The vaunted NFC West has shifted into a new identity in the last few years.
With San Francisco and Arizona being down, and Seattle losing several of its Super Bowl pieces, the NFC West isn’t the same division we became accustomed to seeing on a weekly basis just three years ago.
It’s a new division, with plenty of intrigue, depending on how well the quarterbacks can do in 2018. Here’s my best bets for the NFC West. Last year, I went 2-2 in win totals in the division.
Arizona Cardinals, over/under 5.5
Maybe I’m wrong, because the under is actually juiced in this instance, but I’m not understanding the disdain for the Cardinals.
Even with an injured David Johnson and a disastrous quarterback situation, the Cardinals still managed to win eight games last season.
The offense was putrid last season, but it should be much improved in 2018, with Johnson returning and an offensive line still capable of being an above-average unit in the NFL. And the quarterback situation, whether with Sam Bradford or Josh Rosen, should be an upgrade.
Defensively, the Cardinals were a top-four unit last season, so it does concern me that they’ve lost Tyrann Mathieu, but Patrick Peterson, Chandler Jones and Antoine Bethea should be anchors for the defense.
Even with a slight slip on defense, this team should be improved from last year. Oddsmakers and the public have gone crazy. — Verdict: Over
Los Angeles Rams, over/under 9.5
Something tells me a let-down is coming for the Rams.
It’s tough to articulate, but something seems off with the Rams. The weapons are there, but the offensive line scares me. Defensively, with all that talent assembled on that side of the ball, the unit still ranked just 15th in the NFL in yards per play allowed in 2017.
The Rams have probably the most talent, but I’m not sure they’re putting together this team offensively in the best way possibly. I want to see a better offensive line before I crown the Rams as Super Bowl champions. The NFC West will be more competitive this season, so be careful putting all your eggs in the Rams basket. — Verdict: Under
San Francisco 49ers, over/under 8.5
San Francisco shows just how important the quarterback position is in the NFL.
San Francisco was knocking on the door for wins before Jimmy Garoppolo stepped in the door. With Garoppolo, the 49ers were a different team. So naturally, the public and oddsmakers, are valuing the 49ers much higher than last season.
And with good reason. The 49ers were much better than their record indicated in the first part of 2017. They were missing something and then Garoppolo fit the missing piece. San Francisco was a pretty average team last season, and with the addition of Garoppolo, they should have enough in the tank to sneak over the eight-win mark.
As long as the defense holds up, the 49ers should be a playoff contender. — Verdict: Over
Seattle Seahawks, over/under 8.5
Seattle is tough to trust. Gone are the days of a dominating defense. Seattle’s future rests on Russell Wilson’s shoulders. Those are good shoulders to be resting on, but I have grave concerns going forward for this team.
I’m not sure if this team is a top-level unit defensively anymore. We saw gaping holes last year, despite Seattle ranking fifth in yards per play allowed in the NFL.
Seattle didn’t get better in the offseason on defense, and offensively, it’s still basically just a one-trick show with Wilson running around and flinging the ball all over the place. The NFC West will be more competitive, so I’m backing off the Seahawks for a season. — Verdict: Under
