Dilfer passes Seahawks past Kansas City, 42-31

? Matt Hasselbeck threw more touchdown passes, but it was Trent Dilfer’s night all the way.

Dilfer played for the first time since the midpoint of last season, completing 12 of 14 passes for 124 yards and a touchdown as the Seattle Seahawks beat the Kansas City Chiefs, 42-31, in a preseason game Saturday night.

The Seahawks went ahead 35-31 on Kerry Carter’s 17-yard touchdown run with 12:07 to play. He had a big hole up the middle, then broke three tackles as he rumbled toward the end zone.

Carter, competing for a spot as a backup to Shaun Alexander, had a 19-yard run to Kansas City’s one-yard line near the two-minute warning. On the next play, he plunged over the goal line.

Rookie Larry Johnson had a big night for the Chiefs, running 12 times for 77 yards and returning a kickoff 85 yards for a third-quarter touchdown. Priest Holmes ran only once as a precaution against injury, a four-yard gain in the second quarter.

Kansas City’s Todd Collins completed 12 of 18 passes for 144 yards and two TDs, both in the second quarter. He had an 11-yard scoring pass to Marc Boerigter and a seven-yarder to Jason Dunn, a play that was awarded after a replay.

Trent Green, played only two series but was 6-for-9 for 62 yards and a touchdown. His 14-yard TD pass to Tony Gonzalez put the Chiefs up 7-3 after Seattle opened the scoring on a 32-yard field goal by rookie Josh Brown.

Seattle’s rookie kicker also connected from 50 yards in the second quarter.

Dilfer’s TD pass came on a 19-yard strike to the right side of the end zone, with Koren Robinson leaping and extending his arms. That tied it at 28 with 7:31 remaining in the third quarter.

Nobody was more excited than Dilfer, whose 5-year-old son, Trevin, died in April following a 40-day fight against a heart infection.

Dilfer celebrated with his linemen, then sprinted away and raised his arms toward the heavens. He pumped his right fist and headed to the sideline, where Hasselbeck and reserve QB Jeff Kelly gave him a long embrace.