On a Record Day, Rams Still a Playoff Away : Despite 22-7 Win Against Atlanta, Team Not in Yet

The Rams smashed the Atlanta Falcons Sunday, 22-7. They smashed scoring records. Mike Lansford drop-kicked Bob Waterfield out of the record book. Henry Ellard streaked past Red Phillips and toward ol’ Tom what’s-his-name’s reception record (It’s Fears, Henry).

Jim Everett swiped another record away from Vince Ferragamo. Greg Bell set a personal career rushing mark. John Robinson tied Chuck Knox for all-time Ram coaching victories with 57.

The one thing the Rams forgot to smash was their fists against the wall.

Could a team with this many record-holders possibly miss the playoffs? You bet it could.

The Rams did their part by taking apart the Falcons, left wounded and wingless when their only ray of hope, quarterback Chris Miller, was knocked out of the game in the second quarter with a concussion. Otherwise, it was business as usual for the Rams, who have outscored the Falcons, 88-7, in the last 3 meetings. And the Rams could argue it was a cheapie touchdown, Atlanta scoring late in the game when John Tuggle ran a fumbled Cliff Hicks punt into the end zone.

Now, the real story: How do the Rams get into the playoffs? Gary Jeter was crushed to learn that a victory over the 49ers next week didn’t guarantee the division title.

Jerry Gray and Johnnie Johnson huddled together with Vince Newsome in the locker room and came away confused, like someone had just tossed them the Pythagorean theorem.

Defensive end Doug Reed, the man who decked Miller, closed his eyes and cupped his ears and pretended there was no playoff system at all.

“I don’t want to think about it,” he said. “I’d rather just beat San Francisco, come home and have it be a surprise. You know, have someone call Monday morning and say ‘Hey, you guys, let’s go to work.’ ”

Defensive lineman Shawn Miller gave the subject a few seconds of thought and then deferred all questions to National Football League headquarters.

“If so-and-so beats so-and-so and somebody else losses, it’s so confusing,” Miller said. “We just knew we had to win. We had to beat Chicago and Atlanta and now San Francisco. That’s what we knew all along.”

With just one game left, you’d think a playoff picture would have the decency to sort itself out. But it’s not that easy.

Here’s a wallet-sized summation.

First, the simple part. The Rams can only win the division outright if they beat the 49ers next week and Atlanta defeats the Saints at New Orleans.

Now, did the Rams make a huge mistake by injuring seven Atlanta players Sunday, weakening the Falcons’ chances in that all-important game in the Superdome?

If the Saints and Rams win next week, forcing a 3-way tie at 10-6, the 49ers are champions.

At 10-6, the Rams will go as a wild card if any of following happens next week: Dallas beats Philadelphia; the New York Jets beat the New York Giants; Atlanta beats New Orleans or Chicago beats Minnesota.

The Rams win 3-way wild-card ties with the Saints and Vikings but lose if they end up tied with New Orleans and Philadelphia. The Rams lose a 2-way tie at 10-6 with the Eagles.

Because of Green Bay’s upset victory over Minnesota Sunday, it’s possible for a 4-way tie at 10-6 between the Rams, Saints, Vikings and Eagles.

In that case, the Rams and Vikings are the wild-card entries based on the net point tie-breaking procedure.

In other words, the Rams need some help.

“Some people are in the driver’s seat,” quarterback Everett said, explaining the playoff picture. “Hopefully, we’re still on the back dash.”

The thought of sitting home with a 10-6 record--assuming the Rams avenge last season’s 48-0 loss to the 49ers in Candlestick--is enough to make a team reflect on all the ones that got away.

A home loss to San Diego comes to mind, and two missed chances to steal last-second victories over Philadelphia and New Orleans.

“I look at the Charger game,” cornerback LeRoy Irvin said. “That was the game of the year. That was a team we were supposed to beat and we didn’t beat. But there’s always second-guessing. The reality of the situation is that we screwed up. Now we have to fight and hope and pray that we get a shot at the playoffs. But it’s all our fault.”

The Rams have at least guaranteed themselves a winning record, thanks to another big day from Everett, Ellard, Pete Holohan and the defense, which held Atlanta to 65 rushing yards and set up the Rams’ second touchdown.

Everett completed 24 of 33 passes for 303 yards and has 289 completions this season, breaking Ferragamo’s single-season mark set in 1983.

Ellard had 6 catches catches for 92 yards and has 80 receptions this season, 4 shy of Fears’ record. He’s also 155 yards of breaking Elroy Hirsch’s yardage record.

Holohan didn’t break any record, but had catches of 24, 29, and 25 yards. He hadn’t had a catch longer than 21 yards all season.

Let’s just say Holohan usually works in a crowd.

“One time I looked up and I was almost frightened,” Holohan said. “There was no one in front of me.”

A 24-yard Holohan catch in the second quarter set up Lansford’s second field goal, a 36-yarder that put the Rams ahead 6-0 with 9:45 left in the half.

On the Rams’ next possession, Everett hit Holohan on a 29-yard reception to the Atlanta 1. Greg Bell dived in from there with 3:35 left to put the Rams up 13-0. It was Bell’s 17th touchdown of the season.

Then, the defense stepped in. Mike Wilcher batted a Miller pass into the hands of defensive tackle Greg Meisner, who returned the ball 20 yards.

On first down, Everett hit Ellard on a 28-yard scoring pass. Lansford missed the extra point, but it hardly seemed to matter.

Lansford added a 32-yard field goal in the third quarter to move past Waterfield as the Rams’ all-time leading scorer. Lansford has 574 points to Waterfield’s 573.

Unlike Ellard, who had never heard of Tom Fears, Lansford realized he was messing with a legend.

“News travels slow to Fresno,” Lansford said of Ellard. “But I know all about Bob Waterfield. I grew up a Rams fan.”

The Rams also know a lot about the 49ers, who once again stand between them and perhaps the playoffs. But this is about more than just playoffs. Last season’s defeat in Candlestick was the most lopsided loss in franchise history. And no matter how hard some players try, the game won’t go away.

“I don’t know about all the tie breakers,” Reed said. “But I know this is a big game. I’ll be satisfied if we win this last game. Ten and six, that’s what you’d call a good football team. You deserve respect. That is a playoff-type record. That’s the only thing that bothers me. The NFL should let the teams with the best records go to the playoffs. Forget that divisional stuff. Just take the best records and let’s just play, baby.”

Think Doug Reed will ever play for Al Davis?

Ram Notes

Greg Bell, who gained 66 yards in 19 carries, has 1,124 yards for the season, eclipsing his personal best of 1,100 yards with Buffalo in 1984. . . . When Chris Miller went out with a concussion late in the second quarter, he was replaced by former Ram Hugh Millen, who finished the game 6 for 15 for 78 yards and 1 interception. “I think there’s some credence to the school of thought that it takes time to get the feel of a game,” Millen said afterward. . . . Atlanta’s John Settle needed 71 yards to become the first free agent to gain 1,000 yards rushing in a season since the leagues merged in 1970. Settle, though, gained only 29 yards in 10 carries. . . . .Miller, before he left, completed 7 of 18 passes for 57 yards with 1 interception. . . . After weeks on the bench, rookie Gaston Green finally made it to the huddle Sunday, mopping up in the fourth quarter. He finished with 5 carries and 19 yards.