The Rams made a big deal Sunday out of linebacker David Vobora, the final pick in April's NFL Draft who became the first "Mr. Irrelevant" to start as a rookie since 1994.

Better last than never.

No one drafted Davone Bess, and yet the Dolphins' fill-in starting receiver played a more relevant role in the outcome, a 16-12 Dolphins win.

"It was pretty depressing not getting drafted, but I put that whole experience behind me," Bess said.

Sunday, he put some Rams behind him, leading the Dolphins with six catches and showing the same stamina, sharp route-running and run-after-catch quickness that made him a staple of the free-flowing Hawaii offense.

He gained 19 yards on a cross on third-and-9 to set up the first touchdown. He caught a 21-yard floater down the right sideline to set up the first field goal. And he got the Dolphins across midfield for the first time in the second half with a 37-yard reception.

"They lined up exactly how we thought they would," said Bess, who was starting for the injured Greg Camarillo. "So Chad [Pennington] knew exactly where I was going to be."

He might have had a touchdown if not for one end-zone error late in the first half.

"I mistimed my jump," Bess said, shaking his dreadlocks.

Even so, no complaints with his leap to the lineup.

Thomas a Rams target

Unaware that Joey Thomas was getting his first extended action in the Dolphins' thin secondary Sunday? Rams quarterback Marc Bulger did his best to inform you.

Bulger targeted Thomas' assignment, rookie Donnie Avery, on two of his first three passes, and generated pass-interference calls totaling 31 yards.

"Throw the ball at me as much as you can," Thomas said. "That's what teams are going to do, because I'm kind of the new guy out there. I accept that challenge. I'm with it. I'm with it."

He'd better start sticking with receivers better if Jason Allen, a work in progress himself, misses any more time. (After the game, Allen said his right hand, in a hard cast, was "fractured.")

Allen was listed as probable on the injury report, but the cornerback's guarded answers suggested the team knew well before kickoff that he wouldn't play.

Nate Jones practiced as the nickelback, but the Dolphins went with Thomas, a fellow former Cowboy who didn't play an NFL game in 2006 and 2007, was waived Sept. 2 and re-signed Oct. 24. Tony Sparano called him "fearless," and noted that Thomas "settled down as the game went on." The statistics supported the latter - no more penalties, no receiving yards for Avery.

The "fearless" part? Judge for yourself:

"Next week it will probably be the same thing. And let's go get it."

Jackson's day cut short

Vonnie Holliday had never played against Steven Jackson, but had heard the hype.

"It's all true," the Dolphins defensive lineman said. "He gets hit and falls forward 4 yards."

The Dolphins might have fallen to 6-6 if Jackson had carried more Sunday.

"In the first half, I felt amazing," said Jackson, who rushed for 72 yards on 15 carries before halftime after being questionable with a sore quadriceps.

In the third quarter, Jackson rushed for 21 yards on five carries. In the fourth? One carry. One yard. Nothing in the final 14 minutes. Interim coach Jim Haslett even chose to punt on fourth-and-1 from his own 40 with 4:45 left. Risky? Maybe. And the Rams would get the ball back with a chance to win. Still, 1 yard? A given for Jackson.

Jackson acknowledged that the plan had been about "15 carries," and Haslett said "he was gassed and his leg started to bother him."

Yet Jackson attributed his shortened day to the team's desire to use Kenneth Darby in passing situations.

Either way, it was a blessing for the Dolphins, who haven't seen many big, bad backs like him, and didn't react well early.

"All of a sudden, you've got guys who want to be superheroes, and that's in all of us," Dolphins nose tackle Jason Ferguson said. "We can't help it."

Thankfully, Haslett helped them.