Gore’s 212 yards, defense lead 49ers

Frank Gore thought his fumble had ruined it all. The best game of his career, the 49ers’ upset bid -- it was all in the San Francisco defense’s hands against the defending conference champions.

Yet the defense didn’t drop the ball, stuffing the Seattle Seahawks in the final minutes of the 49ers’ biggest win in years.

Gore rushed for a team-record 212 yards, and San Francisco’s maligned defense stopped Shaun Alexander and the visiting Seahawks three times in the final 4 1/2 minutes of the 49ers’ third straight victory, 20-14, on Sunday.

Gore broke Charlie Garner’s team record of 201 yards on a 17-yard run in the final seconds, but only after he fumbled to give Seattle (6-4) its second but futile last-minute chance.

“We want to let everybody know the 49ers are coming on,” said Gore, who didn’t practice until Friday after suffering a concussion in last week’s win at Detroit.

The 49ers (5-5) held on after going scoreless in the second half to end a six-game losing streak against the Seahawks. But the 49ers’ first three-game winning streak since 2002 wasn’t secure until its defense -- which has given up only 30 points in its last 3 1/2 games -- stopped Seattle’s final three drives with a fourth-down tackle, an interception and a clock with all zeros on it.

“I think we’ve gained some respect,” linebacker Brandon Moore said. “People are going to have to respect us now. It’s the same team, but we’ve come together so much more.”

Alexander, the reigning league most valuable player who hadn’t played in two months, managed only 37 yards in 17 carries in his first game back from a broken foot.

Chicago 10, N.Y. Jets 0 -- Mark Bradley turned a short pass from Rex Grossman into a 57-yard touchdown 10 seconds into the fourth quarter to send the Bears (9-1) past the Jets (5-5) at East Rutherford, N.J.

Two long Jets’ drives ended on interceptions thrown by Chad Pennington against a defense that has caused a league-leading 27 turnovers.

Baltimore 24, Atlanta 10 -- B.J. Sams returned six kicks for 212 yards, Jamal Lewis scored three touchdowns and the Ravens (8-2) won their fourth in a row by beating the Falcons (5-5) at Baltimore.

Falcons quarterback Michael Vick was sacked five times and completed only 11 of 27 passes for 127 yards in the Falcons’ third straight loss.

Cincinnati 31, New Orleans 16 -- Carson Palmer threw touchdown passes of 41, 60 and four yards to Chad Johnson and the Bengals (5-5) ended a three-game losing streak by beating the Saints (6-4) at New Orleans.

New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees threw for 510 yards and two touchdowns, but also had three interceptions.

New England 35, Green Bay 0 -- Tom Brady threw four touchdown passes and the visiting Patriots (7-3) ended their first two-game losing streak since 2002 in a game in which Packers quarterback Brett Favre was sidelined by injury.

Favre injured his throwing arm after being hit by Tully Banta-Cain and Tedy Bruschi. He was replaced by Aaron Rodgers and the Packers fell to 4-6.

Carolina 15, St. Louis 0 -- The Panthers (6-4) sacked Marc Bulger seven times and the visiting Rams (4-6) went scoreless for the first time since 1998 in their fifth straight loss.

Mike Rucker had two sacks, including one for a safety with 2:24 left, while former Ram Damione Lewis and Chris Draft each had 1 1/2 sacks for Carolina, which tied a team record for sacks in a game.

Arizona 17, Detroit 10 -- Earning his first NFL victory in six starts, rookie Matt Leinart threw for 233 yards and a touchdown and ran nine yards for a score at Glendale, Ariz., to help the Cardinals (2-8) end an eight-game losing streak.

Leinart completed 19 of 29 passes with no interceptions. In the second and third quarters, Leinart was 14 of 15 for 202 yards.

Detroit fell to 2-8.

Pittsburgh 24, Cleveland 20 -- Ben Roethlisberger shoveled a four-yard touchdown pass to Willie Parker with 32 seconds left, rallying the Steelers (4-6) to their sixth straight victory over the host Browns (3-7).

Roethlisberger, intercepted three times in the first half, threw for 272 yards -- 224 in the fourth quarter.

Tampa Bay 20, Washington 17 -- Carnell Williams rushed for 122 yards at Tampa, Fla., to help the Buccaneers (3-7) end a three-game losing streak in a victory over former Auburn teammate Jason Campbell, making his first start at quarterback for the Redskins (3-7).

Campbell, who replaced Mark Brunell, completed 19 of 34 passes for 196 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.

Miami 24, Minnesota 20 -- Renaldo Hill returned a fumble 48 yards for a go-ahead touchdown and Jason Taylor returned an interception 51 yards for a record-tying score in the fourth quarter to help the host Dolphins (4-6) overcome a sputtering offense to win their third in a row.

Minnesota (4-6), ranked first in the NFL in run defense, lost its fourth straight despite setting a team record by limiting the Dolphins to minus three yards rushing in 14 carries.

Taylor tied George Martin’s NFL record for linemen with his seventh career touchdown.

Buffalo 24, Houston 21 -- J.P. Losman threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Peerless Price with 13 seconds left, lifting the Bills (4-6) at Houston.

Lee Evans and Losman connected for 205 yards and two 83-yard touchdowns in the first quarter, a Buffalo record for a period and just shy of the NFL record for yards receiving in a quarter of 210.

David Carr tied the NFL record for consecutive completions with 22 for Houston (3-7).