Who wins the NFC West?

[Kaylore]

So to kind of switch gears, I was thinking the NFC West might be a really fun division to watch next year.

The Seahawks are, I feel, going regress a bit next year. I think they are going to have a similar experience to what the Giants did last year where the teams around them aren't quite so huddy anymore and they'll have a tough time adjusting. They are still a solid team, but it will be tough going.

The Rams seem like they are still trying to put the pieces together on deffense but they might be making some progress if they can get something of a secondary put together. Their offense is going to thrive especially with Steven Jackson at the front of it. I expect him be one of the best next year especially now that he's as much a threat in the passing game as the run game.

The Cardinals are a popular pick (again) to break out. They have a lot of the pieces on offense, Leinert will be a year more seasoned, and I think Levi Brown will upgrade their line significantly. They've shown an ability to play defense, but they still seem to collapse when they need a big stop or big play. Still, it's the Cardinals so I'm going to say "show me".

The Niners are the sexy pick and my favorite for this one. They signed Clements and drafted Patrick Willis. They are really looking to be a force and with Frank Gore and Alex Smiths showing signs of improvement, they look like the team to beat. We'll see how that pans out.

Overall it seems like one of the divisions to keep your eye on as every team has the potential to get hot and the rest of their division is crap, so who knows?

[Los Broncos]

Im gonna go with the hawks.

Alexander will be fully recovered and Branch will be much more familiar with the offense.

[400HZ]

I'd say St Louis based on the talent they have on offense, but they never really stepped up in the big games last year. The 49ers have drafted pretty well the past few years and it started to pay off last year. They have as good a chance as anybody to win that division. My money is on San Francisco.

[BigPlayShay]

If the Niners can get anything out of their Wideouts, they will be a solid team.

[MechanicalBull]

I'd love for it to be the 49ers since I like Mike Nolan and Gore, but I'll say Seattle. They lost Darrell Jackson but should have a healthy Hasselbeck and Alexander.

[Killericon]

Cards aren't ready for primetime yet, 49ers will do 7-9/8-8, as wil the Hawks...I think the Rams are going to grab it.

[RkyMtnThunder]

I like the Cards.


Yeah, yeah - they have been 'on the rise' for a while now never to pan out. But this is a soft ass division and anything can happen. I wouldnt be shocked if the entire division ranged from 9-7 to 7-9.

I just like the skill players they have on offense, and their problem has long been O-line. Thats the final area of offensive concern for the Cards and I believe new OL coach Russ Grimm is going to make an impact.

On the defensive side - this is a fairly average squad. Not all world, not terrible. Got some young play makers and could be a top 10-15 unit without needing to make a huge jump to get there.


49ers are kinda trendy, but I like Leinart better than Smith. And I like the Cards WR MUCH better than anything the 9ers have.

I think it comes down between these 2 clubs - and it seems the NFL thinks similar - Week 1 MNF AZ @ SF


and not to discount Seattle or StLouis - they are also obviously in the mix. I just like the youth and talent AZ has on offense and look for them to take a big step in the right direction this year

[24champ]

I ran into Mike Singletary this offseason at LAX and in talking to him he seems pretty jacked up about his squad this year. I like their additions to the team and if the coaching can keep the offense progressing as much as it has from the last 2 seasons then they should win the NFC West. Though I am biased, Singletary promised me Super Bowl Tix if the Broncos and Niners make it.;D

[Killericon]

The Cards have no running attack. I don't know why people think that Edge is going to be miraculously better this season.

[RkyMtnThunder]

The Cards have no running attack. I don't know why people think that Edge is going to be miraculously better this season.

Its all about the O-line. If you watched Cards games it was clear as day. Holes would get shut before Edge would even get the handoff. Easily one of the worst 3 o-lines in the league. (Oak and Hou being the other 2 stinkers)

I dont think Edge is an 'elite' RB, but you simply cant run behind that line as it has been the past couple seasons. Even a small improvement in the o-line will do wonders for the Cards running game.

[RhymesayersDU]

Cardinals baby, yeah!

[WABronco]

Seattle will be improved in the areas that hurt them most last year, namely interior OL.

I gotta go with them because of the experiece advantage they have over the other serious contendor (SF). For SF to be a real threat, Smith will have to take yet another large step forward and they'll have to improve in the trenches.

[scorpio]

Right now I would have to say 49ers. Cardinals look okay on paper, but I don't get a very good feeling from them.

[RkyMtnThunder]

Seattle will be improved in the areas that hurt them most last year, namely interior OL.

I gotta go with them because of the experiece advantage they have over the other serious contendor (SF). For SF to be a real threat, Smith will have to take yet another large step forward and they'll have to improve in the trenches.

Me thinks you gotta go with them cause you are in Washington State!

j/k - I am in Arizona so I might be slightly biased with my prediction as well!

[WABronco]

Me thinks you gotta go with them cause you are in Washington State!

j/k - I am in Arizona so I might be slightly biased with my prediction as well!

Yea, I know, I am kinda partial to them.

[rovolution]

49ers.

Smith, Gore, and V. Davis will continue to develop. Darrell Jackson adds some experience to their receiving core and if he can stay healthy, he will produce. They have a promising LB group featuring Manny Lawson, Patrick Willis, Tully Banta Cain. Their secondary is probably the best in the NFC with the likes of Clements, Walt Harris, Shawntae Spencer, and Michael Lewis. The oline is getting better by the year (sans Kwame Harris, who will be gone after this season). The addition of Larry Allen last year for them was huge, but who knows how much longer he will play? Joe Staley was a nice pickup at the end of Round 1.

I think Arizona or St. Louis will finish second. I like the addition of Russ Grimm as the oline coach in AZ, if anyone can fix the oline woes in AZ, its him. Again, the Rams Achilles Heel is the defense, and they only go as far as the D can sustain itself.

I believe Seattle will have a down year.

[NW Bolt Fan]

Seahags win it. HOW could you even mention St. Louis 400? They're gonna be TERRIBLE. Julian Peterson is becoming the force he was before injury, add Deon Grant, the Kearney... Plus Hasselback and Alexander were both knocked out for an extended amount of time- at teh same time, and Branch didn't know the system yet.

Bags run away with it.

[DeuceOfClub]

Seattle will "win" it with a 9-7 / 8-8 record.

[Natedog24]

If Seattle stays healthy this year then I expect them to pull it out. I think Seattle has a few more SB runs in them before they fall off and the division falls to the young up and coming teams, mainly SF.

[Killericon]

Seahags win it. HOW could you even mention St. Louis 400? They're gonna be TERRIBLE. Julian Peterson is becoming the force he was before injury, add Deon Grant, the Kearney... Plus Hasselback and Alexander were both knocked out for an extended amount of time- at teh same time, and Branch didn't know the system yet.

Bags run away with it.

Why do you think St. Louis will be so terrible? Their Offense is superb, and they only got better on defense. The Chris Draft signing will help out tons.

[WABronco]

Why do you think St. Louis will be so terrible? Their Offense is superb, and they only got better on defense. The Chris Draft signing will help out tons.

They have a horrible defense.

[NASurfer]

Seattle won't have that Superbowl form, but they have enough to take the division with a 10-6 record.

St Louis looks like Fool's Gold to me. 7-9

San Fransisco took steps forward last year, but have even more to take in order for me to place them as division favorites. They can clearly play with Seattle, and run the ball pretty damn well, so they have that going for them. 9-7

Arizona disappoints every freaking year. 6-10

[400HZ]

Seahags win it. HOW could you even mention St. Louis 400? They're gonna be TERRIBLE. Julian Peterson is becoming the force he was before injury, add Deon Grant, the Kearney... Plus Hasselback and Alexander were both knocked out for an extended amount of time- at teh same time, and Branch didn't know the system yet.

Bags run away with it.

The Seahags are getting too old. Grant and Kearney aren't that good. The Hasselback/Alexander tandem isn't any better than Bulger/Jackson. Smith/Gore could pass them this year too. I just put down San Fran because they've been smart about building their roster and once the young guys get acclimated they are gonna leave the hags in the dust. Personally I think that they could be the team that finally ranks up there with the top AFC teams in 3 years or so. Even with Hasselback and Alexander healthy last year, Seattle was just a fish who looked big playing in the small pool of the NFC West. C'mon NW, San Diego brought their C game to Seattle's house last year and still won. The Seahags suck.

[Killericon]

They have a horrible defense.

Well, we'll see about that.

[gunns]

I have to agree with most of what Kaylore said.

I'm really tired of thinking every year the Cards have improved enough to take the division. They have to prove it first.

The Rams look pretty solid everywhere but the DL. Either their fans are stressing over nothing or that DL will be their downfall.

The 49ers have made a lot of quality improvements and have some very good players on the team already. I remember taking Gore in a fantasy league last year and another member laughing at me. He wasn't at the end of the year. I hated the fact that Smith lost Turner but he's smart enough to use what he learned.

Seattle will regress. Alexander is only as good as his OL and last year he wasn't very good. I don't see that they have improved. Same goes for Hasselbeck. They could still make the playoffs though, afterall it is the NFC.

[Kaylore]

It's not so much that I think that Seattle will regress is that I don't see them getting much better and it appears the teams around them are. I think that they've kind of been treading water will hurt them this year.

[Tombstone RJ]

So to kind of switch gears, I was thinking the NFC West might be a really fun division to watch next year.

The Seahawks are, I feel, going regress a bit next year. I think they are going to have a similar experience to what the Giants did last year where the teams around them aren't quite so huddy anymore and they'll have a tough time adjusting. They are still a solid team, but it will be tough going.

The Rams seem like they are still trying to put the pieces together on deffense but they might be making some progress if they can get something of a secondary put together. Their offense is going to thrive especially with Steven Jackson at the front of it. I expect him be one of the best next year especially now that he's as much a threat in the passing game as the run game.

The Cardinals are a popular pick (again) to break out. They have a lot of the pieces on offense, Leinert will be a year more seasoned, and I think Levi Brown will upgrade their line significantly. They've shown an ability to play defense, but they still seem to collapse when they need a big stop or big play. Still, it's the Cardinals so I'm going to say "show me".

The Niners are the sexy pick and my favorite for this one. They signed Clements and drafted Patrick Willis. They are really looking to be a force and with Frank Gore and Alex Smiths showing signs of improvement, they look like the team to beat. We'll see how that pans out.

Overall it seems like one of the divisions to keep your eye on as every team has the potential to get hot and the rest of their division is crap, so who knows?

I'm going with the Niners for one simple reason: I really, really wanted the Broncos to draft Alex Smith because I thought he'd be a good QB for the Broncos system. I still think Smith was drafted too high, but I also still think that he's a good NFL QB.

I actually feel pretty damn good that I was right about Smith. He was thrown, literally, into a bad situation, on a bad team. He's matured nicely and now he's got some weapons. It makes me think that if he would have been drafted by the Broncos, he'd have done very, very well in Shanny's system.

[Kaylore]

I'm going with the Niners for one simple reason: I really, really wanted the Broncos to draft Alex Smith because I thought he'd be a good QB for the Broncos system. I still think Smith was drafted too high, but I also still think that he's a good NFL QB.

I actually feel pretty damn good that I was right about Smith. He was thrown, literally, into a bad situation, on a bad team. He's matured nicely and now he's got some weapons. It makes me think that if he would have been drafted by the Broncos, he'd have done very, very well in Shanny's system.
I wonder how he's going to handle not having Norv Turner. Norv is a terrible head coach but he's a pretty good coordinator and good at developing quarterbacks. Smith seemed to make progress, but I think another year with the Norv would have done him good. We'll see, I guess.