Hasselbeck: broken finger?

The timing couldn't have been better for a players day off.

The ice and snow made driving difficult all over the Seattle area, so things were pretty quiet at Seahawks headquarters in Kirkland on Tuesday.

Plenty was happening, however. Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck had an MRI on Tuesday on his left (non-throwing) hand that according to a KING-5 TV report showed a broken finger. The injury happened when he banged the hand against a helmet during Seattle's 34-24 victory over the Green Bay Packers on Monday night.

The Seahawks couldn't confirm the injury or the MRI, but coach Mike Holmgren likely will address Hasselbeck's status today at his weekly news conference. The injury is less serious because it involves Hasselbeck's non-throwing hand, but could affect his ability to take snaps.

Hasselbeck played the entire game, his first after missing four weeks with a sprained knee ligament.

The better news Tuesday was that kicker Josh Brown will be announced as the NFC's Special Teams Player of the Week for Week 12 today following his 4-for-4 field-goal performance against Green Bay.

Brown is 18 for 22 on field goals this season and has made 8 of 10 tries from 40 or more yards, including two Monday.

Brown also won the award in Week 6 this season, and it marks the third honor of his four-year career.

Brown already has tied his total of 18 field goals last season, and has five more games to try to surpass his season high of 23, set in 2004.

The Seahawks head into the final five weeks of the regular season in a good position for making the playoffs and postseason seeding.

The Seahawks are 7-4 with a two-game lead in the NFC West. They own the head-to-head tiebreaker with the St. Louis Rams. Their two-game lead over 5-6 San Francisco, which is tied with the Rams for second place, is critical with only five games left and one of those at home against the 49ers.

In the conference, the Seahawks would be the No. 3 playoff seed if the season ended today. The top two are now Chicago and New Orleans.

The Saints would be the NFC's second seed, even though they match the Seahawks' 7-4 record.

The Saints have a better conference record than the Seahawks (6-1 to 6-3). Dallas also is 7-4, but is 4-3 in the NFC and holds the fourth seed at this time.

Here's how the final five games break down for the Seahawks as they make a run at a division title and possible top-two seed:

Dec. 3 at Denver (7-4) — The Broncos are clinging to a playoff spot right now but have to keep winning to stay alive. They've lost two consecutive games, changed quarterbacks and have scored only 195 points in 11 games. This should be a hard-fought game with so much at stake for both teams.

Dec. 10 at Arizona (2-9) — Shame on those who thought the Cardinals were playoff-ready going into this season. Their big free-agent acquisition, running back Edgerrin James, has seen his role diminish while the Cardinals transition the offense into the hands of rookie quarterback Matt Leinart. And James is not happy about it. The highlight for the Cardinals in 2006? The opening of their sparkling new stadium outside Phoenix.

Dec. 14 vs. San Francisco (5-6) — The Seahawks can make it almost impossible for the 49ers to catch them with a victory at Qwest Field on a Thursday. It's a prime-time game in a short week so both teams could be scuffling, but the only chance for the 49ers is to force a lot of turnovers and get another big day from promising running back Frank Gore, one similar to his effort against Seattle two games ago.

Dec. 24 vs. San Diego (9-2) — The Chargers are in the discussion when it comes to the best team in the NFL. Their defense is dominant even when key players have missed time. Their offense features perhaps the game's best player, running back LaDainian Tomlinson, and an ever-improving Philip Rivers at quarterback. This would be a huge victory for the Seahawks if they can get it, but it looks like their toughest test of the remaining games.

Dec. 31 at Tampa Bay (3-8) — The Buccaneers won the NFC South last season but have fallen on hard times because of injuries to top players. They won't be in the postseason mix, while the Seahawks might need this one for playoff implications. Tampa Bay is another team with a rookie at quarterback and has been outscored 252-158 this season.

José Miguel Romero: 206-464-2409 or jromero@seattletimes.com