Maybe there's some symmetry to this wacky NFL season.

	Rams coach Dick Vermeil, center, quarterback Kurt Warner and owner Georgia Frontiere celebrate the NFC West title.

On Sunday, the Rams and Colts, winners of seven games between them a year ago, moved a step closer toward the top. At the same time, the 49ers and Bengals, who were Super Bowl opponents on two occasions, were living life at the bottom.

St. Louis, 4-12 a year ago, clinched the NFC West by beating Carolina 34-21. The Rams (10-2) now have a clear shot at the top seeding in the conference and home field throughout.

Indianapolis, 3-13 last season, won 37-34 in Miami in one of the season's best games. It was the eighth consecutive win for the Colts after starting 2-2. They lead the AFC East by two games with four weeks left and are just a game behind Jacksonville for home field.

In Cincinnati, the Bengals sent the 49ers to their eighth straight loss, ensuring San Francisco its first losing season in a nonstrike year since 1980. That year, the 49ers and Bengals were 6-10. The next season they met in the Super Bowl, beginning a San Francisco dynasty that finally crumbled this year.

"We're not acting like we won the Super Bowl," Bengals linebacker Takeo Spikes said. "But two wins in a row means a lot to me because it's never been done since I've been here."

Yes, things change.

Here's how things look entering the NFL's final quarter:

AFC
The biggest move is downward -- by Seattle.

Two weeks ago, the Seahawks had a three-game lead in the West, heading for the first division title and first playoff berth since 1988. Now they've lost two straight and at 8-4 are only a game ahead of Kansas City.

One reason: Jon Kitna has thrown seven interceptions in losses to Tampa Bay and Oakland, one more than he had thrown in the previous 10 games.

"This is not the time to panic," Kitna said. "Sometimes you run into a buzzsaw."

The Central opened up a bit. Jacksonville (11-1) got some extra rest after its Thursday win over Pittsburgh, and Baltimore beat up on Tennessee 41-14. That opened a two-game lead for the Jaguars and might have made their trip to Nashville on Dec. 26 a little less important.

The Colts are in good shape in the East, the league's toughest division. They have two division games left -- home next week against New England and at Buffalo the final week. The Bills are tied with Miami, two games behind.

More important, Sunday's game demonstrated once again the Colts are no fluke.

Peyton Manning bounced back with a TD drive after throwing an interception that was returned for a touchdown on the first series of the third quarter. He drove the Colts 33 yards in 36 seconds to set up Mike Vanderjagt's 53-yard field goal to win it.

Wild cards?

Right now, it would be Tennessee, Miami and Buffalo.

But Kansas City and New England remain alive.

NFC
The power is in the Central. The Lions (8-4) and Bucs share first place, with the Vikings (7-5) and Packers just a game behind. Other than the Rams, there are no playoff teams in the West.

It seems only the winner will make it in the East, where the Redskins (7-5) have a one-game lead over the Cowboys, Giants and Cardinals. Arizona's the hottest team with four straight wins. But the Cowboys might have an edge because their schedule is the easiest. They have just one more game on the road, where they're 1-6 and home games with the Jets, Eagles and Giants.

The Redskins have to go to Indianapolis and play Miami at home the final week. That makes next week's home game with Arizona critical. They also lose any tiebreaker with Dallas because they have lost twice to the Cowboys.

The Giants, who lost several key players to injury Sunday, have a killer schedule -- at Buffalo, St. Louis and Dallas and home to Minnesota. And Arizona finishes at Green Bay and plays host to Buffalo on Dec. 19.

New generation of comeback QBs
Colts president Bill Polian was talking last week about quarterbacks when Kerry Collins' name came up.

"He'll be fine," said Polian, who drafted Collins when he was in Carolina. "What he needs is a running game, and I think he'll get it when Montgomery comes back."

Montgomery is Joe Montgomery, the Giants' second-round draft choice, who had missed all but one game this season with various injuries.

He was back Sunday and ran for 111 yards on 38 carries, allowing Collins to throw for 341 yards in the 41-28 victory over the Jets, the first 300-yard passer the Giants have had since Phil Simms did it six years ago. Just for good measure, Amani Toomer caught six passes for 181 yards and three TDs, the first three TD day by a Giants receiver since 1980.

Collins' day was one of several good ones by quarterbacks consigned to the scrap heap: