Falcons Are in the Spirit of Things

Things are looking up a little for the Atlanta Falcons, while the St. Louis Rams remain on a downward spiral.

Chris Chandler threw a two-yard touchdown pass to Brian Kozlowski with 6:03 left Sunday as the Falcons, who earlier lost a 10-point lead, defeated the Rams, 27-21, in a matchup of two of the NFL’s worst teams.

“No one wants to get the No. 1 pick,” Falcon defensive end Chuck Smith said. “We’re competing out there for respect, and it’s still football no matter how you cut it.

“Whether you’re in the Super Bowl or the sandlot, it’s still football.”

The Rams have lost seven in a row, and twice in last three weeks to the Falcons (3-8).

Tony Banks threw two touchdown passes for St. Louis. The Rams scored twice in a span of 3:49 late in the third quarter, including Lawrence Phillips’ fourth touchdown in four games, to go ahead, 21-17.

In the fourth quarter, a pass interference call on Ryan McNeil, who jostled Bert Emanuel, gave the Falcons a first down at the Ram 2. On the next play, Chandler faked a handoff, rolled out and threw to a wide-open Kozlowski for a touchdown. It was Kozlowski’s first catch of the season and fifth in four seasons.

Morten Andersen tacked on a 44-yard field goal with 2:43 to go for the Falcons, whose only other victory came against New Orleans. The Rams drove to the Atlanta 21 in the final minute before stalling.

The Falcons’ Jamal Anderson ran for two touchdowns and 72 yards. In the first game against the Rams, Anderson ran for a career-best 159 yards and a touchdown. Against the rest of the NFL, Anderson has 375 yards and a 2.7-yard average.