Andersen Is a Little More Chipper Now

One of the best clutch kickers in NFL history wasn’t about to miss another chip shot.

Morten Andersen, whose miss of a short field-goal attempt put Jacksonville in the NFL playoffs last season, kicked a 27-yarder with two seconds left to give the Atlanta Falcons a 34-31 victory over the St. Louis Rams on Sunday.

Andersen, with 24 game-winning kicks in his 16-year career, had not been given a chance to make a difference at the end of a game since missing a 30-yarder on the final play of the 1996 regular season that gave the Jaguars a 19-17 victory and a wild-card playoff spot.

“Last year I had a chance . . . and I didn’t do it,” Andersen said. “It’s fun when you’re able to be effective in that situation.”

The Rams (2-7) squandered career days by Isaac Bruce, who had 233 yards receiving, and Tony Banks, who passed for 401 yards. St. Louis, ranked eighth in the league in total defense, couldn’t shut down an Atlanta offense that was last in rushing and 28th overall.

“The defense has been carrying us for the first half of the season,” St. Louis Coach Dick Vermeil said. “Sooner or later, that was going to catch up with us.”

The Falcons (2-7) began their winning drive after Banks scrambled for a one-yard touchdown with 1:10 remaining to tie the score at 31-31.

Banks also was 23 of 34 passing, eclipsing his career best of 353 yards at Baltimore last season.

Former Ram Harold Green had a 19-yard reception that moved Atlanta into St. Louis territory, then broke loose on a 22-yard gain to the nine with five seconds left, setting the stage for Andersen.

The Rams finished with 507 yards, and Atlanta had 459--including 194 on the ground after averaging only 73 in the first half of the season.