Cris Carter: Cincinnati Bengals must control the ball to win Super LVI

Cris Carter: The Cincinnati Bengals must control the ball to win Super LVI… but if Aaron Donald and Von Miller dominate, the Rams will win

  • The Hall of Fame wide receiver gives his views on today’s game in Los Angeles
  • Carter knows a thing or two about changing big games and offered his insight
  • The Vikings great shared his advice for superstar rookie Ja’Marr Chase 
  • And he also looked back on his stellar career with the Vikings  


The Los Angeles Rams meet the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium. It promises to be an intriguing battle of one of the most stacked teams in the league against a side which appears to have destiny on their side.

But can Cincinnati continue their dream run, or will their luck run out?

‘The Cincinnati Bengals can win the Super Bowl by controlling the ball. Joe Mixon must rush for 100 yards – Cincinnati are 7-1 this season when it happens,’ says Cris Carter, the Hall of Fame wide receiver who knows a thing or two about changing big games after his career with the Minnesota Vikings.

‘But the Rams will win if Aaron Donald and Von Miller dominate the game; get Cincinnati in a lot of third and long situations and Los Angeles win the turnover battle.’

Cris Carter was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2013 after a stellar career with Minnesota

Carter stars in a Skechers Max Cushioning footwear & Skechers apparel marketing campaign

Carter stars in a Skechers Max Cushioning footwear & Skechers apparel marketing campaign

Sunday’s game sees two of the NFL’s top receivers on show. Both Ja’Marr Chase and Cooper Kupp will have a big say in where the Vince Lombardi Trophy ends up.

Off the back of two outstanding seasons, is there anything either can do to improve their game?

‘Ja’Marr Chase could be more consistent in his route running. Cooper Kupp is in his prime. He doesn’t need to improve – they are the top two in the game,’ says Carter.

Randy Moss (left) was drafted by the Vikings in 1998 and Carter became his mentor

Randy Moss (left) was drafted by the Vikings in 1998 and Carter became his mentor

Cooper Kupp receives the AP Offensive Player of the Year Award at the NFL Honors

Cooper Kupp receives the AP Offensive Player of the Year Award at the NFL Honors

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase smiles during a walk through in practice

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase smiles during a walk through in practice

Now 56, Carter was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2013 after being drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in 1987. After three years in Philadelphia, he was released due to personal issues and picked up on waivers by the Minnesota Vikings. He spent 11 seasons there, playing 234 games.

And while Carter never reached a Super Bowl, he got agonisingly close. The 1998 Vikings stormed through the regular season, going 15-1. They rewrote the offensive record books with quarterback Randall Cunningham throwing to Three Deep: Carter, Jake Reed and an outrageously talented rookie with a chip on his shoulder by the name of Randy Moss.

‘I was very excited to have Randy join the team. I probably released how special he was in the first week of our work out in Florida. I knew he was going to be special,’ said Carter.

Led by head coach Dennis Green – ‘He was a great talent evaluator and a great motivator,’ Carter says – the Vikings came unstuck in the NFC Championship game, losing to the Atlanta Falcons.

Carter and Moss formed one of the NFL's most explosive receiver tandems

Carter and Moss formed one of the NFL’s most explosive receiver tandems 

Carter is always forthright and his views are well-respected. Asked about the taunting rule, he said: ‘We must maintain good sportsmanship even while still competing at a high level with great intensity.’

And as for a rule he would change, he added: ‘No overtime during the regular season and a 10-minute overtime in the playoffs.’

Carter, who has joined the Skechers stable, added: ‘I was on some amazing teams throughout my career, and it feels like Skechers is building their own All-Century Team with their star roster.

Carter is beloved in Minnesota after spending 11 successful years in purple

Carter is beloved in Minnesota after spending 11 successful years in purple

‘It was immediately clear that I had to sign on. Plus, I’m almost 20 years out of the game, so I can use that Skechers signature comfort now more than ever!’

Asked where he would like to walk in his new shoes, Carter added: ‘Walking along the beach in my Skechers – the ultimate definition of relaxing with comfort.’