Action Jackson: Rams top Redskins in OT

Dec 24, 2006, 22:05 GMT

St. Louis, MO - Steven Jackson ran 21 yards to the end zone with 8:27 left in overtime, as the St. Louis Rams kept their slim playoff hopes alive with a 37-31 victory over the Washington Redskins.

After both teams had punted, Marc Bulger hooked up with Torry Holt for five yards, Jackson carried twice for five yards, and Stephen Davis had an eight- yard run. Jackson then broke free down the middle for the 21-yard game-winning touchdown.

Bulger completed 25-of-38 passes for 388 yards and four touchdowns for the Rams (7-8), who won their second straight. Isaac Bruce had a season-high 148 receiving yards and now has 13,310 receiving yards to pass Andre Reed (13,198) for seventh all-time. Jackson rushed for 150 yards on 33 carries, and also had six receptions for 102 yards, passing Marshall Faulk (87) for the franchise record for receptions by a running back in a single season with 88.

'I don't know if it's because we won the game but everybody seems to be feeling good,' St. Louis coach Scott Linehan said. 'There is nothing significant to report from the training room. I am really proud of the heart of this football team.'

Jason Campbell completed 13-of-26 passes for 160 yards and a score for the Redskins (5-10), who are one of the few NFL teams that have been officially eliminated from postseason contention. Ladell Betts rushed for 129 yards on 29 carries with two scores, and tied Rob Goode (1951) for most consecutive games with at least 100 yards rushing in franchise history. This was his fifth straight game at the century mark, and first 1,000-yard rushing season. Chris Cooley caught seven passes for 77 yards and a score.

'From the Redskins standpoint, it was extremely hard-fought and you hate to lose a game like that,' Washington coach Joe Gibbs said. 'The Rams made a play at the end when they had to. Couple of plays there in the first part of the game I felt like we came out and I think our guys wanted to play hard. I thought they did play hard, made a bunch of plays, came out in the third quarter, and I felt like we got them off the field.'

After a pair of false starts, the Rams had to settle for a 21-yard field goal by Jeff Wilkins to take a three-point lead with just under eight minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.

After Washington punted, Jackson fumbled and Lemar Marshall recovered for the Redskins, who tied the score at 31 with a 52-yard Shaun Suisham field goal.

After St. Louis had punted, Betts broke free downfield but Oshiomogho Atogwe punched the ball loose and the Rams recovered it at the two-minute mark. Out of the shotgun, Bulger then found Kevin Curtis for 18 yards, Holt for 14 yards, and Jackson for 24 yards to set up a 41-yard field-goal Wilkins attempt that hooked left, as the game went into overtime.

Washington got on the board on its first drive courtesy of T.J. Duckett, who rushed for 11 yards and then scored from five yards out for an early 7-0 lead with 6:41 remaining in the opening quarter.

The Rams responded right away in the second quarter. Bruce got his 80th career reception on a 10-yard touchdown pass from Bulger to cap an eight-play, 85-yard drive. Dominique Byrd then notched his first NFL reception on a 27- yard touchdown pass from Bulger with 9:49 remaining.

Washington capitalized on a blocked punt by Vernon Fox, as Betts needed just two plays to score from eight yards out for a 14-14 tie with 6:14 left. Cooley then caught a nine-yard touchdown pass from Campbell with 21 seconds left for a 21-14 Skins lead at halftime.

Betts kept it going in the second half, scoring on a seven-yard run with 8:49 remaining to cap an 11-play, 72-yard drive.

St. Louis answered when Jackson broke free for a 64-yard touchdown pass to cap a five-play, 82-yard drive with 6:30 remaining. Davis then caught his first touchdown pass as a Ram on a 10-yard shuffle pass to tie the score, 28-28, with 1:49 left in the third.

Game Notes

Washington cornerback Shawn Springs broke a shoulder blade in the first quarter.

Bulger, Jackson and wide receiver Torry Holt were selected to the 2006 NFC Pro Bowl roster earlier this week.

The Redskins hold a 20-7-1 lead in their all-time series with the Rams, but had a three-game winning streak snapped.

Washington was a 24-9 road winner when the teams last matched up, in Week 13 of last season. The Rams' previous win in the series was a 23-20 road victory in 1997, and their most recent home victory against Washington came by a 10-6 count for the then-Los Angeles Rams in 1993.

The Rams are 1-4 against the Redskins in St. Louis all-time. Washington had a seven-game winning streak in the city of St. Louis snapped since last losing there, to the Cardinals, in 1984.

© 2006 The Sports Network