ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Forget the road to the Super Bowl for the Atlanta Falcons. Now, it's more like the road to ruin.

The reigning NFC champions fell to 0-3 Sunday with an embarrassing 35-7 loss to the St. Louis Rams, who have not had a winning record this decade. Quarterback Kurt Warner produced touchdowns on the first four St. Louis drives and ran for a fifth score in the second half.

	Atlanta QB Chis Chandler was running away from the likes of St. Louis' Kevin Carter before reinjuring his right hamstring late in the first half on Sunday.

"They beat us in every way you can get beat," Falcons coach Dan Reeves said. "If you don't play well and you make some mistakes and the other team plays well, anybody can beat you. I didn't think we were going to be 0-3, but there is nothing in this league that can shock you."

The Rams (2-0) have lost 99 games in the 1990s, but they caught the Falcons at the perfect time: coming off a bye against a team with beat-up skill players coming off a short work week. The Rams were in control from the start as they ended an eight-game losing streak to NFC West opponents and a four-game losing streak against Atlanta.

"We're hungry dogs," said cornerback Todd Lyght, who had an interception. "We don't want to just eat the meat off the bone, we want to eat the bone."

In addition to the game, the Falcons lost quarterback Chris Chandler, who reinjured the right hamstring that kept him out of Monday night's loss at Dallas. Chandler, who was 5-for-9 for 28 yards and an interception, was injured late in the first half without contact while scrambling.

"We wanted to test him," defensive tackle D'Marco Farr said. "I hate to say it, but if you've got a boxer with a hurt right hand you want to see if he can throw it."

Chandler said he probably shouldn't have played, and added he might have to sit out next week's game against Baltimore.

"We spent about two weeks resting it and rehabbing it, but it doesn't seem to be getting any better," Chandler said. "Hopefully it will come back, but I have no idea."

GAME NOTES

The Rams' last victory over an NFC West opponent was 30-18 over Carolina on Dec. 20, 1997. They hadn't beaten a division opponent since a 38-24 victory over New Orleans on Aug. 31, 1997. Falcons offensive tackle Bob Whitfield was ejected in the fourth quarter for throwing a punch at Rams reserve linebacker Troy Pelshak. Last year, the Rams were 36-for-73 on third down and fewer than 4 yards to go. So far this season, they're 10-for-10. Kurt Warner has a passing rating of 108.6 after two games. Last year's starter, Tony Banks, had a rating of 55.6. Todd Lyght has 25 career interceptions in nine seasons.

Chandler's replacement, Tony Graziani, was 14-for-22 for 152 yards and a touchdown.

"Graziani is a good player, but he's not going to get it done," Lyle said.

St. Louis began the game by grinding out a 17-play, 80-yard drive capped by Robert Holcombe's 1-yard touchdown run. Warner also threw TD passes of 38 yards to rookie Torry Holt, 46 yards to Isaac Bruce and 17 yards to Marshall Faulk as the Rams took a 28-0 halftime lead against an Atlanta defense directed by former Rams coach Rich Brooks.

"Their coaches did a nice job of designing plays to get people open," Brooks said.

The Rams had the ball for all but 1:48 and three plays of the first quarter while outgaining the Falcons 131-3. For the half, they were 8-for-9 on third-down conversions and outgained Atlanta 311-67.

"I don't think I've been around a team as good as this one may end up being," coach Dick Vermeil said.

Byron Hanspard, filling in for injured Atlanta star Jamal Anderson, was held to 50 yards on 17 carries. In two games last year, Anderson averaged 180 yards against the Rams.

The Falcons have already lost more games than they did all last season, and face an uphill road to the playoffs considering Anderson is out for the season with a knee injury and Chandler is already beat up after three weeks.

"The Falcons just aren't the Falcons right now," Bruce said.

Warner, who finished 17-of-25 for 275 yards, was an unproven and unknown backup who starred in NFL Europe and Arena Football before Trent Green suffered a season-ending knee injury in the third preseason game. Warner has thrown three touchdown passes in each of the Rams' two games, and he completed 12 of his first 16 throws for 190 yards Sunday.

He was not impressed with his TD total.

"Not one bit," Warner said. "I'm used to throwing eight in a game."

After Atlanta opened the second half with a 12-play drive capped by a 1-yard pass from Tony Graziani to Brian Kozlowski, Warner answered with a nine-play, 72-yard scoring drive. Warner capped the drive with a 5-yard quarterback draw for a 35-7 lead.

Faulk ran for 105 yards on 17 carries and caught five passes for 67 yards. He had 93 yards rushing in the first half, including a 58-yard dash, and had a 45-yarder called back in the fourth quarter.