DETROIT — As with many things in the game of football, timing is everything when it comes to the celebratory Gatorade shower.

"It's got to be perfect," defensive tackle Leger Douzable said. "It can't be too early, 'cause he'll see you. If it's too late, he might be already on the field."

But like so many things this season for the woebegone Rams, it didn't come easy. When Douzable and safety James Butler — both former Giants who were with coach Steve Spagnuolo in New York — found the orange Gatorade bucket, it was ... empty.

"So we had to put water in, get the ice," Butler said. "We had to do all that."

But they did it, and so did the Rams.

After 17 consecutive losses, over 378 days, St. Louis' long gridiron nightmare is over. Steven Jackson's 25-yard touchdown run with 1 minute, 38 seconds to play gave the Rams their first victory of the season, 17-10, and their first victory since Oct. 19, 2008.

As he got on the Ford Field elevator for the ride down to the victorious Rams locker room, general manager Billy Devaney grinned and said, tongue in cheek, "I'm going to Disney World."

As she left the victorious locker room, Lucia Rodriguez — daughter of the late Georgia Frontiere and one of the team's three owners — smiled and said, "I'm thrilled. Hopefully, the spell is broken."

Inside the locker room, tight end Randy McMichael presented a game ball to Spagnuolo, who was still wet from the improvised "Gatorade" shower.

"It was an honor to be able to deliver him the game ball with his first win in the National Football League," McMichael said. "And I know for a fact it won't be his last. I told him how much we appreciated that with all the stuff we've been through, all the support that he's given all of us. You could see the emotion that was in him."

For once, Spagnuolo didn't try to hide those feelings in his comments to the media.

"It's special," he said. "I know I'll remember it for a long time. What makes it most special is the people that it happened with. This is a special group of guys. They've been through a lot, especially the guys that have been around. They never quit, they bought in, stayed with it. Never leaned the other way. ... I feel proud to be part of that group."

It may have been a warm and fuzzy postgame locker room, but that wasn't the case late last week at Rams Park. As reported Sunday by the Post-Dispatch, Spagnuolo closed the doors to the media for the final plays of Friday's practice because he wanted to chew out the team in private.

Team sources said the topic was intensity, effort, playing hard — or lack thereof. It was a distinct change of course for a coach who always tries to be positive.

"But at some point you've got to put your foot down," fullback Mike Karney said. "And he did that. I think our team responded well — offensively, defensively and special teams."

"He just put the onus on us," defensive end Leonard Little said. "Somebody has to step up; more people have to step up for us to win. Today, a lot of people stepped up."

None more than Jackson, who rushed for a season-high 149 yards and finally got to "roll the dice" — his signature TD celebration — with his first touchdown of the season. Jackson entered the game as the NFL's leader in yards gained after contact — with 384. He added to that total on nearly every carry Sunday at Ford Field.

On at least two carries, no fewer than five Lions defenders got at least a hand on him. Whatever was in his way, Jackson was going to try to knock out of his way. On one occasion, it happened to be umpire Bill Schuster, who got bulldozed by Jackson.

"Steve was a man the whole game," Little said.

"Best running back in football, without a doubt," McMichael said. "We call him 'The Beast.' "

Obviously, Jackson got a lot of help up front, from a revamped offensive line that featured Adam Goldberg at right guard in place of the injured Richie Incognito, and rookie Jason Smith at right tackle making just his third NFL start. And from Karney at fullback.

And from Mark Setterstrom, who came off the bench in the second half once left guard Jacob Bell left with a blow to the head and a probable concussion.

"When Jacob got dinged we had to put another guy (Setterstrom) in there, but they didn't seem to skip a beat," Spagnuolo said. "Steven stayed effective."

With the score tied 10-10 and overtime looming, the tight ends got into the act. McMichael and Daniel Fells lined up side by side on the right side and sealed off the perimeter to give Jackson some running room on his game-winning run.

"That was especially special because it was him, and the way he did it," Spagnuolo said. "That's Steven. Breaking all those tackles, and busting into the open. He was determined to get into the end zone. That's what he's all about."