Bucs Clinch Berth; Rams on the Brink

T A M P A, Fla., Dec. 19 -- Warrick Dunn, Shaun King and the Tampa BayBuccaneers pulled off the Great Escape and pushed the Super Bowlchampion St. Louis Rams to the brink of elimination.

Dunn combined with King on one of the craziest plays of theseason, then scored his third touchdown with 48 seconds remainingas the Buccaneers clinched a playoff spot Monday night with a 38-35victory that left St. Louis needing help to make the postseason.

“It’s deflating,” Rams safety Keith Lyle said. “To lose by three points hurts because we had it wrapped up until that last drive.”

Rams Fall Short

Marshall Faulk scored four touchdowns for the Rams, but it wasnot enough in a rematch of last season’s NFC championship game wonby St. Louis 11-6.

To reach the playoffs, the Rams (9-6) need to beat New Orleansnext Sunday and hope Chicago (4-11) pulls an upset at Detroit.

“We controlled our own destiny up to this point. We didn’t getit done,” Rams quarterback Kurt Warner said. “We can’t look to anybody else and say it was their fault. It was our fault. We didn’t finish this thing. Now we need help.”

The win by Tampa Bay (10-5) also clinched the NFC West for NewOrleans. The Buccaneers can still win the NFC Central with avictory at Green Bay on Sunday and a Minnesota loss atIndianapolis.

After Torry Holt’s 72-yard touchdown catch from Warner gave theRams a 35-31 lead with just over five minutes to play, theBuccaneers rallied behind a wild play.

From their own 35, King threw a swing lateral to Dunn around theright side. But Dunn was trapped far behind the line and, as he wasbeing dragged down, suddenly pitched the ball back to King.

King shook loose and streaked down the right sideline for a15-yard gain, and 15 more yards were tacked on for a late hitcalled on linebacker Mike Jones.

“Shaun was just calling for the ball. We were desperate at thetime,” Dunn said. “It turned out to be a great play.”