New Orleans ? St. Louis Rams offensive tackle Rod Jones hurt his right side on Ty Law’s second-quarter interception return in the Super Bowl on Sunday night and missed the rest of the game.

Jones injured his left groin in the NFC championship game but practiced all week without a problem. The Rams lost 20-17 to the Patriots on Sunday.

“I don’t know what the problem is,” Jones said. “It’s just one of those things.”

He was among several players pursuing Law as he raced down the sideline on a 47-yard TD, but pulled up short at about the 20.

He reported late for the second half, missing the kickoff, and was limping noticeably.

Jones was replaced by Ryan Tucker, the starting right tackle before spraining his left ankle in the regular-season finale Jan. 6. He played in a reserve role in the NFC championship game after All-Pro Orlando Pace injured his right knee.

“I went in there and did what I had to do,” said Tucker, who had an ice bag on his ankle after the game. “I know I had one blown assignment when Kurt Warner got hit.”

Pace played Sunday wearing a knee brace. The injury will not require surgery, only rest.

“It was a little bit sore, but I tried to go out and fight and give it my all,” Pace said. “It affected me a little bit, but that was to be expected.”

The injuries on the line made it tougher than expected for Warner, who had to move in the pocket more than usual.

The Rams also started Dre’ Bly at corner to start the second half ahead of Dexter McCleon. McCleon was beaten on Tom Brady’s 8-yard touchdown pass to David Patten at the end of the first half. But McCleon returned on the next series.

Ticket takers: The man was very unhappy to be holding a stack of Super Bowl tickets six hours before kickoff.

“This stinks, definitely the worst Super Bowl I’ve ever had,” he said. “I’m taking a beating this week. Bad.”

The man, who would give only his first name, John, said he sells tickets at all big sporting events and normally makes a killing on Super Bowl, but this year tickets have not been in demand.

“Normally, we’d be talking several thousand a ticket,” John said. “Yesterday I was down to $1,000. Now I’m trying to clear a few hundred a ticket.”

Farther down the street, Tony Miller of Miami was selling tickets at $400, face value.

“This is the first time I’ve tried this, and it’s going to be the last,” Miller said. “I’m going to cut them below what I paid for them pretty soon. I don’t want to get stuck with them.”

Joe Johnson had already come to that conclusion. He sold a pair for $375 each.

Pats fans winners Bettors who had New England over favored St. Louis were the big winners in Nevada’s sports books Sunday.

Football fans and oddsmakers were surprised that the Patriots beat the 14-point favorite Rams by 20-17. The game also finished below the over/under line posted at 53 by most of the city’s sports books.

The winning Patriots going into the game as the underdog could mean Nevada’s sports book ultimately come out losers in this year’s big game, according to Bally’s-Paris Las Vegas Race and Sports Book director John Avello.

“Any time the underdog wins the game straight up, more players did well than not,” he said, adding that the moneyline opened up paying 5-1 and closed at 31/2-1. That means a $20 bet at 5-1 was a $100 winner.