ST. LOUIS – Disappointment. Relief. Anticipation. Exuberance. Any one of these words could describe the New York Jets, who advanced to the playoffs yesterday despite losing 32-29 in overtime to the St. Louis Rams.

The Jets (10-6) qualified as an AFC wild card before the game ended, when the Bills lost to the Steelers. The Rams, meanwhile, clinched a postseason berth when Jeff Wilkins kicked the game-winning 31-yard field goal in overtime. They got a little help earlier in the day when Minnesota lost.

“I hate to lose getting in,” coach Herman Edwards said. “But we’ll take it. Now, all we have to do is get in the playoffs and win.”

The Jets played to win in overtime, keeping Chad Pennington and Martin on the field. But Doug Brien’s miss on a 53-yard field goal attempt opened the door for the Rams’ final drive.

Despite the loss, the Jets made the playoffs for the third time in four seasons under Edwards. Gang Green plays at San Diego next weekend but enter the playoffs on a downer, having gone 5-6 in their final 11 games following a 5-0 start.

They also lost wide receiver Wayne Chrebet (concussion) in the first half, but he is expected to play next week.

Shaun Ellis had three sacks for the Jets. He also tipped a pass that Jonathan Vilma returned 38 yards for a score to give the Jets a 26-21 lead late in the third quarter.

“The feeling would have been a lot better had we won,” Ellis said. “Obviously, our mood is kind of like in the middle, so we just have to put this game behind us and get ready for next week.”

Curtis Martin had 153 yards on 28 carries and moved past Eric Dickerson and Jerome Bettis into fourth place on the NFL career rushing list with 13,366 yards.

St. Louis Rams coach Mike Martz couldn’t care less that his team finished .500. Somehow, they are in the playoffs.

“This is why you coach, for moments like this,” Martz said after the Rams extended their up-and-down season.

The Rams (8-8) won a finale that, in the end, they needed much more than the Jets. Marc Bulger went 29-for-39 for 450 yards and three touchdowns, and Wilkins won it with 3:03 left in overtime for the Rams’ fourth playoff berth in five seasons under Martz.

St. Louis got great field position at its 43, and Bulger needed only five plays to get the Rams in position for Wilkins’s game-winner. Wilkins split the uprights on first down after Bulger’s 22-yard swing pass to Steven Jackson.

The Rams qualified as an NFC wild card after losing out on the NFC West crown when Seattle beat Atlanta later in the day. They’ll play the Seahawks for a third time in the first round of the playoffs Saturday. St. Louis won both regular-season meetings.

The Rams scored more than 20 points for the first time in seven weeks. St. Louis appeared to have taken control early in the third quarter when Jackson broke a pair of tackles on a 20-yard run that made it 21-10. But the Jets quickly recaptured the momentum.

Jerricho Cotchery returned the ensuing kickoff 94 yards to cut the gap to four. Less than a minute later, Jason Ferguson stripped Isaac Bruce after a reception and Donnie Abraham recovered to set up a 33-yard field goal by Brien.

Vilma’s 38-yard return then put the Jets ahead 26-21.

St. Louis retook the lead with 5:06 remaining in regulation, when two Jets defenders collided, allowing Torry Holt to break free on a 19-yard TD reception. Jackson’s conversion run made it a 3-point lead, but the Jets tied it when Brien kicked a 27-yard field goal with 3 seconds left in regulation.