Each week, we dive into analysis and record projections for every
team in the NFL, division-by-division. This week covers the NFC West.
Ah, the NFC West... A division of
champions and dominance. The NFC West holds seven Super Bowl rings and have
sent a team to the NFC Championship game in each of the last four seasons via
three different teams (Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, and the Seattle
Seahawks). Even though we are still waiting on the Rams, now located in Los
Angeles, to turn out a worth watching product (I say that meaning I want
consistency) and the 49ers have somehow managed to destroy everything they had
assembled two short seasons ago, we still have two major Super Bowl contenders.
The Arizona Cardinals have assembled what could be the league’s top offense
with a dominant defense. The Seattle Seahawks have assembled what could be the
league’s top defense with a dominant offense. That head-to-head match-up will
be amazing. And we get it twice a year! Thank you, football gods. Anyways, this
division holds a rebuilding franchise, a team on the rise, and two Super Bowl
contenders. Let’s take a closer look.
Arizona Cardinals:
Just a few seasons ago, the Arizona Cardinals looked like a
complete mess across the roster. Then head coach Ken Whisenhunt and General
Manager Rod Graves were given the boot and rookie head coach Bruce Arians and
rookie General Manager Steve Keim were given said mess. Completely honest, I hated
the hiring of Bruce Arians as the Cardinals head coach. I believed they needed
to promote then defensive coordinator Ray Horton to become the head coach. I also
believed Arians success was tied to great quarterbacks (Andrew Luck in
Indianapolis and Ben Roethlisberger in Pittsburgh). I never once considered
that Arians was just a phenomenal quarterbacks coach and offensive guru. Mr.
Arians, I am truly sorry and humbled. Coach Arians and GM Steve Keim have taken
this team to heights no one could have even imagined. The acquisition of quarterback
Carson Palmer rejuvenated this offense. Smart drafting (especially in round
three, good lord…) by Keim has helped to form what is one of the deepest
rosters in the NFL. Stars are littered throughout the roster in the forms of
wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, cornerback Patrick Peterson, safety/cornerback
Tyrann Mathieu and so many others. It really isn’t fair when you start to
really recognize the talent this squad possesses…
The strength of this team lies in its dynamic and diverse offense.
Carson Palmer mans the helm and calls the shots at the line of scrimmage. Behind
an above average offensive line featuring tackle Jared Veldheer and guard Mike
Iupati on the left side, Palmer can stand tall and deliver strikes down the
field. Palmer has no shortage of weapons at wide receiver, featuring future
Hall of Famer Larry Fitzgerald and young studs Michael Floyd and John Brown. Tight
end is definitely the weak link of this team, but Darren Fells has some nice
upside with a solid at best veteran in Jermaine Gresham. The stable of running
back this team has is a three headed hydra. When Andrew Ellington is your third
string running back, you’re in good shape. Ellington will be the teams scat
back to break defenses on limited touches with his speed late in games. The main
two names are the Johnson Bros. (Paton Pending), David and Chris. Chris Johnson
is going to be 31 at the start of the season, but still has the speed to be a
major difference maker on third downs or as a change-of-pace back. David Johnson
as a rookie last season scored 13 total touchdowns in pretty limited action. When
he was finally given the starting reigns, he grabbed them and never turned
back. David Johnson enters the year with enormous expectations (looking at you,
fantasy football nuts). This offense could wind up the best in football. They sure
will be fun to watch on Sundays.
The defense is also going to cause trouble. Patrick Peterson and
Tyrann Mathieu man what is one of the league’s most versatile secondaries. Fellow
safeties Tony Jefferson and hybrid safety/linebacker Deone Bucannon chip into
the versatility and make the defense that much more interesting. Mathieu is
coming off his second major knee injury since coming into the NFL. The team
surely hopes he can return to last year’s All-Pro form. The pass rush has always
been “good enough” in Arizona. So, Arizona shipped off underachieving guard
Johnathan Cooper and a 2nd round pick from this year’s draft to New
England to acquire stud pass rusher Chandler Jones. The team also spent their
first round pick on defensive lineman Robert Nkemdiche. Talk about attacking a
weakness… Joined with defensive lineman Calais Campbell and second-year pass
rusher Markus Golden, this defensive could see a major uptick in the sack
department. Altogether, this team has few weaknesses. Short of tight end and an
established no.2 cornerback, this team looks set to deal out some major damage
in the NFC. The only downside is after this season, the Cardinals will likely
face some major departures via free agency. The window may close, but with Keim’s
drafting, the team should only reload.
Record Projection: 12-4
Los Angeles Rams:
Welcome back to the city of angels! Truth be told, this is where
the Rams truly belong. If only their Super Bowl ring in St. Louis could’ve
moved with the team… But how good would that truly feel? It’s about time this
city won a Super Bowl ring. Hell, it’s about time this Rams team won more than
7 games! Rewind to 2012. New General Manager Les Snead performed highway
robbery in the Robert Griffin III trade. In the eight picks acquired from that
trade, the Rams grabbed nose tackle Michael Brockers, cornerback Janoris
Jenkins (now with New York Giants), running back Isaiah Pead (free agent), offensive
guard Rokevious Watkins (free agent), linebacker Alec Ogletree, wide receiver
Stedman Bailey, running back Zac Stacy (traded to New York Jets), and offensive
tackle Greg Robinson. Of the names still with the Rams, Ogletree is far and
away their best player. I made the bold prediction if the Rams couldn’t win a Super
Bowl before 2020 then they were a failure of an organization. I firmly stand
behind that statement four years later and they have shown no signs of being
anywhere even remotely close to a Super Bowl berth. To make matters even
better, the Rams did a “reverse RGIII trade” and shipped off their first, both
of their second, and third round picks in the 2016 draft plus their first and
third round picks in 2017 for quarterback Jared Goff. They may have jeopardized
their future so the plan is to win now. Let’s see how that’ll work out…
The best feature this team has to offer is its defense, particularly
the front four. Back in the 60s, the LA Rams had a defensive line known as “the
Fearsome Foursome” featuring some incredible talent including Hall of Famer
Deacon Jones. The defensive line this LA Rams team has is nothing short of
incredible. Defensive end Robert Quinn and defensive tackle Aaron Donald are perhaps
two All-Pros when healthy joined by stud nose tackle Michael Brockers and
defensive end William Hayes. The depth is nice, too, including Dominique Easley,
Eugene Sims, and Quinton Couples to name a few. The linebackers will be captained
by Alec Ogletree with guest appearances by Akeem Ayers and linebacker/safety
hybrid Mark Barron. The secondary could be in flux after losing Janoris Jenkins
and safety Rodney McLeod in free agency. The team slapped the franchise tag on
cornerback Trumaine Johnson and signed cornerback Coty Sensabaugh to provide
depth to a weak position. Safety TJ McDonald will man one of the safety spots
with the other likely a rotation. I’ve seen some terrible secondaries be masked
by phenomenal pass rushes and front sevens. I’m sure the Rams are hoping they
can be another one of those cases.
The offense will be interesting to say the least. The Rams went
all in on Jared Goff and grabbed him weapons with their remaining picks in the
form of wide receivers Pharoh Cooper and Mike Thomas as well as tight ends
Tyler Higbee and Temarrick Hemingway. They join a receiving corps featuring
wide receivers Tavon Austin, Stedman Bailey, Kenny Britt, Brian Quick, and
undrafted rookie free agent Nelson Spruce and tight end Lance Kendricks. Besides
Tavon Austin on occasion, none of those names scare me as a defensive
coordinator. Here is a name that TERRIFIES me: Todd Gurley. Gurley is the reigning
offensive rookie of the year and rushed for over 1,100 yards with 4.8 YPC and
10 touchdowns in just 12 starts. He did that coming off of less than a year
removed from an ACL tear his final year of college. Anyone who saw/faced Gurley
knows he is in for an even bigger 2016 season now fully healthy. The offensive
line is pretty patchwork, with some decent starters in offensive guard Rodger
Saffold and right tackle Rob Havenstein. Greg Robinson is now in a
make-or-break year as the team’s starting left tackle. The former number two
overall pick needs his play to be matched to his selection. Overall, Goff and
this offense could put up 17-20 points-per-game behind Gurley and this defense
should make plenty of big plays. But similar to the Kansas City Chiefs, if this
team gets behind in a game I severely doubt they can throw their way back into
it. And I think that secondary will give them a lot of shoot outs. Hopefully after
one final disappointing season, Rams fans can move on from Snead and head coach
Jeff Fisher. The move has been needed for two-or-so years. Hopefully 2017
brings that change.
Record Projection: 6-10
San Francisco 49ers:
My, how the mighty have fallen. Just three years ago the 49ers
were in the Super Bowl and just one play away from hoisting the Lombardi Trophy.
Now they are quarterback-less and virtually void of talent. Short of a few key
players, this roster is one of the saddest in the NFL. Retirements, free
agency, poor draft decisions, and a mess in the front office has taken this
team full of hope and trashed it faster than Chris Johnson’s 40-time. New head
coach Chip Kelly will attempt to bring back a spark to this offense that virtually
has one proven electrifying player, but more on that soon. This defense has
about three players worth talking about, and the rest is pretty garbage. Change
is needed, and Kelly isn’t even close to the answer.
Starting with the quarterback situation of Blaine Gabbert and Colin
Kaepernick, this “competition” alone should tell you all you need to know about
the 49ers 2016 season. From there, the offensive line features a stud in left
tackle Joe Staley and that’s about it. Rookie offensive guard Joshua Garnett will likely be a starter his rookie season. Nothing to write home about at tight end
with decent players in Vance McDonald and Garrett Celek. The wide receiving
corps features electric downfield threat, but very inconsistent, Torrey Smith. Smith
has shown his the past he can thrive as a team’s number one receiver (1,128
yards as Baltimore’s top receiver), but he will only go as far as his
quarterbacks will take him. Don’t even get me started on running back Carlos
Hyde. As Regina George once famously said to fantasy football fans, “Stop
trying to make Carlos Hyde happen, it’s not going to happen!” or something like
that… Hyde has shown very little promise as a starter in his two years in the
league and behind a below average offensive line with virtually no other
threats on offense, Hyde won’t see hardly any opportunities to shine. Yet I constantly
see him pegged with 1,100 yards and eight touchdowns in fantasy magazines. UGH.
Don’t get me started… Anyways, this offense stinks. You want a bold prediction?
This will be the worst starting offense in the NFL in terms of scrimmage yards
per game.
Then we have the 49ers defense. Here’s the good news: linebacker
NaVorro Bowman, safety Eric Reid, and nose tackle Ian Williams return. The bad
news? The rest of the defense is all upside! That’s not ideal for a team that
needs answers now. Defensive lineman Arik Armstead looks like he can take
another step forward. I liked pass rusher Aaron Lynch a lot before he decided
to get suspended. Rookie defensive lineman looks like a potential stud but he
hasn’t even played a down yet. Plus, he will be asked to be a key contributor
and a likely captain as a rookie. This secondary is terrible. Cornerback Trumaine
Brock is a stud when he is your third guy, not your first. Flex safety/corner/linebackers
Jimmie Ward and Jaquiski Tartt will likely make lots of plays because of their versatility
and the fact that they will be all over the field making up for their teammates
missed assignments. This defense is in serious trouble. As is this team. They
say your team will only go as far as your quarterbacks, and this team won’t see
more than five wins because of them.
Record Projection: 3-13
Seattle Seahawks:
12th Man! Your team is once again Super Bowl
contenders. What’s new? Is it getting old yet? Must be nice… Anyways, the
philosophy of this team’s offense has changed. Once a ground-and-pound team
behind running back Marshawn Lynch, this team has opened up the passing offense
behind quarterback Russell Wilson and his cast of misfit toys. The defense is
still a top three at worst unit in the NFL. And thanks to head coach Pete
Carrol and General Manager John Schneider, the talent on this Seahawks team is
deeper than the Pacific Ocean (it’s a metaphor, people!). What else is there to
say? Let’s take a look at the roster and then predict safely double digit wins.
This offense is going to be crazy. Behind a patchwork offensive
line, Russell Wilson lit up NFL defenses. Wilson set career highs in pass
completion (68.1%), passing yards (4,024), and passing touchdowns (34). He does
this damage with wide receivers Doug Baldwin, Tyler Lockett, and Jermaine
Kearse. Not to slight them at all, but they aren’t exactly house hold names
throughout the league – especially Baldwin – before last season. Count me in on
the Tyler Lockett hype-train. I love him. In fact, I believe he can join Antonio
Brown as the only other player in NFL history to record 1,000 receiving and
return yards in a single season. The run game will be a committee and no, I am
not on Thomas Rawls hype train. He is too one dimensional for me and yes I know
how successful he was last season before he got injured. But this is also a
passing offense now and the line isn’t good enough for him to continue to
dominate. Rookie running backs CJ Prosise and Alex Collins also feature to be contributors
in this offense (Prosise on passing/third downs and Collins on the goal line). That’s
not a bad thing for you, Seattle fans! Just fantasy football nuts…
This defense really doesn’t need too much said about it. You have
the Legion of Boom with cornerback Richard Sherman and safeties Earl Thomas and
Kam Chancellor; you can peg all of them for All-Pros. You have a defensive line
with plenty of depth and edge rushing demons Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril. You
have linebackers Bobby Wagner and KJ Wright. And you combine all of those
players with their respective versatility and chemistry with one another. Finally,
you have a product that will once again reign supreme in the NFL. This defense
with this offense should seriously contend for years to come. And this year is
no exception. Peg them those double digit wins I gave them. While you’re at it,
give them the division title and the top seed in the NFC playoff picture.
Record Projection: 13-3
Division Overview:
The NFC West has two big time contenders with at a surprise
appearance by the Rams every couple weeks. The 49ers are in limbo for now, but
the right coaching changes could have them rebound quickly. The Seahawks and
Cardinals should contend for a few years so long as health remains a constant. In
two years, we could be looking at a four-way log jam for the rights to best in
the division. I would love to see that happen, but for now we get to see the
Cardinals and the Seahawks duke it out in what should be the league’s best
rivalry game this season. (P.S. I don’t hate your team, 49ers fans!)
NFC West Projected Standing:
1. Seattle Seahawks: 13-3 (4-2 in division)
2. Arizona Cardinals: 12-4 (5-1 in division)
3. Los Angeles Rams: 6-10 (3-3 in division)
4. San Francisco 49ers: 3-13 (0-6 in division)
Richard Bradshaw is available to follow on
twitter @RichieBradz36. Thank you for the read.
No comments:
Post a Comment