by Curtis Crabtree
KJR reporter
Twitter: @Curtis_Crabtree

RENTON - Another week. Another blow out win and another dominant performance by the Seattle Seahawks offense has the team peaking at the right time of year.

The Seahawks have posted 58 and 50 points in their last two games as Seattle returns home for the final two weeks of the regular season. Due to the San Francisco 49ers being uncooperative and beating the New England Patriots on Sunday night, the Seahawks appear to be heading to a Wild Card berth as the No. 5 seed in the NFC.

If Seattle wins out, the team could still finish as high as the No. 2 seed in the conference and earn a first-round bye. However, Seattle needs the 49ers to lose twice and the Green Bay Packers to lose once to make that scenario a reality. With the 49ers hosting the Cardinals in Week 17, it seems unlikely San Francisco will lose their final two games.

Seattle can't win the division without the 49ers winning their final two games, which makes the No. 5 seed the most likely proposition.

Head coach Pete Carroll said he has his "fingers crossed" that CB Walter Thurmond will be able to return from a hamstring strain suffered in practice last week.

WR Sidney Rice is sore after yesterday's game. Carroll said that he thinks he's OK, but that they'll have to manage him throughout the week.

CB Marcus Trufant is getting closer to a return but isn't expected to practice this week. He's missed the last three games with a hamstring strain. Both Trufant and Thurmond will likely go until next weekend to determine their availability for Sunday night.

DT Alan Branch suffered an ankle injury in the game but Carroll said it's not nearly as bad as they feared. He said they will likely hold Branch out of practice until Friday and see how he fares by the end of the week.

Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reported that the appeal for CB Richard Sherman is expected to take place this Friday. It's unlikely the result of the appeal is known before Sunday night's game agaisnt the San Francisco 49ers, which should allow him to play. If the suspension is upheld, Sherman would likely miss the regular season finale against the St. Louis Rams and three playoffs games (assuming Seattle makes the postseason). If Seattle doesn't get the No. 2 seed, that would make Sherman potentially eligible to return for the Super Bowl. If Seattle doesn't make it that far, the suspension would roll over to the beginning of next season.