Hot weather something different for both Super Bowl teams

That’s the temperature the Cincinnati Bengals practiced on Wednesday, trading an ice storm and frigid conditions at home for clear skies in Los Angeles. The team held its first of three Super Bowl practices at Drake Stadium on the UCLA campus.

After a 35-minute tour and lunch, the Bengals held an unpadded practice session. Tight end CJ Uzomah, who was recovering from a knee injury he sustained in the first half of winning the AFC Championship in Kansas City, participated in team stretching and then went to the other end of the field to meet with a physical coach to work. He was listed as a non-participant.

Taylor said after practice that Uzomah looks “positive” and is expected to do more on Thursday.


“From where he was when he fell on the turf last Sunday to where he is now, I (am) really optimistic about how it’s going,” Taylor said. “We will continue to see him in action over the next two days but with optimism.”

Guard Jackson Carman was restricted with a back injury. Taylor said the team is “still kind of protective of him” but he hopes Carman will participate more on Thursday.

Receiver Stanley Morgan (hamstring), defensive end Cam Sample (groin) and defensive tackle Josh Tupou (knee) were full participants.

“It’s like our stadium,” Taylor said of the new venue. “We’re going straight out of our meeting rooms and we’re on the practice ground, so that part was really good and helps us stick to our schedule as a normal routine.”

In Thousand Oaks, the Rams installed the final elements of their game plan during an extensive walk-through practice session at their headquarters on the California Lutheran University campus.

“Today was kind of the end,” said coach Sean McVay after the session, which lasted 1 hour and 40 minutes. “We can tweak and adjust over time, but they’ve done a good job of staying ahead of things. guys felt really good. We’ve gone through all sorts of situations… and over the next few days we’re just going to try hard.”

The Rams are not used to such heat, nor are they used to the wind gusts of 35 km/h on Wednesday. These winds could be stronger on Thursday and are projected to be in the 30 mph range. That forecast prompted McVay to move Thursday’s practice — the most intense session of the week — to the Rose Bowl.

McVay noted the progress of running back Darrell Henderson and right tackle Joe Noteboom. Henderson snapped a healthy amount of snaps with the first session during team practice.

“I think Darrell will go,” said McVay, who could have a three-pronged running game with Sony Michel, Cam Akers and Henderson.

Henderson has been nursing a knee injury for more than a month.

Noteboom, recovering from a tight pec, spent part of the workout working with an athletic trainer on conditioning before concluding with team exercises. McVay is unsure of his status for Sunday.

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