Scoring summary | Individual Stats | Team Stats | Game summary
St. Louis 27 Atlanta 31
 Final 1 2 3 4 T
 Rams 7 7 3 10 27
 Falcons 3 14 7 7 31
   
December 28, 2008 Georgia Dome-Attendance: 64,617 (71,228) Time: 3:05
Scoring Summary
 FIRST QUARTER STL ATL
 ATL FG 10:02  Jason Elam 39 yard field goal attempt is good. 0 3
 STL TD 6:18  Steven Jackson rush up the middle for 4 yards for a touchdown. 6 3
 STL PAT 6:18  Josh Brown extra point attempt is good. 7 3
 SECOND QUARTER STL ATL
 ATL TD 4:43  Michael Turner rush to the right for 9 yards for a touchdown. 7 9
 ATL PAT 4:43  Jason Elam extra point attempt is good. 7 10
 STL TD 0:32  Marc Bulger pass completion to the middle to Donnie Avery for 16 yards for a touchdown. 13 10
 STL PAT 0:32  Josh Brown extra point attempt is good. 14 10
 ATL TD 0:11  Jerious Norwood rush to the left for 8 yards for a touchdown. 14 16
 ATL PAT 0:11  Jason Elam extra point attempt is good. 14 17
 THIRD QUARTER STL ATL
 ATL TD 12:21  Matt Ryan pass completion to the left to Roddy White for 18 yards for a touchdown. 14 23
 ATL PAT 12:20  Jason Elam extra point attempt is good. 14 24
 STL FG 1:39  Josh Brown 31 yard field goal attempt is good. 17 24
 FOURTH QUARTER STL ATL
 STL TD 13:18  Steven Jackson rush to the right for 2 yards for a touchdown. 23 24
 STL PAT 13:18  Josh Brown extra point attempt is good. 24 24
 STL FG 6:39  Josh Brown 27 yard field goal attempt is good. 27 24
 ATL TD 3:41  Jerious Norwood rush up the middle for 45 yards for a touchdown. 27 30
 ATL PAT 3:41  Jason Elam extra point attempt is good. 27 31

Statistics
 St. Louis Passing
  C/ATT YDS AVG TD INT
 M. Bulger 19/32 230 7.2 1 0
 Team 19/32 230 7.2 1 0
 Atlanta Passing
  C/ATT YDS AVG TD INT
 M. Ryan 10/21 160 7.6 1 2
 Team 10/21 160 7.6 1 2
 St. Louis Rushing
  CAR YDS AVG TD LG
 S. Jackson 30 161 5.4 2 36
 K. Darby 3 20 6.7 0 8
 A. Pittman 2 12 6.0 0 11
 K. Burton 1 5 5.0 0 5
 T. Minor 1 4 4.0 0 4
 Team 37 202 5.5 2 36
 Atlanta Rushing
  CAR YDS AVG TD LG
 M. Turner 25 208 8.3 1 70
 M. Ryan 4 -1 -0.3 0 1
 J. Norwood 3 56 18.7 2 45
 Team 32 263 8.2 3 70
 St. Louis Receiving
  REC YDS AVG TD LG
 T. Holt 6 90 15.0 0 33
 D. Avery 5 40 8.0 1 16
 S. Jackson 4 54 13.5 0 36
 K. Darby 2 9 4.5 0 10
 K. Burton 1 8 8.0 0 8
 J. Klopfenstein 1 29 29.0 0 29
 Team 19/32 230 7.2 1 0
 Atlanta Receiving
  REC YDS AVG TD LG
 M. Jenkins 4 72 18.0 0 41
 R. White 3 48 16.0 1 22
 H. Douglas 1 6 6.0 0 6
 J. Norwood 1 22 22.0 0 22
 B. Finneran 1 12 12.0 0 12
 Team 10/21 160 7.6 1 2
 St. Louis Tackles
  TKL SOL AST SK-YD
 J. Craft 5 5 0 0-0
 C. Draft 6 4 2 0-0
 L. Grant 4 4 0 0-0
 V. Adeyanju 4 4 0 0-0
 O. Atogwe 5 4 1 0-0
 J. Wade 4 3 1 0-0
 Q. Culberson 4 3 1 0-0
 R. Bartell 3 3 0 0-0
 A. Carriker 3 3 0 0-0
 T. Johnson 4 3 1 0-0
 P. Tinoisamoa 3 3 0 0-0
 C. Ryan 4 2 2 0-0
 D. Vobora 1 1 0 0-0
 J. Hall 1 1 0 1-6
 L. Little 1 0 1 0-0
 C. Long 1 0 1 0-0
 Team 53 43 10 1-6
 Atlanta Tackles
  TKL SOL AST SK-YD
 M. Boley 12 11 1 0-0
 J. Fudge 10 9 1 0-0
 E. Coleman 8 8 0 0-0
 D. Foxworth 6 5 1 0-0
 K. Brooking 9 5 4 0-0
 K. Biermann 5 4 1 1-10
 C. Davis 3 3 0 1-8
 J. Snelling 3 3 0 0-0
 G. Jackson 2 2 0 0-0
 J. Babineaux 3 2 1 0-0
 R. White 2 2 0 0-0
 C. Houston 3 2 1 0-0
 J. Jefferson 2 2 0 0-0
 J. Abraham 1 1 0 0-0
 S. Nicholas 1 1 0 1-6
 C. Lofton 2 0 2 0-0
 C. Jackson 2 0 2 0-0
 S. Fraser 1 0 1 0-0
 Team 75 60 15 3-24
 St. Louis Interceptions
  INT YDS AVG LG TD
 J. Craft 1 16 16.0 16 0
 J. Wade 1 8 8.0 8 0
 Team 2 24 12.0 16 0
 Atlanta Interceptions
  INT YDS AVG LG TD
 Team 0 0 0
 St. Louis Punting
  TOT YDS AVG -20
 D. Jones 5 244 48.8 2
 Team 5 244 48.8 2
 Atlanta Punting
  TOT YDS AVG -20
 M. Koenen 4 147 36.8 0
 Team 4 147 36.8 0
 St. Louis Punt Returns
  TOT YDS AVG LG TD
 Team 0 0 0
 Atlanta Punt Returns
  TOT YDS AVG LG TD
 H. Douglas 2 3 1.5 6 0
 Team 2 3 1.5 6 0
 St. Louis Kickoff Returns
  TOT YDS AVG LG TD
 K. Darby 2 39 19.5 22 0
 J. Greco 1 14 14 14 0
 Team 3 53 17.7 22 0
 Atlanta Kickoff Returns
  TOT YDS AVG LG TD
 J. Norwood 5 192 38.4 92 0
 Team 5 192 38.4 92 0
 St. Louis Fumbles
  FUM LOST REC YDS
 Team 0 0 0 0
 Atlanta Fumbles
  FUM LOST REC YDS
 M. Turner 1 1 0 0
 Team 1 1 0 0
 St. Louis Missed Field Goals
  YDS/MFG
 NONE        -
 Atlanta Missed Field Goals
  YDS/MFG
 NONE        -

Team Stat Comparison
  STL ATL
 1st Downs 22  17 
   3rd down efficiency 5-15  2-10 
   4th down efficiency 1-3  0-0 
 Total Yards 408  417 
 Passing 206  154 
   Comp-Att 19-32  10-21 
   Yards per pass 5.9  7.0 
 Rushing 202  263 
   Rushing Attempts 37  32 
   Yards per rush 5.5  8.2 
 Penalties 3-14  3-14 
 Sacks against 3-24  1-6 
   Turnovers
     Fumbles-lost 0-0  1-1 
     Interceptions thrown
 Possession 35:13  24:47 

Officials
 Referee: Walt Anderson, Umpire: Butch Hannah, Line Judge: Byron Boston,
 Side Judge: Laird Hayes, Head Linesman: Phil McKinnely, Back Judge: Terrence Miles,
 Field Judge: Gary Cavaletto

Summary Back to top

Norwood runs for 2 TDs; Falcons edge Rams 31-27

ATLANTA (AP) -Mike Smith had a simple question for his Atlanta Falcons as they looked ahead to the playoffs:

''Why not us?'' Smith asked.

The Falcons, who held off the St. Louis Rams 31-27 on Sunday to clinch the No. 5 seed in the NFC, may believe anything is possible in the playoffs after their improbable regular season.

In his first year as coach, Smith and rookie quarterback Matt Ryan led the Falcons to an 11-5 record one season after a 4-12 finish.

''We came a long way,'' said Jerious Norwood, who ran for two touchdowns, including the go-ahead 45-yard run with 3:41 left. ''Whoever would have thought we'd be in the playoffs?''

Atlanta's hopes of winning the NFC South and gaining a first-round bye ended with Carolina's 33-31 win at New Orleans.

The Falcons hoped for a home game but instead will travel to NFC West champion Arizona for a wild-card game next week.

Michael Turner added 208 yards rushing with a touchdown to counter Steven Jackson's 30 carries for 161 yards and two touchdowns for St. Louis.

Soon after Norwood's go-ahead touchdown late in the game, the video board posted a score which showed New Orleans leading Carolina 31-30. Wins by the Falcons and Saints would have given Atlanta the division championship.

Some players thought the Falcons won the division as Carolina's late game-winning field goal was lost in the celebration of the win over the Rams.

''Until the game was over, I thought the Saints had won,'' said offensive tackle Todd Weiner. ''It was a little bit of a letdown, but we're still in the playoffs and we have momentum going.''

The Falcons will take their first three-game winning streak of the season to Arizona.

''It's not a letdown,'' Ryan said. ''We're excited about having the opportunity to continue to play. As we've seen in the past, it doesn't matter where you're seeded in the playoffs. It's about having a chance and we're happy to have a chance.''

Atlanta gave the Rams (2-14) their 10th straight loss.

''I thought we played about as well as we could play,'' said Rams coach Jim Haslett. ''Our guys played their hearts out. We just didn't get it done. I was proud of the way we played. I think that the way that they played will define who they are next year.''

Haslett replaced Scott Linehan after an 0-4 start. He said he didn't know if he'll have an opportunity to return in 2009.

When asked if he'll have an interview for the job, Haslett said, ''I have no idea.''

The Falcons overcame three turnovers, including two in the fourth quarter.

Turner fumbled into the end zone after a 70-yard run to spoil a scoring opportunity early in the final quarter.

Then, on Atlanta's next possession, Ryan's short pass for Roddy White was intercepted by cornerback Jonathan Wade at the Falcons 22.

Ryan's second interception of the game set up Josh Brown's 27-yard field goal, giving St. Louis a 27-24 lead with 6:39 remaining.

Atlanta answered Brown's field goal with Norwood's touchdown run from the St. Louis 45 with 3:41 left. Norwood ran for 56 yards and two touchdowns on three carries. He set up his 8-yard touchdown run late in the second quarter with his 92-yard kickoff return.

The Falcons had to hold on after Norwood's second score. The Rams moved quickly from their 10 to the Atlanta 29.

Atlanta's Chauncey Davis, a fill-in starter for Jamaal Anderson, sacked Marc Bulger on second down, and Bulger threw two incomplete passes to end the drive.

The Falcons didn't lose back-to-back games and have momentum for the team's first playoff game since the 2004 season.

Jackson had a 4-yard touchdown run in the first quarter to give the Rams a 7-3 lead. His touchdown run from the 2 early in the fourth quarter pulled the Rams even 24-24.

Bulger's 39-yard pass to Torry Holt set up the touchdown run for Jackson, who surpassed 1,000 yards for the fourth straight season.

Atlanta answered with a 70-yard run by Turner, who lost the ball inside the St. Louis 5 when hit from behind by Rams cornerback Ron Bartell. Bartell recovered the ball in the end zone for a touchback. The officials huddled and ruled Turner fumbled before he hit the ground.

Smith challenged the play, but the ruling stood following the video review.

Ryan was 10-for-21 for 160 yards with two interceptions and one touchdown. Bulger was 19-for-32 for 230 yards with a touchdown.