Seattle — The Seattle Seahawks need the help of the Minnesota Vikings to get them into the playoffs.
Trent Dilfer passed for two touchdowns and Shaun Alexander scored on a 44-yard run as the Seahawks defeated Kansas City, 21-18, Sunday.
Kansas City's trent green (10) throws under pressure from Seattle's Chad Brown. The Seahawks defeated the Chiefs, 21-18, on Sunday in the regular-season finale at Seattle.
Seattle gets into the playoffs as an AFC wild-card team tonight if the Baltimore Ravens, who he quarterbacked to their Super Bowl victory last season, lose at home to the Vikings. Mike Tice, a tight end for the Seahawks from 1981-88 and 1990-91, is the interim coach of the Vikings.
"Hopefully, Randy Moss will go crazy tomorrow night and catch about five touchdowns and we'll be in," Dilfer said.
The Seahawks (9-7) would have made the postseason if the Oakland Raiders had beaten the Jets on Sunday. But New York won 24-22 to clinch a spot.
Seattle coach Mike Holmgren sounded more realistic about Minnesota's chances of winning in Baltimore.
"They've got their hands full," Holmgren said. "They're going to play hard, but the trouble is they're playing a real fine team in Baltimore."
Dilfer, replacing the injured Matt Hasselbeck at quarterback for the second straight week, had TD passes of 12 and 18 yards to Darrell Jackson in the second quarter for a 14-0 lead at halftime.
It was Dilfer's 15th consecutive victory as a starter, including 4-0 this season, when he mainly was Hasselbeck's backup. He hasn't lost a start since October 2000.
"We did what we had to do today and we should be proud of that," Dilfer said. "We played a really fine game. We can't control what happens tomorrow night. We can't beat ourselves up thinking about what could have been earlier in the year."
The Chiefs blocked a punt to set up a touchdown and then added a field goal in the third period, making it 14-10. Alexander broke outside and ran down the right sideline on his 44-yard touchdown, his 16th TD this season.
Kansas City's Priest Holmes won the NFL rushing title with 1,555 yards, finishing ahead of Curtis Martin of the Jets, who had 1,505 yards. Holmes had 117 yards on 23 carries, breaking the franchise mark of 1,480 set by Christian Okoye in 1989.
"It means a lot," said Holmes, signed by the Chiefs as a free agent in April after playing four seasons in Baltimore. "I think whenever you have an opportunity to have something, it's worth grabbing."
Kansas City (6-10) scored a touchdown in the final minute on a short run by Tony Richardson and got a two-point conversion on a pass from Trent Green to Eddie Kennison.
The Chiefs' onside kick was recovered by Bobby Engram of the Seahawks.
Alexander, who had his right ankle X-rayed after his first carry in the opening quarter, finished with 127 yards on 20 carries. It was Alexander's fourth 100-yard rushing game in 12 starts filling in for the injured Ricky Watters.
Dilfer, signed to a one-year contract as a free agent in August, completed 22 of 38 passes for 248 yards, with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Dilfer passed for five TDs in Seattle's last two games, four to Jackson.
Green was 15-of-33 for 184 yards with one touchdown and one interception for Kansas City.
The Chiefs got back into the game in the second half when Glenn Cadrez blocked Jeff Feagles' punt from the Seattle 25 and Jason Belser recovered on the 1. Green passed to Mikhael Ricks for Kansas City's touchdown.
Pro Bowl tight end Tony Gonzalez sprained his left knee on the final play of the first half, a long pass to the back of the end zone. He will undergo an MRI test today in Kansas City.
Coach Dick Vermeil said the injury could be more serious than a sprain.
"I don't think it's really good," he said.
Notes: Todd Peterson of the Chiefs missed field goals of 43 and 53 yards, while Rian Lindell of the Seahawks missed a 44-yarder. ... Seahawks CB Shawn Springs left after three plays when his left hamstring tightened. Springs missed the first three games of the season with a pulled left hamstring and was suspended for four games by the NFL for violating the league's policy on anabolic steroids and related substances. He reinjured his hamstring while working out during his suspension and did not play last week. ... The Seahawks lost LB Anthony Simmons with a bruised left quadricep. ... Kennison, who caught a 65-yard pass from Green in the third quarter to set up a 27-yard field goal by Peterson, suffered a sprained ankle.
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