Rams Just What Packers Needed

The Pack is back--in the victory column.

Mistakes by the St. Louis Rams led to 17 easy points as the Green Bay Packers, while still off form, won for the first time in three games and remained tied with San Francisco for the best record in the NFC with a 24-9 victory Sunday night.

“I believe that you create a lot of your own luck,” Packer Coach Mike Holmgren said. “If we get turnovers, normally we win, and that’s been our story this season.”

Doug Evans’ 33-yard interception return was one of the biggest plays for the Packers (9-3), who sputtered against the 28th-ranked defense in the NFL.

Brett Favre threw two touchdown passes to give him 30 in a season for the third time in his career, joining Dan Marino as the only quarterbacks with that distinction. But he also had two passes intercepted in the end zone and was sacked for a safety by Kevin Carter.

Last Monday, the Packers were nearly shut out before getting a late touchdown against Dallas in a 21-6 loss. Favre had deceptively glossy statistics against the Rams, completing 25 of 37 passes for 192 yards.

“He was trying so desperately to make plays that he was trying a little too hard,” Holmgren said.

The Rams (3-9) helped out by collapsing in the second half for the second consecutive game. Rookie quarterback Tony Banks lost two fumbles in addition to the interception return that put the Packers ahead to stay after halftime.

“We just blew up,” Ram cornerback Todd Lyght said. “They’re too good of a team for us to make mistakes like that.”

Last week, the Rams led, 10-3, at halftime against Carolina and lost, 20-10.

The Rams started sagging a little bit earlier against the Packers. They led, 9-0, with 2:08 left in the half before things started to sour.

A six-yard touchdown pass from Banks to Isaac Bruce capped a 69-yard drive, and then the Rams made it 9-0 on the Packers’ first play after the kickoff.

Favre rolled out from the 20, retreated to the end zone and then underhanded the ball toward the Green Bay sideline while in the grasp of Carter. He was called for grounding in the end zone for a safety.

The Packers got only 48 yards in the first half, but the Rams opened the door on the free kick following the safety. Return man Herman O’Berry watched the ball hit the artificial turf and Mike Prior recovered at the Ram 37 at the two-minute warning. That led to a 37-yard field goal by Chris Jacke on the last play of the half.

Green Bay took the lead 55 seconds into the third quarter when Evans picked off an under-thrown pass and scored untouched.

The Rams stopped one of the Packers’ best drives when Keith Lyle intercepted a pass by Favre in the end zone. But Banks fumbled the snap on the next play, Brian Williams recovered, and Favre ended up passing to Keith Jackson for a six-yard touchdown. The Packers’ final touchdown came on a five-yard pass to Dorsey Levens.