That does not affect the Seahawks this week, when they face the 2-11 St. Louis Rams in a meaningless NFC West division rivalry game.

But it could have significant impact on Seattle's season in 2009, as well as some of the decisions they make this offseason when they must determine what to do with a team that has been wildly disappointing.

While he is easily their most talented pass-rusher, and that's the reason the Seahawks gave Kerney a six-year, $39.5 million contract with $19 million guaranteed, he also has spent the latter portion of two of the last three seasons on injured reserve. He tore a pectoral muscle in Atlanta in 2006.

There is no question that the Seahawks struggle when Kerney is not on the field. But there also is no question that they no longer can rely on him to be a 16-game player.

They said they drafted Lawrence Jackson with their first-round pick last year because they felt that Kerney, who will be 32 at the end of the month, wore down noticeably, evidenced by the zero stats he had in the Seahawks' playoff loss to the Green Bay Packers.

Jackson had been disappointing, totaling just two sacks and 25 tackles in 13 games, in part because without Kerney Jackson has been unable to beat opponents one-on-one.

What general manager Tim Ruskell must decide is whether they want to risk bringing back Kerney for yet another season at a relatively high salary with the notion that he no longer can play a full season.

Ironically, the Seahawks play the Rams this week, against whom Kerney had some of his most successful games last season and earlier this year in a 37-13 Seattle victory.

The ability to get to Rams quarterback Marc Bulger though will be left up to Jackson, Darryl Tapp and second-year end Baraka Atkins, who had two sacks last week and is starting get more of Jackson's playing time because he has been productive. The Rams have given up 38 sacks this season.

SERIES HISTORY: 21st regular-season meeting. The Seahawks lead the series, 11-9, having won the last seven consecutive games. They have not lost a regular-season game to St. Louis since 2004. They had a 37-13 victory in their first meeting this season, a game in which they took a 17-0 lead in the first quarter.