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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Bringing the "Bob 'N Weave" out of mothballs
brought out the best in the St. Louis Rams.
The swagger was back for the defending Super Bowl champions, who
ended a three-game losing streak in sometimes brazen fashion in a
40-29 victory over the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. Marshall Faulk
scored a team-record four touchdowns rushing and the Rams, who also
had lost three in a row at home, celebrated their first two
touchdowns with the banned dance.
They also signaled their own first downs and spun the ball after
big plays.
"It's real fun seeing the guys do the Bob 'N Weave,"
quarterback Kurt Warner said. "That's what we're all about,
showing emotion. We knew we had to break it out."
Vikings coach Dennis Green is co-chairman of the NFL's
competition committee, and he was behind the league crackdown on
celebration dances this season. In the days before the game,
several Rams said they wouldn't mind paying a fine.
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TOM DONAHOE'S BREAKDOWN |
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Question on the Vikings: What weaknesses of the Vikings' defense were
exposed?
Donahoe: The Rams were on target today and played like they did last
season. They exposed the Vikings' defense, especially their cornerback
situation. Minnesota starts Robert
Tate, who is a converted wide receiver, and Kenny
Wright, who was beaten out at one point earlier this season, as their
starting cornerbacks. The Rams' passing attack repeatedly took advantage of
these corners.
Question on the Rams: Are the Rams still the team to beat in the
NFC?
Donahoe: Based on their effort today, yes. The Rams went against a
team with the NFC's best record and completely shredded their defense.
Quarterback Kurt
Warner played as if his life and the Rams' future depended on it. He was
on target, which enabled his receivers to make catches in stride and run
with the ball after the catch. Over the last two weeks the Rams have also
gotten a better effort on defense. If their defense can continue to progress
and their offense stays on track, the Rams will be a scary team to face in
the playoffs.
Tom Donahoe, ESPN.com's NFL analyst, was formerly the Steelers' director
of football operations.
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"It has nothing to do with Dennis Green," said wide receiver
Torry Holt, who invented the dance last year as a rookie and marked
its return with nine catches for 172 yards. "It didn't matter who
we were playing, we were going to do it."
Green said he had no reaction to the Rams' celebrations.
The Rams (9-5) opened the game with an 80-yard scoring drive
capped by Faulk's 1-yard run, and seven Rams did the Bob 'N Weave.
On the second TD, another 1-yard run by Faulk, six players
participated. The third time, wide receiver Isaac Bruce called a
halt to the celebrating after another bunch of players convened in
the end zone.
Faulk's touchdowns gave him a league-leading and career-high 19,
and they were his first visits to the end zone in three games.
After a couple of quiet weeks following his return from
arthroscopic knee surgery, he had 135 yards rushing on 25 carries,
topping 1,000 yards for the fourth straight season, and 43 yards on
six receptions.
"The energy was good, my leg felt good, I felt good," Faulk
said.
Warner, who threw four interceptions in a 16-3 loss at Carolina
last week in a disastrous return from a broken little finger, was
27-for-32 for 346 yards. Warner was well-protected all day and
completed his first 11 passes.
The Rams also played error-free ball a week after committing
seven turnovers, and in the previous three weeks, they had 14. John
Baker didn't punt until there was 4:17 remaining.
"We just could not stay with them," Green said. "If you don't
have the ability to get turnovers and if you don't sack the
quarterback, it's going to be very hard to beat a team on this
surface."
The NFL's No. 1 offense scored 40 points for the first time
since Game 6. They reached 40 five times in their first six games,
but totaled just 47 points during the three-game losing streak.
The victory was critical to the playoff hopes of the Rams, who
had lost five of seven after a 6-0 start. They remained tied for
the NFC West lead with the Saints.
The Vikings (11-3), who have the NFC's best record, missed a
chance to clinch the NFC Central and had a four-game winning streak
halted. After trailing 17-0, they closed to 20-14 on an 8-yard run
by Daunte Culpepper in the third quarter, but the Rams answered
with Faulk's third score on a 5-yard run for a 26-14 lead.
Faulk set up his fourth touchdown when the Vikings' Robert
Griffith interfered with him in the end zone on a pass play, and he
scored on a 1-yard run the next play for a 33-14 lead.
The Vikings scored again on a 2-yard pass from Culpepper to Cris
Carter, but the Rams answered back. Backup running back Justin
Watson finished off an 80-yard march with a 6-yard run for a 40-21
lead with 8:10 to go.
Culpepper was 21-of-33 for 221 yards, passing for three
touchdowns and running for a fourth. Randy Moss had a quiet day
until catching a 32-yard touchdown pass and then a conversion pass
with 2:27 to go. Robert Smith, who entered the game first in the
NFL in rushing, had 67 yards on 15 carries.
Game notes
Holt has six 100-yard days this season. ... Several players
shared the previous Rams record of three touchdowns rushing, with
Lawrence Phillips the last to do it Aug. 31, 1997. ... The Rams
scored a touchdown on their opening drive for the first time since
Dec. 12, 1999, against the Saints. ... Jeff Wilkins, who had two
field goals, has made 18 in a row dating to last season. He's the
only kicker in the NFL who has not missed a field goal or extra
point this year. ... Despite the loss, the Vikings have only six
losses in their last 39 games on artificial turf, and the last two
also are on turf.
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ALSO SEE
Minnesota Clubhouse
St. Louis Clubhouse
Clayton: Bob 'N Weave worth bringing back for Rams
Warner proves his critics wrong
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Marshall Faulk talks with ESPN's Andrea Kremer after scoring a team-record four rushing touchdowns.
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RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Coach Dennis Green and the Vikings couldn't slow down the Rams' offense.
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RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Coach Mike Martz was pleased with his team's effort in the last few weeks.
wav: 132 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
ESPN's Andrea Kremer catches up with QB Kurt Warner after the Rams' victory.
wav: 633 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
 FROM
ATHLETESDIRECT
Randy Moss Official Site
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