ATLANTA -- Running back Jerious Norwood took his time entering the Georgia Dome before Sunday's game against the Rams. He greeted security personnel and cruised to his parking space and into the locker room at a steady pace.
He was saving his quickness for the game.
The speedy running back rushed for a pair of touchdowns, including a 45-yard game-winner, in a 31-27 victory over St. Louis. Norwood also rushed for an 8-yard score off a direct snap just before halftime, which was setup by his 92-yard kickoff return with 20 seconds to go in the second quarter.
Norwood split time with Pro Bowl running back Michael Turner (208 yards and a score). Norwood touched the ball just four times on offense but made every play count in a game that secured a No. 5 seed in the NFC Playoffs. Atlanta will travel to Arizona next week for a Wild Card game against the Cardinals.
"It was a tough, hard-fought football game that went 60 minutes," Head Coach Mike Smith said. I’m proud of the way our guys played. They fought through adversity and through some adverse situations. We are now in the tournament and we are very excited about that opportunity. It’s (the playoffs), really the second season and we talked about that in the locker room. We are very proud of what we have accomplished up until this point with 11 wins. But now we are all zero and zero. We want to try and get ready for this tournament, make some corrections from this ball game and get rolling to start this postseason.”
The Rams (2-14) did not back away from the playoff-bound Falcons, pulling out a fake punt and an onside kick in the game. St. Louis led three times, including a 27-24 advantage with 6:39 left in the ball game. Running back Steven Jackson rushed for 161 yards and a pair of touchdowns and quarterback Marc Bulger added to a 91.9 rating with a 16-yard touchdown to Donnie Avery with less than a minute to play in the first half.
Atlanta scored three-straight touchdowns to take a 10-point lead in the third quarter but the Rams stormed back, running 24 plays in the fourth period before the Falcons defense closed out the game by forcing a turnover on downs.
Linebacker Michael Boley was credited with a team-high 11 tackles while Chauncey Davis, playing for an injured Jamaal Anderson, recorded a sack. Rookie Kroy Biermann and linebacker Stephen Nicholas also dropped Bulger for a loss in the game.
"Regardless of the circumstances, our guys fight to the end," linebacker Keith Brooking said. "It’s great to put the regular season behind us. We’re 11-5. As a veteran, I’ve been in this situation before. As a team, we’ll look at some game film, make the corrections and we’re on a four-game mission.”
Offensively the Falcons weren't without mistakes.
Rookie quarterback Matt Ryan threw a pair of interceptions, one leading to a St. Louis score, and Turner had a 70-yard run nullified with a fumble at the Rams 4-yard line. That play was reviewed, but upheld. Still the Birds combined to rush for 263 rushing yards -- the second-highest total of the season. Wide receiver Roddy White (three catches for 48 yards) also set the team single-season record for receiving yards (1,382). His 18-yard touchdown grab in the third quarter also gave the Falcons a 10-point lead
“I didn’t realize we had that many (rushing yards)," starting center Todd McClure said. "We started off slow, but we got it going in the long run. We knew early on that we were just missing the chance for some big gains. There were holes and we just weren’t finishing, but when we did, we had big plays.”
The biggest plays went to Norwood, who appears fully healed from a rib injury that limited his explosiveness in the second half of the year. The Falcons will be with his services -- and speed -- for the "second" season, which starts in less than a week.
"It is no doubt that they were game-changing plays in terms of the kickoff return, the 45-yard run, and also the score on the 8-yard line as well," Smith said. "I think those were big plays in the ball game. Jerious is a very explosive player. He is one of the best players in the league and we are very glad that we have him.
"There is no doubt about that."
MORE FROM THE FALCONS-RAMS GAME:
- GAME CENTER: Stats and more on the game from NFL.com
- GAME BLOG: Review the action from the game in the FalconsLIFE game blog
- GAME STORY: Falcons get past Rams, secure No. 5 seed in the playoffs
- GAME NOTES: Official game notes from the Georgia Dome press box
- J. MIKE'S MISSIVES: More thoughts from the AF.com Managing Editor
- VIDEO: Head Coach Mike Smith | Ryan | Norwood | Davis | Foxworth | McClure
- NFL NETWORK: Michael Turner | Jerious Norwood | Matt Ryan | Highlights
- TRANSCRIPTS: Head Coach Mike Smith | Falcons | Rams
- FORUMS: Talk about the game -- and the playoffs -- with other fans
- 2009 OPPONENTS: Falcons opponents for next season
- INACTIVES: Inactives and starters from the Falcons-Rams game
- REVIEW AND RESPOND: Got a question about the game?
