MINNEAPOLIS, Dec. 12 -- Michael Boulware intercepted an ill-advised pass by Randy Moss in the end zone just before the two-minute warning, allowing the Seattle Seahawks to hang on for a wild 27-23 victory over the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.
Matt Hasselbeck's three first-half touchdown passes proved to be enough for Seattle (7-6), which came away with a crucial win -- just its fourth in the past 10 games.
| _____ Week 14 Schedule _____
• Philadelphia 17, Washington 14
• Baltimore 37, N.Y. Giants 14
• Atlanta 35, Oakland 10
• New Orleans 27, Dallas 13
• Buffalo 37, Cleveland 7
• Indianapolis 23, Houston 14
• Jacksonville 22, Chicago 3
• New England 35, Cincinnati 28
• Seattle 27, Minnesota 23
• Pittsburgh 17, N.Y. Jets 6
• Denver 20, Miami 17
• Green Bay 16, Detroit 13
• Carolina 20, St. Louis 7
• San Francisco 31, Arizona 28 (OT)
• San Diego 31, Tampa Bay 24
Monday
• Kansas City 49, Tennessee 38
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Minnesota (7-6) lost for the fifth time in seven games as its own playoff plans took a hit.
Moss, who caught four passes for 104 yards and a touchdown, rolled right in the closing minutes after a handoff from Daunte Culpepper. Near the sideline with a defender closing in, Moss fired into the back of the end zone, where Marcus Robinson was covered by two Seahawks.
"I take responsibility for calling that play," Vikings offensive coordinator Scott Linehan said. "I wish I could have it back. That's life."
After the interception, Minnesota managed to force a punt and get the ball back at its 10 with 44 seconds left and no timeouts. A 36-yard pass to Moss and an offside call on Seattle while Culpepper spiked the ball gave the Vikings possession at the Seahawks 28 for one last try with four seconds on the clock.
Culpepper scrambled right and appeared to be sacked by Antonio Cochran, but the play wasn't stopped and a heave into the end zone was nearly caught by Jermaine Wiggins as the game ended.
Shaun Alexander ran 27 times for 112 yards to go with a touchdown reception for the Seahawks, who wasted a double-digit fourth-quarter lead in a loss to Dallas last week and did the same in an overtime defeat to St. Louis on Oct. 10 that started their tailspin.
Seattle defensive end Grant Wistrom hurt his left knee late in the fourth quarter and had to be helped off the field. Coach Mike Holmgren said the prognosis is not good.
"It didn't sound too good to me when they described it to me," Holmgren said. "He is very much a catalyst for our defense, and we are so thin right now. But he is pretty sore right now and he hurt it pretty good. I don't think they are thinking surgery or anything like that. But he hurt his knee."
Hasselbeck finished with 334 yards passing, but threw two interceptions that led to 10 Minnesota points and made a handful of inaccurate throws on crucial plays.
Culpepper finished with 270 yards and no interceptions, but the Vikings failed to take advantage of several opportunities their defense gave them after a miserable first half.
Jerry Rice caught five passes for 52 yards for the Seahawks, all in the second half, and Darrell Jackson had 10 receptions for 135 yards and a touchdown after learning in the morning his father had died of cancer.
Jackson joined the team late Saturday night after spending the day with his dad in Florida.
"It wasn't a tough decision to play," he said. "It's what my father would've wanted."
