SEATTLE — The Chargers didn't need touchdowns from LaDainian Tomlinson to win. The Seahawks didn't need to win to capture the NFC West.

San Diego's league record holder for touchdowns and favorite to win the league's MVP award didn't score yesterday. Teammate Vincent Jackson did — twice — including on a 37-yard touchdown pass from Philip Rivers with 29 seconds left and the Chargers won their ninth consecutive game, 20-17, over the Seahawks.

The AFC West champion Chargers (13-2) set a team record for wins in a season. A victory at home against Arizona next week would clinch them the top seed in the conference for the first time since 1980. The Chargers already have an opening-round bye for the first time in 12 years, thanks to the Houston Texans beating the Indianapolis Colts earlier in the day.

Tomlinson was happy to give the spotlight to Jackson, who raced behind Michael Boulware for the winning score.

"I'm just as happy seeing other guys score than when I score," said Tomlinson, who has 31 TDs this season. "People expect me to score so much sometimes that it's kind of a relief when other people do it."

He wasn't the only one relieved after the game.

The Seahawks' sting of a tough loss was soothed by the Cardinals' victory at San Francisco minutes earlier. That meant Seattle (8-7) clinched its third consecutive NFC West title despite its third straight loss.

Division-championship caps and T-shirts were in the Seahawks' lockers afterward, though linebacker Lofa Tatupu was the only player seen wearing any of the celebration gear.

"We may have won it by default, but the eight games we have won, we've earned it," Tatupu said while donning the white, division-title shirt that read "One game, one dream."

Seattle coach Mike Holmgren told his team immediately after the game, "This doesn't have to be a morgue. ... Our first goal was to win the division, and we won the division."

San Diego won despite Rivers missing on 22 of his first 28 passes. He finished 10 for 30 for 181 yards and is 18 for 53 in his last two games.

"I think struggle is a misused word," the first-year starter said. "But I think that the key stat is obviously we have won nine in a row."

BUCS 22, BROWNS 7

CLEVELAND — Derrick Brooks returned one of Tampa Bay's four interceptions 21 yards for a touchdown and the Buccaneers (4-11) won their first road game in more than a year over the dreadful Browns (4-11).

Tampa had lost eight straight games outside Florida since winning at Carolina on Dec. 11 last season. But it had little trouble with Cleveland, which managed just 187 yards of offense, had a field goal blocked and was taunted by its own fans.

"We came here in a tough situation — no road wins," said Bucs quarterback Tim Rattay, who finished 16 of 26 for 212 yards. "But the food will taste a little better on Christmas. This was a good-feeling win."

Michael Pittman, filling in for injured starter Carnell "Cadillac" Williams, had an 11-yard touchdown run and 86 yards, and Jermaine Phillips had two of Tampa Bay's four picks against Derek Anderson.