After a delay due to unforeseen circumstances, I now continue with my analysis of the most unpredictable, Sybil-like division in the NFL, the NFC West.
Seattle Seahawks: I think this team has one more run in them. Matt Hasselbeck has some gas left in the tank, and he's healthy this year. John Carlson is vastly underrated as a TE. Look for him to have a huge year this year. However, there are issues with the offensive line. Walter Jones is on the shelf and is expected to return at some point in the season with a knee injury. The Hawks are going with a young, relatively inexperienced line to protect Hasselbeck. Julius Jones and Edgerrin James need to come up huge to ease the burden on Hasselbeck. T.J. Houshmanzadeh should help the receiving corps. The defense is healthy, and has the potential to be an elite unit. (1st)
Arizona Cardinals: this team will have a Super Bowl hangover. Losing both coordinators won't help matters. The running game is still in question. The offensive line is a true unit; none are Pro Bowlers, but they play well together. The defense is still solid, but it will take time to adjust to a new scheme. They do still have Kurt Warner and the Incredibles (Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin). Stephen Spach has made a great recovery from a torn ACL and will be the #1 TE. (2nd)
San Francisco 49ers: one man stands out on that team--Frank Gore. When healthy, he's capable of a 1,500-yard rushing season. He's a threat to take it to the house every time he touches the ball. Although Shaun Hill is the starting QB, I'm not impressed. He's warming the seat for future franchise QB Nate Davis. The WR position is still relatively unsettled, aside from Isaac Bruce. Vernon Davis figures to be a much happier man this season, as he will be used primarily as the receiving TE. The defense needs to put more pressure on the QB. Conversely, they also need to force more turnovers. If they can do that, they can push for a playoff spot. While I think they will improve from last season, they are still a year or two away from contending. (3rd)
St. Louis Rams: the biggest issue is the ownership. Georgia Frontiere's passing left the team in the hands of her son, Chip Rosenbloom. Where will they be in the future? Los Angeles? St. Louis? Somewhere else? Aside from the ownership, new coach Steve Spagnuolo has his work cut out for him. But to a man, everyone is buying into his "team first" mantra. He's molding the Rams into his image: a tough, run-first team, and building a stout defense. He's off to a good start with OT Jason Smith and LB James Laurinaitis. Both men will be stars in the NFL for a long time. I am especially high on Laurinaitis. The Rams will be good sooner rather than later. The last two seasons, they have had very good drafts. I look for them to win some games they would normally lose. (4th) P.S. I could easily flip-flop the Rams and 49ers, as I expect the Rams to play much better in the second half of the season.
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Seattle won all their preseason games, including the last one with their 'second' team....whatever that means, lol
given that they are the closest NFL team to me geographically, I am supporting them :P
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