NFC West
- Seattle Seahawks (12-4)*
- St. Louis Rams (7-9)
- Arizona Cardinals (6-10)
- San Francisco 49ers (5-11)
From the penthouse to the doghouse is how the NFC West is shaping up. For the last several years this division boasted as the best. With two perennial studs in the Seattle Seahawks and the San Francisco 49ers, there was no way around it.
Now San Francisco is done. The worst thing Jed York ever did was side with Trent Baalke instead of the man who actually returned the 49ers to prominence in Jim Harbaugh. A joke of a coach in Jim Tomsula is now in charge and the team will suffer greatly.
Unfortunately for a terrific coach, Bruce Arians, his Cards will drop a bit. Why? I’m not too sure about yet. Perhaps Carson Palmer suffers another serious injury, or maybe the defense takes a step back (despite the myriad of injuries last season which makes most people believe they’ll be better this season).
The loss of Todd Bowles could hurt drastically.
Jeff Fisher and the St. Louis Rams will still be on the outside looking in, unable to get over that hump. Something is missing with that franchise and the overall feel of the fans (as ownership looks to bolt for L.A.) won’t help.
In the end it’ll be the Seattle Seahawks and everybody else. Jimmy Graham will surely help Russell Wilson and the passing game. But did they go too far with that move? Max Unger was a key cog in an offensive line who dominated defensive lines in conjunction with Marshawn Lynch.
Right now the unit looks to be a mess. We’ll see if they work out those offensive line issues as time marches on.
