It was the 49ers who would take the NFC West last season, but it was the Rams who we ended up talking about come playoffs. The Rams would shock the league by upsetting the #2 seed Falcons in the playoffs. With Coach Outlaw moving to the Seahawks and the Cardinals ready to make a big jump, who ends up winning this division?
49ers– The 49ers would fall short in the Divisional round to the Lions after their win over the Seahawks (FW). The 49ers still have one of the better rosters, so there is no doubt in my mind that they will continue to win football games this season. But winning in the regular season is not the goal for the 49ers. Do they have enough to win it all? Will the offense and defense both come to play? I know this is supposed to be about the division, but I don’t really see the Rams or the Seahawks stopping the 49ers from winning another divisional title. Coach Ee3zus has and will continue to do a great job at leading this team. I expect the 49ers to be even better this season.
Rams– The Rams stormed back at the end of the season to clinch a playoff spot, even going as far as defeating the #2 seed. But even with that, one thing concerns me: Age. These dudes are OLD. And they really don’t have anyone to take over those roles. Look at the most important position in football. The quarterback position. Matthew Stafford is 37 years old! With no legit QB to replace, the Rams may be in trouble this season. It hurts to say but the Rams may have peaked last season. But one thing about Coach Lion and these Rams, they always seem to do the unthinkable.
Seahawks– The Seahawks would hire Coach Outlaw immediately after the season ended. Coach Outlaw would surprisingly lead the Bears to the playoffs. With a team that already made the playoffs themselves, expectations for the Seahawks are much higher this season. The Seahawks would make some great moves in the offseason like getting Will Anderson and Devanta Smith. Will Anderson and Latu will cause havoc on the defensive line. Devonta Smith next to D.K. will cause some criminal activity. Keneth Walker has cracked the speed barrier (98 speed) and will look to have a breakout season. So what does this season come down to? The performance of TVD. If he can at least be a game manager, the Seahawks will have a great season.
Cardinals– The Cardinals had a very disappointing season. They would draft Perkins with their third pick in the NFL draft, signaling that they wanted to get better defensively. Yes, the Cardinals do need to get better defensively, but I am not so sure that this team is struggling with a talent issue. Like any team, it takes time to figure things out. And I believe that even in the losses last year, the Cardinals started to find an identity. Hear me out: Coach B has a history of being able to take an average team and make them special. With Drake Maye having a full season and offseason to understand what the pro level is like, I believe he will be able to lead this team to enough victories to give them a shot at winning the division.
AGS NFC West Division Winner Prediction: 49ers. I feel like this will be one of the toughest races to first place, but it will ultimately come down to quarterback play. And who has the best, most reliable quarterback? The 49ers. Stafford is way too old. TVD has not proved himself yet. And Drake Maye, who I think will take a huge step this year, does not have the weapons around him yet.
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