Rams finish on high note, reach .500

MINNEAPOLIS -- Steven Jackson and the St. Louis Rams surged into the new year. The Minnesota Vikings looked like they quit a little early.

Officially eliminated from the playoff chase the night before, the Rams romped past the Vikings 41-21 on Sunday behind a career-high four touchdowns and 142 yards rushing from Jackson.

"We caught stride a little bit too late, but it's something to definitely build off of," said Jackson, who passed Chargers star LaDainian Tomlinson for the league lead in yards from scrimmage with 2,334.

Minnesota (6-10) and St. Louis (8-8) each qualified for the postseason in 2004 as 8-8 wild-card teams, but their mediocrity was not rewarded this year -- even in the diluted NFC.

With his team leading 34-7 early in the fourth quarter, Jackson raced up the left sideline for a 59-yard score. That prevented Minnesota from establishing a post-merger (since 1970) NFL record for fewest yards rushing allowed in a season, missing by 15 the mark of 970 yards set by the Ravens in 2000.

The challenge of facing the league's best rushing defense gave the Rams incentive -- and they were confident they could succeed.

"I definitely thought so. My offensive line thought so," said Jackson, who became the first 100-yard runner allowed by the Vikings in their last 28 games since Warrick Dunn did so for the Falcons on Oct. 2, 2005.

"They were just going up and down the field, and it was not an acceptable effort," said Vikings cornerback Antoine Winfield. "We have to go into the offseason and figure out how to get better."

Minnesota's sellout streak was officially extended to 95 games, but there were plenty of people who prepaid for their tickets and didn't show up on a gloomy afternoon that started with rain and ended with snow.

First-year St. Louis coach Scott Linehan returned to the Metrodome, after serving as the offensive coordinator under Mike Tice from 2002 to 2004. It was an up, then down, then up season, but Linehan was pleased with the late momentum his team created with three straight wins.

Pro Bowl-bound Jackson was the show, finishing his third year in the league with an impressive display of power and speed. He finished with 1,528 yards rushing and led all NFL running backs with 806 yards receiving.

"A very dangerous offense to look for next year," Jackson said.