HERO

Jerious Norwood. The running back/kick returner appeared fully healed from the rib injury that has appeared to slow him in recent weeks. Norwood ran for 56 yards and two touchdowns, including a 45-yarder for the game-winning score. He also set up his other touchdown, an 8-yarder on a direct snap, with a 92-yard kickoff return.

GOAT

Marc Bulger. The Rams quarterback wilted with the game on the line. Trailing by four points with less than four minutes to play, the Rams drove to the Falcons' 29-yard line. Bulger was sacked for an 8-yard loss and then threw two incompletions to end the Rams' threat.

KEY PLAY

Norwood's 45-yard touchdown run for the game-winning score. The run up the middle came just three minutes after the Rams had taken a three-point lead.

KEY CALL

Michael Turner broke off a 70-yard run early in the fourth quarter and was caught from behind at the 2-yard line. He fumbled, and the Rams recovered in the end zone. The Falcons challenged the ruling, saying that Turner was down before being stripped of the ball. After a lengthy review, officials upheld the call on the field.

KEY STAT

Falcons punter Michael Koenen kicked four timess, and all were fair caught. The zero return yardage gave the Falcons just 49 yards returned against them all season --- an NFL record. They bettered the mark of the 1991 Buffalo Bills by four yards.

BIG HIT

Rams cornerback Jonathan Wade absolutely leveled Harry Douglas on a pass attempt late in the third quarter. Douglas dropped a short pass and was down for nearly five minutes before being helped from the field.

THREE THINGS WE LEARNED

1. It's off to Arizona, where these Falcons are more than capable of winning their playoff game.

2. The Rams did give the Cardinals receivers something to watch on film. St. Louis receivers had their way with Falcons cornerbacks, mainly Chris Houston.

3. The Falcons running game saved Matt Ryan from a less-than-stellar performance. He threw two interceptions, the second --- a poorly thrown lob pass deep in Falcons territory --- led to a field goal that put the Rams ahead 27-24. He also missed a wide-open Michael Jenkins in the end zone.