In a search
for NFL enlightenment, I am covering each division individually before the
Giants kick off against Dallas in New Jersey. For our first stop, I figured it
would be best to walk before we can run. The NFC West is traditionally the
worst division in football, and this year appears to maintain that reputation.
A closer look will make this interesting, but I would rather quell some of the
suspense before we get started and reinforce the common belief that the NFC
West is definitely the worst group offered by this year’s regular season. There
are some bright spots, however, which restore some pride to the once proud
west. For the first time in almost a decade, the NFL’s laughing stock enters a
season with a legitimate Super Bowl contender. Arizona gave them a nice
surprise a few years ago, but not since Seattle’s glory days has the NFC West
been in the big picture from day one. San Francisco may have been one ball to
the knee away from taking on New England in February. Thanks to their efforts and
potential success in the near future, the road to the Super Bowl could possibly
go through this troubled division. The other aspect of the NFC West that is so
appealing is how least talented sometimes means most competitive. This division
has become unpredictable in recent years, therefore the results are usually up
in the air throughout the season. The wildcard race may be severely affected by
whether or not one team is able to seize possession of the second spot in this
division. Here, we will take a look at each team to determine who is in the
best shape to win this division.
4. Cardinals:
The most mediocre quarterback controversy may not lie in New York after all as
Kevin Kolb and John Skelton play hot potato with the starting job. Neither
performs well enough to keep it but the other never plays well enough to take
it. While the duo of Beanie Wells and Ryan Williams is capable at the running
back spot, they are hardly enough to make Arizona a traditional ground and
pound team. If the Cards are going to win, it will have to be with significant
contributions from a position that is currently failing. Their defense, while competitive,
would likely break under the pressure of their struggling teammates on offense.
I never was a fan of Kolb, who did not do nearly enough in Philly to justify
drawing that much value in a trade. However, Skelton seems to have potential
and can turn his game around with more experience. With decent runners and one
of the league’s best receivers, Skelton’s transition would immediately move
Arizona up this list. I just do not see any evidence to suggest this will
happen and it is too much of an unlikely outcome to rely on. The Cards played
well throughout the latter stages of last season with Skelton at the helm, and
that team would have enough to give the 49ers a run for their money. Despite
similar personnel, this team just looks like a mess to me.
3. Seahawks:
Despite arguably having even lesser talent at the quarterback position, there
are other aspects to Seattle’s game that make them very competitive. In
contrast to the point made about Arizona’s running game, Marshawn Lynch is more
than enough to compensate for the Seahawks’ aerial struggles. Their defense is
also much better than Arizona’s in terms of playmaking, potential turnovers,
and fundamental tackling in general. So far, Russell Wilson has the lead in their
QB race, which provides an additional threat of quarterback mobility to an
offense that could use more playmakers. I do not want to put too much weight on
the signing of Terrell Owens, but it is worth noting that TO can still fly past
an opposing secondary and find the end zone if he can manage to not drop the
ball. The possibility of Seattle outplaying Arizona only became possible when
the Cardinals’ QBs sank to mediocrity. If all quarterbacks involved remain
nothing to speak of, Seattle has the edge when it comes to the surrounding
pieces that make their respective systems tick.
2. Rams: This
is as bold as I get when it comes to the NFC West. Like I said earlier,
underwhelming divisions have a very level playing field and a team that has
been the worst in recent years can rise above teams that fail to make
improvements. The main reason I see a Rams improvement is Sam Bradford, who can
do a lot of damage if he has enough time to survive in the pocket. Steven
Jackson has essentially been the entire Rams offense, but Bradford is ready to
lead if his linemen are as well. Danny Amendola is quietly an excellent
receiver if he can stay healthy. Last season I said that if he had ended up in
New England instead, he would have every accomplishment Wes Welker now has
because given the right opportunity, he can be just as good. I also felt
Bradford was the best NFC West quarterback last season, which clearly did not
make a huge difference. There has to be a lot more going for the Rams than
their few weapons on offense. New head coach Jeff Fisher was the first moving
piece that made me think this season’s team would be a significant improvement
from previous years. Fisher’s influence should be a strong one that I think
will most notably improve Saint Louis’ defense. While they may not have eleven
great defenders, the Rams have one very good player at each level of defense.
Chris Long is a beast on the defensive line, James Laurinaitis is a rock at
linebacker, and Cortland Finnegan is the playmaker they have so desperately
needed in the secondary. These players may make up a small percentage of the
entire defense, but having one leader by example at each level may produce
great results. And if nothing else, they get to play a combined six games
against the winners of the Arizona and Seattle QB competitions and Alex Smith.
1. 49ers: I
may not believe in as successful a season as the last San Francisco campaign,
but there is no reason to see the 49ers losing their position atop the NFC
West. The order of the previous three is close to unpredictable, but none of
them have shown enough to win this division. When we analyze the 49ers, it is
less about whether or not they are the best in the division and more about once
they make the playoffs. I fear that a young and impressionable team led by an
impulsive and overly enthusiastic coach may take on the immature
characteristics displayed by their own leadership. The two biggest concerns I have
are an offensive simplicity that other elite teams will be able to shut down
and a defensive complacency that may come as a result of this division’s poor
simulation of playoff football. The defense has to be elite again to even give
this team a chance, and the offense has to be better. Randy Moss can make a big
play, but he is just as likely to walk off the field. With Frank Gore, the
perennial heart of this offense, on the decline, Alex Smith simply has to be
better in order to make the 49ers more than just the best of the worst.
Along our
NFL eightfold path, we will cover every remaining division in a similar manor.
Fortunately, there are much tougher calls to be made in what lies ahead. The
NFC West has worked hard for a bad reputation but with San Francisco leading
the way, the teams behind them have the opportunity to elevate this division’s
standards to those the excellent NFC divisions that surround them. As we
progress through the NFL’s eight divisions, we will move closer to home and
closer to the defending champions. Until then, each division and each article
will illustrate just how difficult defending the title will be this season.
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