Jackson Keeps Rams in Chase
The St. Louis Rams desperately needed a victory and played like it. The Philadelphia Eagles desperately wanted to stay healthy and played like it.
Rookie Steven Jackson’s best NFL performance carried the Rams to a 20-7 victory Monday night that kept them in the NFC playoff race. Jackson rushed for 148 yards and a touchdown before limping off midway through the fourth quarter because of a bruised right knee.
With the Eagles (13-2) playing it safe -- running back Brian Westbrook, their prime offensive threat with receiver Terrell Owens sidelined, was scratched, along with starting tackle Tra Thomas -- their reserves were no match for a Ram team with its season on the line.
“At this point, it doesn’t make any difference to me,” Ram Coach Mike Martz said. “If they are going to play those guys, we should dominate them.”
Philadelphia had only 155 yards against a defense ranked 24th. With starting quarterback Donovan McNabb in the game for one series, the Eagles gained 63 of those yards and got their only score.
With the victory, St. Louis ensured a meaningful finale against the New York Jets. If the Rams (7-8) beat the Jets on Sunday and Seattle loses to Atlanta, St. Louis will win the NFC West. If the Seahawks win and take the division, St. Louis can make the playoffs by winning and Minnesota losing at Washington, or by Carolina and New Orleans tying.
A win by the Jets would put them in the AFC playoffs.
“After all the drama we’ve been through this year, to be in position to get into the playoffs, how awesome is that?” Martz said. “We will show up next week and lay it all out there.”
Jackson, who sat out one game because of a bruised knee and did not get on the field the previous week despite being healthy, revitalized a ground game that totaled 88 yards in the last two games, both losses. The Rams were effective against Philadelphia’s second-string defense, gaining 419 yards.
Also returning was quarterback Marc Bulger, whose right shoulder kept him out of the previous two games. Bulger was 20 for 27 for 233 yards, and hit Isaac Bruce for a seven-yard touchdown, the only score of the third quarter.
Martz said that Bulger has been playing injured since the season opener.
In a stark departure from his passing persona, Martz called 10 running plays on the opening drive that covered 73 yards. Jackson ran for 46 yards and Marshall Faulk for 27 before Jackson surged in from the five.
The first-round pick, the first running back chosen, had a 43-yard run in the second quarter on a drive that ended with Jeff Wilkins missing a 44-yard field-goal try.
“He looks like a great runner to me,” Martz said of Jackson. “That first series he is running through them and around them every which way you can. When you have a guy playing like that -- spectacular.”
Wilkins’ 28-yard field goal gave the Rams a 10-7 halftime lead. He later kicked a 29-yard field goal.
The Eagles got a scare in the first half when cornerbacks Lito Sheppard and Dexter Wynn collided. Both lay on the ground for several minutes before walking off, and Sheppard stayed out because of a quadriceps contusion. Rookie fullback Thomas Tapeh was carted off with 28 seconds remaining because of a dislocated hip.