Former Falcon Kerney has chance to set sack record against old team

SEATTLE - Patrick Kerney has a chance to finish as the NFL's leader in sacks - and to do it against his former team.

Kerney is on the cusp of doing that for the first time entering next week's game between NFC West champion Seattle (10-5) and the struggling Falcons (3-12).

Kerney has a career-high 14.5 sacks.

But will he even get the chance to maintain his half-sack lead on Mario Williams of Houston and one-sack edge on Jared Allen of Kansas City?

Will the defense that Kerney's arrival helped vastly improve set a team record for fewest points allowed in a full season by holding Atlanta to 13 or fewer points?

The Seahawks have clinched the No. 3 seed in the NFC. That means nothing they do in Atlanta will change their first-round home date against the NFC's final wild-card entrant, with a potential second-round game at second-seeded Green Bay.

Coach Mike Holmgren prefers to play his starters through the end of the season to carry continuity and sharpness into the postseason. But he admits to being conflicted.