Although they continue to try very hard, everybody knows that the Rams aren’t going anywhere this season with personnel that comes up significantly short in the talent department compared to most NFL rosters. But there is one Rams player, sixth-year RB Steven Jackson, who has shown enough in the first nine games to definitely warrant a Pro Bowl berth at the end of the season. In his last three games, the powerful Jackson, who has also grown into a major team leader off the field and in the locker room, has been on some kind of roll. Sunday against the high-flying Saints, he made the rafters shake in the Edward Jones Dome, rumbling like a madman while being primarily responsible for giving the New Orleans defense a scare it won’t soon forget. Jackson finished the day with 131 yards rushing and a touchdown on 26 carries in the Saints’ 28-23 victory that wasn’t sealed until Rams QB Marc Bulger’s “Hail Mary” pass as time ran out went astray. Jackson also came through with a team-high nine catches for 45 yards.

Jackson’s touchdown was only his second of the season, although he has now reached the endzone in each of his last two games. But he cracked the century mark for the fifth time this season and finished the day two yards behind NFC rushing leader and Pro Bowl lock Adrian Peterson with 915 yards. He is gaining a very impressive 4.8 yards per carry and continues to establish himself as one of the best runners in team history, moving past former Rams RB and current director of player personnel Lawrence McCutcheon into third place among all-time Rams rushers. With 6,206 career rushing yards and counting, he now trails only Eric Dickerson (7,245) and Marshall Faulk (6,959) in the Rams' record book.

The PFW Spin

Just like Ernie Banks used to be with the Chicago Cubs, Jackson stands out as an absolutely terrific player on a not-so-terrific team — provided he’s healthy. Unlike the past few seasons, he has avoided injuries and actually seems to be getting stronger as the season wears on, running over, around and through people with reckless abandon. Forget his meager TD total. With the possible exception of Panthers RB DeAngelo Williams, Jackson shouldn’t have any competition in the NFC for a starting RB berth in the Pro Bowl along with Peterson.

Jackson was held to only 31 yards on 10 carries in the second half yesterday, as the Saints jammed the box with extra defenders after he gained 100 yards in the first half and looked unstoppable. But that ploy opened up more receiving opportunities for WRs Donnie Avery, who had his first-ever multi-TD game, and Brandon Gibson, who came through with flying colors (seven catches for 93 yards) after Keenan Burton went down early with a season-ending knee injury.

There’s reason to believe the emergence of Gibson will give opposing teams more to think about in the Rams’ remaining seven games, which could bode well for Jackson, who has earned rave reviews this season for going out of his way to fully embrace the new Rams regime headed by head coach Steve Spagnuolo and GM Billy Devaney. In what has been a very tough season overall, the Rams couldn’t have a better undisputed centerpiece.

Don’t be surprised if Jackson steals Peterson’s thunder and becomes the center of attention for the NFC squad in this year’s Pro Bowl.