Rams Stun Patriots But Lose Banks

Too bad the St. Louis Rams aren't in the AFC East.

Rookie Az-Zahir Hakim and former practice squad player June Henley each scored two touchdowns and the Rams overcame three first-half turnovers and the loss of starting quarterback Tony Banks for a 32-18 victory over the New England Patriots on Sunday.

All but one of the Rams' four victories this season have come against playoff contenders from the AFC East -- New England, Buffalo and the New York Jets. They were in their lone loss to that division, a 14-0 setback at Miami on Oct. 18, most of the way.

"Maybe we ought to change divisions," defensive tackle D'Marco Farr joked. "They're the heavyweight champions, but they're going into the title fight with a black eye and a broken rib."

The Patriots (8-6) wasted a big game from rookie running back Robert Edwards, who gained 196 yards on 24 carries, and hurt their playoff chances by losing for the first time in four games. New England may need to win its last two games -- against San Francisco and the Jets -- to make it to the posseason.

"The momentum we worked so hard to build in the last month takes a major hit today," coach Pete Carroll said. "It was a horrible day at work."

Quarterback Drew Bledsoe missed two series in the first quarter while having a new splint set on his surgically-repaired right index finger. He wasn't very effective after he returned, going 11-for-35 for 176 yards.

"My finger hurt when I was throwing the ball," Bledsoe said. "It affected the flight of the ball and my ability to hit my targets."

But Bledsoe said he'd definitely be in the lineup next week.

"There's no way I'm not going to not play," he said.

Rookie WR Az-Zahir Hakim filled in quite nicely for Eddie Kennison with two TDs in the victory over New England. (AP)

Bledsoe threw a touchdown pass to Lovett Purnell, but was sacked five times and knocked down repeatedly under heavy blitzing. Purnell replaced tight end Ben Coates, who missed the game after the death of his mother last week. The Patriots also lost wide receiver Terry Glenn, who fractured his right ankle late in the first half.

Banks is out for the season after tearing the medial collateral ligament of his left knee with 4:36 to go in the first quarter. Backup Steve Bono had a slow start with an interception and fumble in the first half, but was 7-for-12 with no mistakes after the break.

Hakim, a fourth-round draft pick, didn't play the first seven games and entered with 11 catches for 135 yards. He replaced former first-round pick Eddie Kennison in the lineup and had four catches for 50 yards. He also scored on a 34-yard reverse to put the Rams ahead for good, 25-18, with four minutes left in the third quarter.

"That's all I really needed, for people to believe in me," Hakim said. "I've been making plays since San Diego State, high school, Pop Warner."

Henley, who spent all last season on the practice squad, got his first start due to Jerald Moore's broken rib. He had 86 yards on 24 carries and scored on a pair of 1-yard runs.

The Rams won for only the second time in 12 games in the Trans World Dome. Officially, the game was the team's 34th consecutive sellout since moving from Anaheim, Calif., in 1995, but the attendance was 48,946 -- a low mark -- with about 15,000 no-shows.

Entering the game, St. Louis had been outscored 110-17 in the first quarter. The Rams scored on their first two possessions for the first time all season, including a 9-yard scoring pass from Banks to Hakim, and led 17-15 at the half.

Edwards had 166 yards on 14 carries in the first half, including gains of 53, 47 and 36 ards. But he was stopped three times from the 1 in the third quarter as the Rams forced a fourth field goal from Adam Viniatieri that gave the Patriots their only lead at 18-17 with 7:49 left.

"I can't be a one-dimensional back," Edwards said. "I have to be able to run in the open field and at the goal line."

The combination of the victory and a family tragedy left Rams coach Dick Vermeil in tears. Vermeil's sister-in-law died last week in a house fire.

"It's been a tough week," Vermeil said. "We played some pretty good football."

Notes