It’s over. The NFL season has officially concluded. As we look back on Super Bowl LVI, we see how the performances of the Super Bowl teams may reflect in September.

Starting off with the Bengals, quarterback Joe Burrow was electric in his first-ever Super Bowl appearance, throwing for 283 yards, 1 touchdown, and 0 interceptions. His favorite target, wide receiver Jamaar Chase, also displayed the same explosiveness that made him rookie of the year. He routinely beat the defender off the ball, catching 5 passes for 89 yards. Although they lost, this dynamic duo looks primed to be a threat heading into the next season.

On the other hand, the Bengals offensive line was abysmal, letting up a Super Bowl record 7 sacks. Their efforts in the run game were significantly better, as Bengals running backs averaged over four yards per carry, but it was clear that if the Bengals want to win it all and keep Burrow healthy, they need to revamp their offensive line this offseason.

While the Bengals struggled to block, the Rams were holding the line for quarterback Matthew Stafford. The Rams offensive line let up just 2 sacks and routinely kept defenders out of Stafford’s face. Although Andrew Witworth, the Rams cornerstone left tackle, will most likely retire, the offensive line looks to be just as dominant headed into next season.

The Rams performed well on all sides of the ball, but the most impressive performance was given by Super Bowl MVP Cooper Kupp with 8 receptions for 92 yards and 2 touchdowns. Kupp’s route running had defenders losing him in coverage, and his hands made sure that if a defender did stay with him, he was still catching the ball. 

To make it even more impressive, fellow wideout Odell Beckham Jr. went down with a knee injury in the first quarter, making Kupp the sole target of consistent double-teams by the Bengals. Even with this extra emphasis on shutting him down, Kupp still showed just how hard it is to cover him, even with two defenders. This level of dominance is rare, so it will be interesting to see how he can build on this incredible season.

The Super Bowl may only be one game, but it gives us insight into how these teams may fare next season. To see how every team progressed this past year, click here. That being said, things can change drastically in the offseason, and you can never be sure how teams will do until they step onto the field again in September. The Super Bowl can help us predict next season’s winner, but we’ll never know until it happens. For now, it’s onto the offseason.