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Jackson, Rams pound sputtering Cowboys

Oct 19, 2008 - 10:57 PM ST. LOUIS (Ticker) -- The Dallas Cowboys have come unglued.

Steven Jackson rushed for 160 yards and three touchdowns as the St. Louis Rams added to the Cowboys' woes with a 34-14

victory Sunday.

"Coming in this week, we had a boost of confidence coming back from Washington," said Jackson, referring to last week's 19-17 win at Washington. "And on film, we thought we could take advantage of their aggressiveness when they try to get up the field.

"I was really confident in our gameplan. I like what (offensive coordinator) Coach (Al) Saunders put together for us this week. They are a very talented team but, if you jump on them then, we felt we could put them away."

After a turbulent week that included the suspension of cornerback Adam Jones, Dallas appeared not ready to play, especially on defense.

Scoring three touchdowns in the opening quarter for the first time since 2001, the Rams (2-4) posted their second straight

win under coach Jim Haslett, who replaced the fired Scott Linehan.

"I think it is the will of the players more than anything," Haslett said. "You have guys out there playing hard, if you have been to practices you see that they are practicing with a little purpose. I think anytime you get a win in Washington you will have a little renewed confidence. I think they played extremely well today in all three phases."

St. Louis has scored 53 points in its last two games after managing only 43 in the first four.

Forty-year-old quarterback Brad Johnson started in place of injured Tony Romo, but was ineffective for the Cowboys, throwing three interceptions.

"It was a tough day for all of us," Johnson said. "As the day went on, we had miscues throughout; penalties, turnovers and it just kind of got worse from there."

Romo, who initially was expected to miss up to four weeks with a broken pinkie on his throwing hand, was in uniform but did not play. He watched the Rams coast to a 24-7 halftime lead.

Wide receiver Roy Williams, acquired from Detroit on Tuesday, was a non-factor for the Cowboys with no receptions. Terrell

Owens also had a quiet day with just two catches.

"We just didn't come out and play our best football," Owens said. "We got our butts kicked. We just have to go back and regroup and some kind of way, come out and turn this thing around. I am a competitor and I don't want to lose."

"We beat ourselves," Williams added. "We gave them a short field and they capitalized on it early. We had stupid penalties and that was pretty much the game."

The Cowboys, who have dropped three of their last four games, did look sharp on the game's opening possession. They marched 74 yards on 10 plays to take a 7-0 lead on Marion Barber's 1-yard TD.

However, Dallas ' defense appeared disinterested in the first half, allowing the Rams to score touchdowns on their first three possessions. St. Louis opened a 21-7 lead and won comfortably.

After Jackson 's 8-yard TD put the Rams ahead, 14-7, Johnson's interception at the Dallas ' 17-yard line set up Jackson 's 1-yard TD plunge.

The running back put away the contest with a 56-yard TD scamper that extended the Rams' cushion to 31-7 midway through the third period.

Marc Bulger turned in a steady - if unspectacular - performance for the Rams, completing 14-of-19 passes for 173 yards and a touchdown.

"Slowly but surely, we're getting out confidence back even through our bad runs," Bulger said. "It is not a secret. If you are in this league and you are not confident in yourself and you are not playing with that swagger, then things are going to

go bad. I think we are not there yet but we are starting to get that back a little bit."

Johnson, who was making his first start in two years, finished 17-of-34 for 234 yards, tossing a meaningless 34-yard TD pass

to Martellus Bennett in the final two minutes.

"There certainly aren't any positives right now," Cowboys coach Wade Phillips said. "The only positive is that we do have nine more games. We can get it turned around. We didn't look like that kind of team that is going to turn it around today. I'm angry, disappointed and embarrassed."