SAN FRANCISCO — After Shaun Hill flung himself across the goal line to score the third touchdown in the 49ers' 28-point second quarter, he flipped the ball to center Eric Heitmann for the celebratory spike.

Humbled and educated by several seasons as a backup, Hill just doesn't see himself as an extraordinary Joe — even though Joe Montana is the only other San Francisco quarterback who ever did what Hill accomplished during a skid-stopping win over the miserable St. Louis Rams.

Hill threw two touchdown passes and Frank Gore rushed for another score during the Niners' runaway quarter in a 35-16 victory yesterday, snapping their six-game losing streak and getting interim coach Mike Singletary's first victory.

Seven weeks of frustration and turmoil for the 49ers (3-7) were briefly forgotten during this impressive 15 minutes. San Francisco forced three turnovers by Marc Bulger to score four offensive touchdowns in one quarter for just the second time in the history of a franchise that's had some remarkable offenses.

Montana threw four TD passes in the fourth quarter at Philadelphia in December 1989. Hill was making just his fourth career start, but had a perfect passer rating at halftime before coolly improving to 3-0 as a starter at Candlestick Park.

"Don't be surprised when things like that happen," said Hill, who went 15 of 20 for 213 yards. "We do have the ability to play like that. You can't be surprised or caught off-guard by it."

Vernon Davis and Bryant Johnson caught TD passes in San Francisco's first win since Sept. 21 against Detroit, back when the 49ers were above .500 with a different coach and starting quarterback. Singletary had lost twice, including last Monday's tough defeat in Arizona, since taking over for Mike Nolan and replacing J.T. O'Sullivan with Hill.

"I'm very humbled by it," said Singletary, who briefly choked up when he mentioned his late parents. "I just thought about them, and if they could see that. I'm very thankful and very proud, more so for the guys than for myself, because they deserve it."

The Rams (2-8) have dropped four straight.

PANTHERS 31, LIONS 22

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The one-two punch of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart dazzled with a record-setting day on the ground for the Panthers (8-2).

Stewart rushed for a career-high 130 yards and a touchdown, while Williams added 120 yards and two more scores.

The Panthers won their fourth straight game by setting a team record with 264 yards rushing in the first time two of their backs rushed for over 100 yards in the same game. Carolina surpassed last year's win total and stayed atop the NFC South.

Daunte Culpepper was 20 of 35 for 207 yards for the Lions (0-10).

CARDINALS 26, SEAHAWKS 20

SEATTLE — Kurt Warner completed 32 of 44 passes for 395 yards — his franchise-record fourth straight 300-yard game — and J.J. Arrington scored a career-high two touchdowns for the Cardinals (7-3).

St. Louis' Anquan Boldin, who had 13 catches for a career-best 186 yards, and Larry Fitzgerald — 10 receptions, 151 yards — roamed free all day in Arizona's first win at Seattle since 2002.

Matt Hasselbeck was 17 for 29 for 170 yards with a touchdown and three interceptions for the Seahawks (2-8).

BUCS 19, VIKINGS 13

TAMPA, Fla. — Jeff Garcia threw for 255 yards without an interception and scrambled for two first downs on a time-consuming go-ahead field-goal drive in the fourth quarter for the Buccaneers (7-3).

Garcia completed 23 of 30 passes. He moved the Bucs 69 yards in 13 plays, burning nearly 9 minutes off the clock to take a 16-13 lead on Matt Bryant's third field goal.

Minnesota fumbled on the ensuing kickoff, Tampa Bay recovered and Bryant added his fourth field goal for a six-point lead with 3:30 to go. The Vikings (5-5) had two opportunities to put together a winning drive, but turned the ball over on downs with 2:24 left and lost a fumble on their final possession.

PACKERS 37, BEARS 3

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Ryan Grant finally hit his stride, rushing for 145 yards and a touchdown for the Packers (5-5).

The Packers are tied atop the NFC North with the Bears and Vikings.

Kyle Orton started at quarterback for the Bears (5-5) after sitting out last Sunday's game with a sprained right ankle. But Orton was outplayed by Aaron Rodgers, who completed 23 of 30 passes for 227 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.

Orton was 13 of 26 for 138 yards, completing only two passes to a wide receiver.