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It was the finest division in the league last year. And Rams had a great draft off the Redskins robbery
What a tough division that is becoming. Not a pansy/push over there. Whoever wins that stud division will be battle tested. I can really see the Rams holding serve in St. Louis. we could see all those teams going 3-3 in the division, that wouldn't shock me at all.
Just think, the Seahawks were once an AFC team, the Niners came from the old AAFC, the Rams were in Los Angeles and the Cardinals were in Chicago and St.Louis.
It was the finest division in the league last year. And Rams had a great draft off the Redskins robbery
Yes it was and it's only getting better. Which could be a bad thing for a wild card spot with everyone beating each other up, not unlike the SEC.
The AFC West the second best division.
Last edited by Avante; 05-12-2014 at 10:40 PM.
I guess it depends which argument you buy. Consistent top quality compe ion hardens the team and gives them an edge in the playoffs OR it wares on the team and results in injuries.
I hear that, I guess I'd lean towards playing quality opposition. Anyone who wins that division will be used to playing in big games. Something that can't be said about some other divisions like the AFC South.
I agree. Less injuries in todays NFL. Feel bad for teams like the Packers, Saints, Falcons, NFC East. If you don't get that BYE, you will probably get bunked out in the 1st Round by the angry runner up of the West.
Not sure if Rams can become a legit contender with Bradford though. They still have issues at RB. Their defensive + quality coaching is golden in the regular season but come playoff time you can't get by without quality QB or rushing attack
Zac Stacy is a up-and-coming RB--also, the RB position is an auxiliary these days. It will all depend on whether Sam Bradford can finally reach his potential and stay healthy and whether the Michael Sam thing doesn't become an unnecessary distraction. That D line is going to be potent and if their secondary and lb corps can halfway meet the line in dominance, there will be an all-out scrum for the NFC West.
It's becoming weaker actually..
Talk me into that belief, would love to see how you do it.
Niners with bowman injury and smiths ty situation, gore a year older, iupati and crabtree to be free agents, qb to get extention... hawks with a gazillion money spent into extentions, and much more still to spend.. both teams have maxed out and are about to go down slowly..
All the division QB's but Palmer should be getting better with maturity. The Rams will be better with that defense, the Niners haven't lost anything that isn't fixable. The Cards were better at the close of last season, look for them to improve. Then we have the best team in the league the Seahawks with a healthy Percy Harvin and a very happy Richard Sherman.
Like I said, best division in football.
Last edited by Avante; 05-14-2014 at 12:16 AM.
Even if they are about to go down slowly, the gap between the Niners/Seahawks and the rest of the league (Broncos, Patriots, Saints & Packers) is still quite substantial. Kaepernick will improve and Wilson will gain more weapons
No, it's really not. They are an injury away from being mediocre just like anyone else.
That's a bloated remark. Sure injuries are part of the game but when you had the Pitt vs. Baltimore rivalry, it elevated the AFC North for at least a decade. In this time of Free Agency and whatnot, it is quite possible that the NFC West is going to be heavy for years to come. I don't see any division fielding as many talented teams as this division. Albeit, you can make an argument that this was the division that the Hawks won at 7-9 and the nature is then reverted to cyclical, but there is no ascension of notice outside of this Group of Death.
It is, but the NFL can turn over pretty quick. The NFC East was pretty good just a few years ago, and now it's terrible.
Dan Snider and Jerruh Jones brought that division down. The Hawks, 49ers, Rams, and Cards are all very, very, young teams. This division is going to be a battlefield for at least the next 3 years. It can all end in a flash, but generally these teams are run by Schneider and Balke and they're very shrewd at getting the most compe ive teams out there. The AFC South has been ultra-compe ive for the past 5 years and they'll be solid this coming season. I know they'll not be a juggernaut division forever, but to say that they're on the downslope is ludicrous and nothing but rhetoric that is being pulled out of thin air to prove nothing really.
I don't necessarily agree with the downslope either, was just saying things can change in a hurry if you lose the wrong personnel.
Very true. I think the loss of Golden Tate and the uncertainty that is Percy Harvin will always be a contingent for this upcoming season. Also, the drunkenness of success is hard to deal with. I don't know if the Seahawks are prepared to be the hunted but who knows? I think losing some of that us vs. them at ude may make them less likely to go blast on teams. I would hope that they don't lose that edge. It is, however, natural to do so after such a successful season.
The idea this division is about anything other than great defense and opportunistic offense is flat out wrong.
Take Cardinals... They had one defensive weakness - covering TEs. They've added a huge CB in Cromartie, added a great over-the-top, ball-jarring S in Bucannon, added multiple veterans to LB, DB corps, and drafted two stud D-Line, one an elite athlete with long arms coming off an 11.5 sack season in the ACC, the other a stout run stuffer out of Alabama off a 5-technique to spell the already League-best run-stuffing D-Line.
And what did they do on offense? Got better in the trenches to give Palmer time to throw downfield to Fitz/Floyd and the added multiple deep threats in Ginn, and drafting to sub-4.4/40 WRs for the slot.
They know it's about stopping big plays and forcing the defense to always plan for the big play.
This division will improve, even if a team or two takes a marginal step back. The talent and depth in-coming to the talent and depth in place is astounding.
Keeping my eye on AZ this year... I think Veldheer will do great and Cooper will hopefully play this year. Good left side to help palmer
AZ is going to be scary...though, Carson Palmer is going to be interesting since it is walk year, no? I think he will be solid. There's not telling who'll win the NFC West or that the winner will be so hardened that it may flameout before the SB. Denver sure hopes, if they get back, that it isn't a NFC West team they face. 43-8
Obviously injuries can change things, that can be said about all football teams. What is being said is if everything is equal the NFC West is the best right now.
Niners & Seahawks are 2-deep at every position. It's the early 90's 49ers & Cowboys all over again
If Bradford stays healthy the Rams will be a tough out for any team this season. Under Fisher Bradford is 5-2-1 vs NFC West teams. Bradford was a top 10 QB statistically before the knee injury last season...and that was with a non-existent running game(before Stacy got in there). I'm not concerned with Sam's performance, but he needs to play another full season to remain the QB here IMO.
The Rams' strengths this season will be running the football with Stacy and Tre Mason behind a more physical OLine, and getting Bradford going via play action. The defense will be stout. DLine goes 7 or 8 deep and i love the LeMarcus Joyner pick as the nickel back. Don't underestimate the addition of Gregg Williams as DC. Rams played a lot of soft coverage last season yet still ranked 2nd in the league in sacks. Look for a more aggressive secondary and a bounce back year from Janoris Jenkins. This is the youngest team in the league yet again, and we're counting on the young WR core to develop and basically compliment the ground n pound(much like Seattle does).
If the Rams can ever put it all together they have the edge of sustainability over the rest of the division. , even if Bradford isn't the answer the next QB will be coming into a great situation...unlike Bradford who was thrust into a sandwich 4 years ago.
I thought the Rams and Niners easily had the best drafts in the division. Seattle got some nice pieces. AZ had a real head scratching draft. Looks like they drafted on pure need and reached quite a bit at times.
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