This is the 2016 NFL Season Preview of the NFC West. So far we’ve gone through 7 of 8 divisions, and now we get to the division that most people considered the toughest to play in the NFC West. Although the San Francisco 49ers seem to be dismal right now, the Seattle Seahawks, Arizona Cardinals, and now Los Angeles Rams, always put a hurting on you and let you know you’ve just been through a tough football game. So without future ado, let’s get to the final NFL divisional preview as we go over the NFC West.
Arizona Cardinals
There was a lot of people that felt the Cardinals were the best team in football last year. However, all it took was one bad game by QB Carson Palmer, and yes it was really bad, to erase a 13 win season. This year the Cardinals are back intact and seem to be hungrier than ever. This year, it appears that they will try to lighten the load off Carson Palmer and put more of the offensive pressure on 2nd year RB David Johnson.
The Cards also added a big time piece on offense, adding pass rusher Chandler Jones from the New England Patriots. They are hoping that he was the missing piece on defense last year as they did struggle to get to the QB consistently. Arizona is poised to go on another big time run, and the only question is when it gets to crunch time again, will past failures creep up on them again or will they be able to burst through that bubble and get to a Superbowl finally.
Last Year Record 13-3
Vegas Win Prediction 9.5
My Prediction 13-3
Los Angeles Rams
The Rams are in rebuilding stage. They still have a excellent defense led by numerous pass rushers like Robert Quinn, Aaron Donald, and Michael Brockers, but their team issue is very evident, how will they score enough points to win consistently? My answer in short is, they just won’t. The lack of offensive firepower will limit them.
Don’t get me wrong; star RB Todd Gurley is a manchild. Anyone that saw my articles on him before he was drafted would know how much I like Gurley. I think he’s the best RB in the league already, but who else do you have? They selected QB Jared Goff with the 1st pick overall in the draft, but he will start the year as the #3. Tavon Austin is a good slot WR and gadget player, Kenny Britt and Brian Quick are not going to cut it. They’ll be tough because of Gurley and their defense, but not enough scoring in the end.
Last Year Record 7-9
Vegas Win Prediction 7.5
My Prediction 5-11
San Francisco 49ers If you want to talk about rebuilding mode, the 49ers are behind the curve. They have made some solid draft picks, but if you just look at their overall roster, they just lack talent. They have the lowest amount of talent in the division, and they have to figure out what to do with numerous situations on their team, starting with their QB.
If you want to talk about rebuilding mode, the 49ers are behind the curve. They have made some solid draft picks, but if you just look at their overall roster, they just lack talent. They have the lowest amount of talent in the division, and they have to figure out what to do with numerous situations on their team, starting with their QB.
And with that, we bring up QB Colin Kaepernick. By now, most people know the story and the controversy he has created by deciding not to stand during the national anthem, now having other players like S Eric Reid join him. This can be talked about in its entirety in another article, but regarding on the field, he is the more talented than Blaine Gabbert, but unless he plays well enough to win the starting job, Kaepernick as a player, will worthless.
Last Year Record 5-11
Vegas Win Prediction 5
My Prediction 4-12
Seattle Seahawks
For more than a few years now, Pete Carroll and the Seattle Seahawks have been known as the standard franchise in the NFC, pretty much the New England Patriots of the NFC. However, one player has been at the center of that franchise for the entire time of its success, and they are no longer there, RB Marshawn Lynch, aka Beastmode.
The Seahawks will try to run the business as usual with Christine Michael and Thomas Rawls, to go along with giving their star QB Russell Wilson more responsibility, but some, including me, wonder if the plan is going to work. Because of the talent on the defensive end and the toughness overall of their players, I have to think the Seahawks will still be one of the top teams in the NFC, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they don’t win a playoff game this year. Yes, the NFC is that tough this year.
Last Year Record 10-6
Vegas Win Prediction 10.5
My Prediction 12-4
Will the Arizona Cardinals get to the Superbowl that they felt they should have made last year? Is Jared Goff the QB that the Los Angeles Rams, and specifically Jeff Fisher, has been looking for what seems like forever? Will the Colin Kaepernick situation unite or divide the entire San Francisco 49ers roster? Can the Seahawks prove that they were just a team that was carried by Beastmode or will Beastmode live on in a different form? All of these questions will be answered during the 2016 NFL Season.