PRO FOOTBALL : Bosworth Ruins Day for Payton : Rookie’s Recoveries Help Seattle Stay in Playoff Race, 34-21

It was Walter Payton Day at Soldier Field, but Brian Bosworth crashed the party.

Bosworth recovered two fumbles and nearly returned one for a touchdown Sunday as the Seattle Seahawks beat Chicago, 34-21, and spoiled Payton’s final regular-season home appearance.

And in another upset, the rookie linebacker, who usually has plenty to say, declined to talk to reporters after the game.

Payton, the NFL’s all-time leading rusher with 16,644 yards, ran 17 times for 79 yards and scored 2 touchdowns.

“Because we didn’t win, it doesn’t do justice to it,” said Payton, who was honored by the Bears, who retired his No. 34, and the city of Chicago before the game.

The Bears (10-4) lost ground in their bid to gain a home-field advantage in the playoffs.

Seattle (9-5) used five turnovers and 20 points in the third quarter to keep its playoff hopes alive.

“People said we couldn’t win on the road, we couldn’t play outdoors and we couldn’t beat the Bears,” Seattle Coach Chuck Knox said.

Seattle quarterback Dave Krieg completed 17 of 26 passes for 214 yards and 2 touchdowns, and Curt Warner gained 75 of the Seahawks’ 116 rushing yards.

Bosworth helped put Seattle ahead, 14-7, early in the third quarter when he stripped the ball from running back Neal Anderson on the Bears’ 39, picked it up and raced down the sidelines to the one-yard line. Curt Warner scored on the next play.

Payton, who is retiring after 13 seasons, capped an 87-yard drive with a three-yard scoring run that tied the game, 14-14.

But on the first play of the next series, fullback John Williams raced 75 yards to score with a screen pass from quarterback Dave Krieg to put Seattle ahead for good.

The Seahawks got the ball right back when Fredd Young recovered a fumble by Chicago quarterback Mike Tomczak, and Norm Johnson later kicked a 45-yard field goal.

Tomczak fumbled again two minutes later, and Bosworth recovered on the Chicago 20, setting up Johnson’s field goal of 29 yards.

Payton cut the Seahawk lead to 27-21 when he ran five yards for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter. Tomczak later moved Chicago to the Seattle one but a holding penalty and safety Eugene Robinson’s interception of a Tomczak pass ended the Chicago threat.

Warner ran four yards for his second touchdown with 2:10 left to seal the victory.

“We simply turned the ball over too much,” Chicago Coach Mike Ditka said. “Penalties killed us, too.”

“I don’t know if we scare anybody any more. In fact, we are playing scared ourselves.”

Tomczak, subbing again for the injured Jim McMahon, completed 21 of 36 passes for 298 yards and 1 touchdown, but threw 2 interceptions in addition to his fumbles.

“It’s tough when you beat yourself all the time,” said Tomczak who had four interceptions in the Bears’ 41-0 loss Monday night at San Francisco.

The Seahawks scored first on Krieg’s 12-yard scoring pass to Daryl Turner with 8:09 left in the half. Butler had a 48-yard field goal attempt blocked late in the second quarter, but minutes later Tomczak drove the Bears 71 yards for a touchdown, tossing a three-yard pass to Emery Moorehead with 52 seconds left in the half to make it 7-7.