The Minnesota Vikings became the last unbeaten team to fall, suffering a resounding 41-13 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers today in Week Nine of the NFL season.

Members of the 1972 Dolphins -- the NFL's only unbeaten, untied team with a 17-0 record -- usually get together and celebrate when the last remaining unbeaten team loses. Two years ago, the Dolphins had to sweat when the Denver Broncos made it to 13-0 before falling to the New York Giants on December 13.

Last year, the Super Bowl champion St. Louis Rams did not even make it halfway through the season, losing at Tennessee after opening with six wins.

Today, the Vikings went into Tampa Bay with a 7-0 record for the second time in three years and again left with a loss, keeping the '72 Dolphins standard of perfection intact.

Playing with a sense of urgency on the heels of a four-game losing streak, the Buccaneers (4-4) forced four turnovers, including a 34-yard interception return for a touchdown by linebacker Derrick Brooks, and Shaun King passed for a career-high four touchdowns.

"Everything was working for us out there today," King said. It's always nice to win, but this is a little sweeter because the Vikings came in here undefeated."

King, who completed 16-of-23 passes for 287 yards, threw three of his scores in the first half when the Bucs passed on 13 of their 17 offensive plays and built a 31-13 lead.

After passing for 140 yards and rushing for 46 in the first half, the Bucs consumed the clock with the running game in the second half, rushing for 106 yards on 21 carries.

Keyshawn Johnson enjoyed his best game as a Buccaneer, catching six passes for 121 yards. He had just one touchdown in Tampa Bay's first seven games.

Minnesota's Daunte Culpepper passed for 313 yards, but fumbled twice and threw a pair of interceptions. He completed 29-of-53 passes.

The St. Louis Rams survived without reigning MVP Kurt Warner, thanks to the indispensable Marshall Faulk, the New York Jets were victimized by Flutie magic, the Baltimore Ravens failed again to reach the end zone and the surprising New Orleans Saints ruined the debut of coach Dave McGinnis in Week Nine.

Trent Green directed the Rams' high-powered offense in Warner's absence, but Faulk carried it today with an NFL season-high four touchdowns -- two rushing and two receiving -- in a 34-24 victory over the San Francisco 49ers.

Green tossed a 19-yard TD pass to Faulk with 3:28 remaining in the third, then hooked up again with the versatile back for a 16-yard TD strike with 10:21 left in the fourth quarter that gave St. Louis the lead for good at 31-24.

Nursing a bruised knee, Faulk rushed 19 times for 83 yards and grabbed six passes for 61 yards, continuing his success against the 49ers. In two games against San Francisco this season, Faulk had seven touchdowns and amassed 373 yards in total offense.

"Marshall is outstanding," Rams coach Mike Martz said. "The only thing you have to realize is that Marshall's got a bruised knee and he's in a lot of pain. I think he reinjured it today. I kept trying to get him out of there and he kept going in. He must be Superman."

Green passed for 310 yards and Isaac Bruce caught eight passes for 129 yards for the Rams (7-1), who extended their NFL record by eclipsing the 30-point mark for the 14th consecutive game.

Warner broke his right pinky finger in the second quarter of the Rams' 54-34 setback to the Chiefs last week and will be sidelined for another three weeks.

The 49ers (2-7) suffered their fourth consecutive loss and were swept by the Rams for the second straight year after winning 17 in a row in the series, dating to 1990.

The Jets (6-2) were coming off a Monday night miracle, rallying from a 30-7 fourth-quarter deficit to beat the Miami Dolphins, 40-37 in overtime. Vinny Testaverde orchestrated the greatest comeback in franchise history, throwing four of his five touchdowns in the fourth quarter.

But today, Testaverde could only watch Flutie's late heroics and the Jets suffered a 23-20 loss to the Buffalo Bills.

Flutie directed an 11-play, 58-yard drive to set up Steve Christie's winning 34-yard field goal as time expired. Faced with a 3rd-and-10, Flutie hit Peerless Price with a 17-yard pass to the New York 40. He also hit rookie fullback Sammy Morris with a pair of nine-yard passes.

Making his second start for the injured Rob Johnson, Flutie completed 18-of-35 passes for 253 yards.

The loss by New York and wins by Miami (6-2) and the Indianapolis Colts (6-2) created a three-way tie for first place in the AFC East.

After collapsing against the Jets last week, the Dolphins rallied from a 17-point deficit and posted a 28-20 win over the Green Bay Packers. The Colts built a 23-point lead and defeated the Detroit Lions, 30-18.

Middle linebacker Larry Izzo rushed 41 yards on a fake punt, leading to a touchdown by Lamar Smith, and Jeff Ogden ran back a punt 81 yards for another TD as Miami scored 28 straight points.

"We needed this win really bad after the big loss," said Dolphins receiver Oronde Gadsden, who had a TD catch. "We couldn't go in the tank and lose two or three games."

Peyton Manning passed for three touchdowns and Edgerrin James rushed for 139 yards, including a 24-yard TD, to lead Indianapolis.

The Lions (5-3) remain two games behind Minnesota in the NFC Central.

Ravens coach Brian Billick benched quarterback Tony Banks in favor of Trent Dilfer, but that didn't result in a trip to the end zone.

Today, the Ravens (5-4) suffered a 9-6 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers (5-3) and became just the second team in the last 50 years to fail to score a touchdown in five straight games. The other was the 1991 Colts.

Baltimore last reached the end zone when fullback Obafemi Ayanbadejo scored on a one-yard run in the fourth quarter of a September 24 contest against Cincinnati.

"It's a very difficult time, but obviously our job is to work through it," Billick said. "The answers that I have for you (the media) at this time aren't going to be very adequate. The perspective here has to change. There are no easy answers for this."

Dilfer completed just 11-of-24 passes for 152 yards with one interception.

The Steelers extended their winning streak to five after opening the season with three losses and have not allowed a touchdown in four straight games.

The Saints (5-3) extended their winning streak to four games, posting a 21-10 win over the Arizona Cardinals (2-6).

The loss spoiled the debut of McGinnis, who was promoted from defensive coordinator to replace the fired Vince Tobin on Monday, one day after Arizona suffered an embarrassing 48-7 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

Ricky Williams' streak of 100-yard rushing games was snapped at five, but he set career-bests with nine receptions for 92 yards for New Orleans.

First-place teams get together on Monday night when the Tennessee Titans (6-1) meet the Washington Redskins (6-2) in an interconference battle.

The Titans reached the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history last season and enter Monday's contest atop the AFC Central with a six-game winning streak.

The Redskins would like to reach the Super Bowl for the first time since the 1991 season. After a disappointing 1-2 start which included a home loss to NFC East rival Dallas, the Redskins have won five straight to move into sole possession of first place in the division.

Tennessee may be without running back Eddie George, who is listed as questionable with a sprained right knee.

Sebastian Janikowski's fifth field goal of the game, a 24-yarder with 13 seconds left, lifted the Oakland Raiders to a 15-13 victory over the winless San Diego Chargers tonight.

The win was the fifth in a row for the Raiders (7-1), who own the best record in the AFC.

The Chargers (0-8) are the NFL's only remaining winless team. They are off to their worst start since beginning the 1975 season with 11 straight losses.

The Kansas City Chiefs (5-3) posted a 24-19 win over the Seattle Seahawks and remain two games behind Oakland in the AFC West. Elvis Grbac passed for 342 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Chiefs. The loss was the fifth in a row for Seattle (2-7).

The New York Giants continued their mastery of the Philadelphia Eagles, posting a 24-7 win over their NFC East rivals.

The Giants (6-2) have gone 8-0 under coach Jim Fassel against the Eagles (5-4) and moved into a first-place tie with the Redskins.

The Jacksonville Jaguars snapped a five-game losing streak with a 23-17 overtime win over the Dallas Cowboys.

Alvis Whitted turned a short pass from Mark Brunell into a 37-yard touchdown 3:44 into overtime to give Jacksonville (3-6) the win.

The Cowboys (3-5) lost quarterback Troy Aikman to a back injury in the first quarter after he was hit from behind by Jaguars defensive end Tony Brackens.

Randall Cunningham replaced Aikman and scored on a one-yard run with 67 seconds left in the fourth quarter to force overtime.

In other games, the Atlanta Falcons (3-6) snapped a five-game losing streak with a 13-12 win over the Carolina Panthers (3-5) and the Cincinnati Bengals (2-6) posted a 12-3 victory over the Cleveland Browns (2-7).