SEATTLE — Fueled by a fake field-goal attempt that blew up in St. Louis' face, the Seattle Seahawks rolled to a 31-16 victory yesterday to take command of the NFC West race.

The Rams, trailing 3-0 in the second quarter, set up for a 25-yard field-goal attempt. Instead, holder Dean Looker flipped the ball to kicker Jeff Wilkins, who was about to throw to a wide-open Cameron Cleeland at the 5. But Seattle cornerback Marcus Trufant charged Wilkins, who aborted the pass and ran feebly into a turnover on downs.

Energized, the Seahawks stormed 87 yards to a go-ahead touchdown, Shaun Alexander's first of three rushing scores. They went on to outscore the Rams 24-3 and outgain them 281-46 from that fake until deep into the third quarter.

"I couldn't believe they did it," said Alexander, who ran for 165 yards on a season-high 33 carries. "I just think momentum is a strong thing. Whenever you got a chance to keep momentum going, you should never change it, because it gave momentum to us."

The Seahawks, 7-2 and winners of five straight for the first time since 1999, lead the second-place Rams (4-5) by three games. Essentially, that is a four-game bulge with seven regular-season games remaining because Seattle swept St. Louis after losing the previous four to the Rams.

"It's a really cool thing when you can see the changing of the guard," Alexander said.

BUCS 36, REDSKINS 35

TAMPA, Fla. — With the ball sitting on the 1-yard line, Tampa Bay coach Jon Gruden couldn't resist.

The temptation to give it to fullback Mike Alstott on a gutsy 2-point conversion call was too strong.

"It would have been tough not knowing what would have happened," Gruden said after Alstott somehow found a way across the goal line to give the Bucs (6-3) a stunning victory over Washington (5-4).

The run, with 58 seconds remaining, came after the Redskins blocked a potential game-tying extra point — but had jumped offsides in the process.

Chris Simms threw for 279 yards and three touchdowns for the Bucs, while Clinton Portis ran for 144 yards and put Washington ahead with an 8-yard scoring run midway through the fourth quarter.

BEARS 17, NINERS 9

CHICAGO — Nathan Vasher caught the missed field goal deep in the end zone on the final play of the first half and decided to bring it out.

Seconds later, he was in the NFL record books with the longest play in league history — an almost unimaginable rambling 108-yard TD return that helped Chicago (6-3) stun San Francisco (2-7).

"I was feeling like I was running the 400 meters out there," Vasher said. "The NFL has been around a long time. For my name to be at the top of that is truly an honor."

The previous longest play was Baltimore's Chris McAlister's 107-yarder with a missed field goal in 2002.

PACKERS 33, FALCONS 25

ATLANTA — Making his first career start on his 23rd birthday, doctor-in-waiting Samkon Gado scored three touchdowns as Green Bay (2-7) upset Atlanta (6-3).

"It was surreal," said Gado, who put his medical career on hold after being unemployed less than a month ago. "I didn't even think it was a reality. But I'm here. I'm just enjoying it as much as possible."

For one week at least, Gado helped Green Bay look like the Pack of old. He rushed for 103 yards on 25 carries, and Brett Favre threw for 252 yards and came up with another great escape on a drive that led to Ryan Longwell's fourth field goal, a 51-yarder with 4:01 remaining that gave Green Bay a nine-point lead.

LIONS 29, CARDINALS 21

DETROIT — Roy Williams caught a career-high three touchdown passes from Joey Harrington to lead the Detroit (4-5) past Arizona (2-7).

Playing an entire game for the first time since Oct. 2, Williams had seven receptions for 117 yards and caught TD passes of 7, 21 and 29 yards.

"You don't have to be perfect with him," said Harrington, who was 22 of 32 for 231 yards and no interceptions. "A guy like Roy can make plays that aren't there."

Kurt Warner was 29 of 45 for a season-high 359 yards with a TD and no interceptions for Arizona.

NFC/AFC

PANTHERS 30, JETS 3

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — When the Carolina Panthers gave cornerback Ken Lucas a $36.5 million free-agent contract, more than a few eyebrows were raised.

But Lucas is steadily earning his pay, reeling in two game-changing interceptions to help the Panthers (7-2) thump the stumbling Jets (2-7).

"He earns that contract every day," safety Mike Minter said. "That is the type of player we needed in our secondary. His interceptions changed the complexion of the game."

Lucas' picks started a rash of turnovers — four of which came on consecutive New York possessions, to help the Panthers pull away for their sixth straight victory.