ST. LOUIS -- A bad season just keeps getting worse for the St. Louis Rams.

The defending NFC champions lost quarterback Kurt Warner before losing their fourth straight game Sunday, 13-10 to the Dallas Cowboys. Picked by many in the preseason to get back to the Super Bowl, the Rams fell to 0-4 for the first time since 1963, when they started with five straight losses and finished 5-9.

"That's life," coach Mike Martz said. "You can't sit and stew about it. That's where we are, and what's important is what we do about it."

Rookie Billy Cundiff kicked a 48-yard field goal as time expired to win it for the Cowboys (2-2).

The Rams, who went 14-2 last year, must somehow improve quickly just to get back to .500, and they'll have to do it without Warner, who has a broken little finger on his throwing hand. The team said the injury will be evaluated today to determine whether he'll require surgery.

"Usually those things take about a month," Martz said. "But it could be sooner. Who knows?"

A repeat injury

Warner broke the same finger in 2000 and it required surgery, knocking him out for five games. If he's out that long again, there might be no rush. The only 0-4 team to make the playoffs was the 1992 San Diego Chargers.

"I'm not believing that one bit," Warner said. "We've got too good of a team to believe that. I believe I'm going to be back just in time to take us down that stretch run into the playoffs, and on to where we want to go."

The Rams next play at San Francisco, then host Oakland.

Dallas quarterback Quincy Carter, who didn't earn a vote of confidence from owner Jerry Jones after a shaky first three games, led the Cowboys 41 yards on nine plays in 1:27 to set up the field goal.

"I knew we didn't need a touchdown to win it; we just needed to keep moving the ball down the field," Carter said. "Everybody really had to pay attention. I did my part, but also my line did their part, my receivers, my backs. I just thought, as a collective group, that we did a great job handling the 2-minute drive."

The big play to set up the field goal was a 15-yard pass across the middle to Michael Wiley that got Dallas to the Rams 35. After that, Carter hit Ken-Yon Rambo for 5 yards and then spiked the ball with 1 second left.

Carter was 26-for-36 for 204 yards with a touchdown and an interception.

"I told him after he walked off the field that I thought he grew up today," running back Emmitt Smith said. "He did a wonderful job."

Smith chases record

Continuing his pursuit of Walter Payton's career rushing record, Smith had 58 yards on 13 carries. He needs 303 yards to catch Payton's record of 16,726.

The Rams' Marshall Faulk, who started six days after straining his neck in a 26-14 loss to Tampa Bay, had 73 yards on 18 carries. He also caught nine passes for 67 yards.

The Rams played without All-Pro offensive tackle Orlando Pace, who tore his left calf muscle in practice during the week and is out 2-3 weeks.

Warner was in there just long enough to throw his eighth interception in four games. He was 1-of-2 for 17 yards before the injury, which occurred when he got hit and landed awkwardly on an errant screen pass that was intercepted by Greg Ellis.

Without Warner, the Rams ran a conservative attack with few downfield throws. Jamie Martin, who threw only three passes last year, was 24-for-37 for 262 yards, using an assortment of screens and underneath tosses. He had a touchdown pass and an interception.

After the Cowboys tied it on Cundiff's 35-yard field goal with 4:23 to go, the Rams ate up most of the clock. But Ellis and Roy Williams sacked Martin for a 6-yard loss on third-and-2 from the Dallas 25, and Jeff Wilkins' 49-yard field goal attempt hit the right crossbar with 1:27 to go.

The Cowboys lost offensive lineman Larry Allen with a sprained right ankle in the first half. Allen had started at tackle instead of guard, his usual position.

Besides Warner, the Rams also lost cornerback Aeneas Williams to an ankle injury.

St. Louis overcame two turnovers and other misplays, including two straight dropped passes, to tie the game at 7 at halftime, on Martin's 21-yard pass to Isaac Bruce with 1:25 left.