Johnson scores 3 TDs, Young hurts hamstring as Titans rout Rams 47-7

Johnson runs for 117 yards, Titans rout Rams 47-7

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Titans aren’t giving up on their slim playoff hopes, not without a fight.

Chris Johnson ran for 117 yards and two touchdowns and also took a short pass 66 yards for another score and the Tennessee Titans stayed alive by routing the woeful St. Louis Rams 47-7 Sunday.

The Titans (6-7) must win out and get plenty of help after their 0-6 start. But they started a three-game homestand by handing the struggling Rams (1-12) a fifth straight loss even with Vince Young sidelined by a strained right hamstring most of the game.

Young started despite an achy right knee and played well until pulling up at the end of a 44-yard run — the longest of his career — midway through the second quarter. He left with a 14-0 lead and watched from the sideline as Kerry Collins finished off the win.

The Titans intercepted five passes they turned into 20 points, ruining the NFL debut of rookie Keith Null as St. Louis’ third quarterback this season.

Rob Bironas kicked four field goals with a long of 50 yards, Vincent Fuller returned an interception 45 yards for a TD and Collins even tossed a TD pass. Keith Bulluck and Cortland Finnegan had two interceptions apiece.

Johnson, the NFL’s leading rusher, set a couple of franchise records. His 17-yard run at the end of the first half pushed him past Hall of Fame running back Earl Campbell’s mark of 1,981 yards from scrimmage in 1980. Johnson also has the team mark to himself with eight straight 100-yard rushing games, breaking his tie with Campbell at seven.

Steven Jackson came in second only to Johnson in rushing. Tennessee held the Rams’ top offensive threat to 47 yards on 19 carries.

Kyle Boller had been limited in practice with a sore thigh. No lineup change was announced before Null took the field for the Rams’ first series for his first NFL snaps even though St. Louis coach Steve Spagnuolo said earlier this week he hoped not to use the sixth-round pick from West Texas A&M at all this season.

Null started well enough, completing 7 of his first 8 passes for 42 yards. Then it went downhill, and he finished 27 of 43 for 157 yards.

The Rams did score a rare TD when Null found Randy McMichael with an 11-yard pass in the fourth quarter, a score set up when Spagnuolo faked a punt on fourth-and-7. Kenneth Darby had a big hole as he ran 52 yards to the Tennessee 13.

Right guard Richie Incognito didn’t help the Rams either, picking up personal fouls for head-butting Sen’Derrick Marks in the first quarter and for pushing over Fuller after a play ended. Titans defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch pushed Incognito over with a hand, and a flag flew. The 15-yard penalty went to Incognito.

The Titans were much sharper including Young, who posted a perfect passer rating in the first quarter at 158.3 as he completed five of his first six passes for 132 yards with a TD. He showed no signs of a balky knee as he moved around and even took off running.

But Young pulled up at the end, grabbing at the back of his right leg. He went into the locker room and watched the second half from the sideline with a ballcap turned backward.

Collins, the man benched for Young after that winless start, came in and kept the scoring going. The Titans led 33-0 before the Rams finally avoided the shutout.

(This version CORRECTS Titans 47, Rams 7. corrects to Steven sted Stephen Jackson in 8th graf)