drive before being named game MVP.

Chase Goodbread: Rams over Bills. Matthew Stafford and Josh Allen make their Super Bowl debuts with an exciting air show, but Von Miller puts L.A. over the top as the game MVP.

Marcas Grant: Rams over Chargers. It’s an all-L.A. Super Bowl played in Los Angeles. Matthew Stafford finally tastes glory as he helps Sean McVay take down the Rams’ former defensive coordinator.

DeAngelo Hall: Rams over Bills. Led by defensive superstars Aaron Donald and Von Miller, the Rams harass Josh Allen with consistent pressure all game long to become the second team to host the Super Bowl — AND win it — in as many seasons.

Maurice Jones-Drew: Rams over Chiefs. This was my preseason pick, and though the Chiefs look like a long shot to make a third consecutive trip to the Super Bowl, I’m not putting anything past Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes, especially if they get hot at the right time. That said, no matter how well K.C. plays, the Rams get it done to keep the Lombardi in the Super Bowl host city.

Joe Thomas: Rams over Ravens. This is an exciting shootout between Lamar Jackson and Matthew Stafford, who combine for eight touchdowns. That includes two rushing scores from Jackson, but in the end, it’s still not enough to get past the home team.

Lance Zierlein: Rams over Bills. The acquisitions of Von Miller and Matthew Stafford pay off at the finish line. An explosive passing game and swarming pass rush are too much for Sean McDermott’s Bills to overcome.

Ali Bhanpuri: Buccaneers over Ravens. Lamar Jackson carries a banged-up Ravens roster to Super Bowl Sunday, but comes up painfully short against the defending champs. Forced to watch Tom Brady and the Legend of the Eight Rings go viral postgame on every social platform, Lamar leaves L.A. with the best consolation prize: The league MVP.

Jeffri Chadiha: Buccaneers over Titans. Tom Brady and company have plenty of offense, but it’s a healthy defense that gives Tennessee fits with its ability to pressure quarterbacks and stifle the run. Brady ends up with his eighth ring as a result.

Dan Parr: Buccaneers over Bills. I’m sticking with my preseason prediction that the Bucs will repeat. Buffalo takes another step, but runs into a team built to win it all at SoFi Stadium on Feb. 13.

Chad Reuter: Buccaneers over Bills. The Buccaneers have the defense to complement the efficiency of Tom Brady, who was part of the last squad to repeat as champions. The Bills, unfortunately, become the first team in NFL history to lose five Super Bowls without tasting victory.

Gregg Rosenthal: Buccaneers over Ravens. Just what America needs: Another Tom Brady championship. This time it comes over yet another would-be challenger to his throne in Lamar Jackson and a familiar foe in John Harbaugh. 

Brian Baldinger: Cardinals over Ravens. These are resilient teams that have overcome injuries at many positions, but the Cardinals just beat a division opponent without their QB1 and two starting wideouts. The victory really speaks to the team’s depth, coaching, game-planning and talent — which will be tough to overcome on the biggest stage.

Tom Blair: Cardinals over Ravens: Kyler Murray barely gets the best of Lamar Jackson in a thrilling quarterback duel that will one day inspire competing retrospective documentaries.

Marc Sessler: Cardinals over Patriots. The second half of the NFL season ushers in waves of old-school Evil Empire darkness as Belichick’s hot-and-cold Patriots rise again in the AFC. Kyler Murray — the hero we need — meets New England at the mountaintop ready for a fight. 

Nick Shook: Cardinals over Bills. Kliff Kingsbury’s team has proven it can weather the storm of injuries to some of its most valuable players. The Cardinals will ride their deep cast of playmakers and punchy defense to a close win over the Bills.

Gennaro Filice: Bills over Packers. Eleven years after lifting the Lombardi, Aaron Rodgers finally gets back to the Super Bowl. Three decades after relentlessly flirting with the Lombardi, Buffalo finally wins the Super Bowl.

Cynthia Frelund: Bills over Packers. Despite the Packers defense’s best efforts to pressure Josh Allen, his escapability and accuracy on off-platform throws, especially deep ones, prevail over Green Bay in a high-scoring contest that will come down to the final possession.

Matt Smith: Bills over Buccaneers. Josh Allen ascends to the top of the NFL mountain as its next superstar, and Bills Mafia gets a much-deserved championship parade. 

Judy Battista: Packers over Ravens. A quarterback matchup for the ages gives Aaron Rodgers his second title in what might be his final game for Titletown.

Jim Trotter: Packers over Patriots. I have no earthly clue, but for the sake of discussion, I’m taking Green Bay over New England. It’s been a wild first half of the season, so why should the final week be any different?

Jeremy Bergman: Chiefs over Packers. If it (my preseason Super Bowl prediction) ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The last few weeks have tried my patience with Patrick Mahomes and Aaron Rodgers, albeit for different reasons. But the season is long, and pedigree will prevail. Bet the State Farm.

Dan Hanzus: Chiefs over Packers. I’m in too deep to back out now. Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City offense rise from the dead and surge to their second Super Bowl title in three years with a shootout win over Aaron Rodgers and the Pack.

Marc Ross: Ravens over Cardinals. In a matchup of the NFL’s most uniquely dynamic players in Lamar Jackson and Kyler Murray, the resilient Ravens rally once again from a double-digit deficit to win the title.

Kevin Patra: Cowboys over Bills. Behind Dak Prescott’s pristine play and a feisty defense that makes Josh Allen’s life miserable, Jerry Jones gets to hoist a Lombardi Trophy in the stadium he helped get built in L.A.

David Carr: Raiders over Rams. I’m sticking with my preseason prediction. The Raiders fight through adversity all season long and band together — with the help of the well-traveled Black Hole — to oust the Rams in their home stadium.

Adam Rank: Titans over Buccaneers. The Titans keep winning without Derrick Henry, and they’ll run over the entire AFC before knocking off Tom Brady in the Super Bowl.