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By TIM BOOTH Associated Press Writer
SEATTLE (AP) -- No one wanted to talk in the Seattle Seahawks locker room. Those who did had anger and frustration in their voices.
The defending NFC champs aren't playing like a playoff team.
"I guess I just feel we're just OK at everything," quarterback Matt Hasselbeck said. "We're not real good and dominant at anything, like we use to be."
That point was evident again Thursday night, when second-year quarterback Alex Smith rallied San Francisco for a surprising 24-14 win over the Seahawks, keeping Seattle from clinching its third straight NFC West crown.
The 49ers (6-8) trailed 7-3 heading to the fourth quarter and rarely threatened on offense. That changed in the final 15 minutes, as Smith directed three long touchdown drives, throwing for a pair of scores and running untouched for another.
When Smith jogged untouched for an 18-yard TD with 1:42 left, cold, wet and shocked Seahawks' fans who showed up ready to watch the winning of another division crown, quickly made their way to the exits.
"The boy just became a grown man today, baby," said 49ers running back Frank Gore, who helped out his quarterback with 144 yards rushing and a touchdown catch. "There's a lot more to come."
San Francisco snapped a three-game losing streak and swept both games with Seattle.
While Smith's impressive evolution played out in the fourth quarter, Seattle (8-6) was left to ponder a second straight loss to a division opponent, and watch any hopes of a first-round bye in the playoffs flutter away.
The Seahawks need only one more win or a San Francisco loss to win the mediocre NFC West. But the sentiment in Seattle's locker room is that problems need to be corrected immediately.
"This is awful," Bryce Fisher said. "Teams that lose in December, if they're lucky to get into January, lose very early in January."
While Seattle's offense continued its inconsistency running the ball and protecting Hasselbeck, its defense frustrated Smith for most of the first three quarters.
Smith's 11-yard completion to Antonio Bryant with 48 seconds left in the third quarter was San Francisco's first first-down of the half. On the next play, Arnaz Battle beat Seattle's Kelly Herndon off the line of scrimmage and Smith hit him in stride for a 54-yard completion.
Smith completed the drive by rolling right and finding tight end Vernon Davis in the end zone with a perfect 8-yard strike to give the 49ers a 10-7 lead.
Seattle drove to the San Francisco 27 on the next series, but on third-and-1 Shaun Alexander was stopped for no gain. Seattle coach Mike Holmgren chose to go for it on fourth-down, but Mack Strong was stopped.
Gore then started to take over. He rushed for 34 yards on the ensuing drive and caught a 20-yard TD pass. Smith stepped out of Herndon's grasp, scrambled and found Gore behind defense near the goal line.
"It was most pleasing because we stayed the course in the things that it takes to win," San Francisco coach Mike Nolan said.
Smith finished 14-of-25 for 162 yards, after going 5-of-12 for 38 yards in the first half. Gore, who rushed for a franchise record 212 yards in the first meeting with Seattle, ran for 104 yards in the fourth quarter. The 49ers rolled up 196 total yards in the final 15 minutes.
Hasselbeck threw a 22-yard touchdown to Jerramy Stevens with 9 seconds left, for the final margin, but was outplayed by Smith. Hasselbeck finished 20-of-37 for 220 yards, and threw a pair of interceptions. The most damaging came on the first possession of the second half, when Hasselbeck tried to hit D.J. Hackett in the end zone, but 49ers' safety Mark Roman stepped in front of Hackett.
Other than the final touchdown to Stevens, Seattle never threatened again. Alexander had a 3-yard touchdown in the first half, but was held to 73 yards on 22 carries, including just 16 yards in the second half.
"I expect to play to a certain level and when we don't, I'm disappointed," Holmgren said. Notes:@ With leading receiver Darrell Jackson out (toe), Hackett finished with a career-high eight catches for 87 yards.
... San Francisco C Eric Heitmann broke his right leg in the first quarter. Tony Wragge replaced him. ... CB Shawantae Spencer, who missed the last three games with an ankle injury, got his first interception of the season in the fourth quarter.
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APTV-12-15-06 0121MST
