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NFC West: How will the West be won?
Overview
The NFL West has no place to go but up. Hopefully.
The division once was so strong during the reign of the 49ers' dynasty and almost always had a good challenger, usually the Rams in the '80s and the Saints in the '90s. But last year it could not have been any weaker.
Seattle became the first team in a quarter-century to finish in first place in the NFC West without winning at least 10 games. The four NFC West teams finished a combined 14 games under .500, and they were 13-27 in games outside the division.
The Rams finished second, made the playoffs with a .500 record, and beat the Seahawks three times in three games, including a wild-card playoff game at Seattle. Arizona could have been a factor but for two overtime losses to the 49ers, both by scores of 31-28. Those were San Francisco's only victories.
Last season seemed to follow form, the teams finishing in the order they generally were predicted in preseason.
This year, there could be a shakeup; there is at least some transition.
In Seattle, the Seahawks are counting on another infusion of defensive help to solve a longstanding problem. They need to improve there, and, with a new front-office structure taking over, coach Mike Holmgren may need to win a playoff game to make it to the final year of the eight-year contract he signed before the 1999 season. Seattle has gone 20 years without a playoff victory, the longest streak in the league.
St. Louis coach Mike Martz believes that, with Kevin Curtis and Shaun McDonald to back up Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce, he finally has a foursome of receivers to match the group the Rams had a few years ago, when Az-Zahir Hakim and Ricky Proehl filled out a dangerous group. A key could be the development of second-year running back Steven Jackson, who now starts ahead of Marshall Faulk. The Rams believe their offense could approach the 1999 version, when they won the Super Bowl.
Arizona is being picked by many as a potential surprise because of coach Dennis Green's track record. The Cards were much improved last year on defense, and they are hoping for a similar jump this year on offense if they can protect new quarterback Kurt Warner. A rookie running back, J.J. Arrington, should make Arizona, which already was loaded at wide receiver, better and more balanced on offense.
San Francisco, which had just two coaches and unprecedented success for nearly two decades ending in 1996, is on its third coach in four seasons. Mike Nolan, whose dad once coached the 49ers, inherited a franchise virtually devoid of talent and offensive threats, and made quarterback Alex Smith the first overall pick in the draft. The 49ers figure to win more than last year's two games, but not many more.
Movers and shakers
The 49ers (Smith) and Cardinals (Warner) have new quarterbacks, but Tim Rattay will begin the season as the starter in San Francisco. The Seahawks and Rams are looking for free agents to improve defenses that ranked among the NFL's bottom 11 teams in allowing points in 2004, even as both teams made it to the playoffs. While the 49ers have an almost all-new coaching staff, the Cards made one major change, bringing in Keith Rowen, who figures to pay attention to the running game, as their new offensive coordinator.
Defensive end Bryce Fisher, linebacker Jamie Sharper and cornerback Andre Dyson should help Seattle at all three levels of defense. St. Louis, which could not stop the run a year ago, counts on new linebackers Dexter Coakley and Chris Claiborne. The Rams also have rebuilt their offensive line and changed special-teams coaches in hopes of solving a longstanding problem.
What to expect
Let's get the Cardinals out of the way first. If Warner can recapture the form that made him a two-time league MVP, Arizona could be the surprise team so many expect. The key here will be the offensive line because Warner's problems in recent years came when he was under pressure. Given time and very good protection, he can still be an accurate passer and terrific deep threat, and the Cardinals have the receivers to exploit those skills.
But it's still a stretch to imagine the Arizona offense reaching the level of Seattle, which has had the same personnel for several years, or St. Louis, which hasn't lost much on offense since Warner departed and seems to have a handy replacement (Jackson) for Faulk, too.
Both those teams, however, have struggled on defense, and, until one or both can solve those problems, there is no slam dunk in the division.
In fact, if the 49ers stay healthy, their new 3-4 alignment could be a good match for any of the defenses in this division. Unfortunately for San Francisco, there is so little offensive firepower that whoever starts at quarterback will struggle, and the team will be unable to produce many points.
Another issue for teams in this division is how to play away from home. The dome-centric Rams, the desert-weather Cardinals and the inconsistent Seahawks (a former dome team) all struggle on the road (and the 49ers struggle everywhere). Over the last three seasons, St. Louis, Seattle and Arizona were a combined 20-52 on the road (and 48-24 at home).
Last season, Seattle and St. Louis both ranked among the NFL's top eight teams on offense, but low on defense. That is not entirely a reflection of the fact that Holmgren and Martz are offensive coaches, but it adds to the perception that they struggle to put defenses together.
Arizona's Green also has a background on offense; into this mix now comes a defensive coach, San Francisco's Nolan.
Worth noting
No team has finished in first place in the NFC West two years in a row since the 49ers' last run of four straight division titles in 1992-95. Every other division in the league has had a repeat winner more recently.
The NFL West has no place to go but up. Hopefully.
The division once was so strong during the reign of the 49ers' dynasty and almost always had a good challenger, usually the Rams in the '80s and the Saints in the '90s. But last year it could not have been any weaker.
Seattle became the first team in a quarter-century to finish in first place in the NFC West without winning at least 10 games. The four NFC West teams finished a combined 14 games under .500, and they were 13-27 in games outside the division.
The Rams finished second, made the playoffs with a .500 record, and beat the Seahawks three times in three games, including a wild-card playoff game at Seattle. Arizona could have been a factor but for two overtime losses to the 49ers, both by scores of 31-28. Those were San Francisco's only victories.
Last season seemed to follow form, the teams finishing in the order they generally were predicted in preseason.
This year, there could be a shakeup; there is at least some transition.
In Seattle, the Seahawks are counting on another infusion of defensive help to solve a longstanding problem. They need to improve there, and, with a new front-office structure taking over, coach Mike Holmgren may need to win a playoff game to make it to the final year of the eight-year contract he signed before the 1999 season. Seattle has gone 20 years without a playoff victory, the longest streak in the league.
St. Louis coach Mike Martz believes that, with Kevin Curtis and Shaun McDonald to back up Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce, he finally has a foursome of receivers to match the group the Rams had a few years ago, when Az-Zahir Hakim and Ricky Proehl filled out a dangerous group. A key could be the development of second-year running back Steven Jackson, who now starts ahead of Marshall Faulk. The Rams believe their offense could approach the 1999 version, when they won the Super Bowl.
Arizona is being picked by many as a potential surprise because of coach Dennis Green's track record. The Cards were much improved last year on defense, and they are hoping for a similar jump this year on offense if they can protect new quarterback Kurt Warner. A rookie running back, J.J. Arrington, should make Arizona, which already was loaded at wide receiver, better and more balanced on offense.
San Francisco, which had just two coaches and unprecedented success for nearly two decades ending in 1996, is on its third coach in four seasons. Mike Nolan, whose dad once coached the 49ers, inherited a franchise virtually devoid of talent and offensive threats, and made quarterback Alex Smith the first overall pick in the draft. The 49ers figure to win more than last year's two games, but not many more.
Movers and shakers
The 49ers (Smith) and Cardinals (Warner) have new quarterbacks, but Tim Rattay will begin the season as the starter in San Francisco. The Seahawks and Rams are looking for free agents to improve defenses that ranked among the NFL's bottom 11 teams in allowing points in 2004, even as both teams made it to the playoffs. While the 49ers have an almost all-new coaching staff, the Cards made one major change, bringing in Keith Rowen, who figures to pay attention to the running game, as their new offensive coordinator.
Defensive end Bryce Fisher, linebacker Jamie Sharper and cornerback Andre Dyson should help Seattle at all three levels of defense. St. Louis, which could not stop the run a year ago, counts on new linebackers Dexter Coakley and Chris Claiborne. The Rams also have rebuilt their offensive line and changed special-teams coaches in hopes of solving a longstanding problem.
What to expect
Let's get the Cardinals out of the way first. If Warner can recapture the form that made him a two-time league MVP, Arizona could be the surprise team so many expect. The key here will be the offensive line because Warner's problems in recent years came when he was under pressure. Given time and very good protection, he can still be an accurate passer and terrific deep threat, and the Cardinals have the receivers to exploit those skills.
But it's still a stretch to imagine the Arizona offense reaching the level of Seattle, which has had the same personnel for several years, or St. Louis, which hasn't lost much on offense since Warner departed and seems to have a handy replacement (Jackson) for Faulk, too.
Both those teams, however, have struggled on defense, and, until one or both can solve those problems, there is no slam dunk in the division.
In fact, if the 49ers stay healthy, their new 3-4 alignment could be a good match for any of the defenses in this division. Unfortunately for San Francisco, there is so little offensive firepower that whoever starts at quarterback will struggle, and the team will be unable to produce many points.
Another issue for teams in this division is how to play away from home. The dome-centric Rams, the desert-weather Cardinals and the inconsistent Seahawks (a former dome team) all struggle on the road (and the 49ers struggle everywhere). Over the last three seasons, St. Louis, Seattle and Arizona were a combined 20-52 on the road (and 48-24 at home).
Last season, Seattle and St. Louis both ranked among the NFL's top eight teams on offense, but low on defense. That is not entirely a reflection of the fact that Holmgren and Martz are offensive coaches, but it adds to the perception that they struggle to put defenses together.
Arizona's Green also has a background on offense; into this mix now comes a defensive coach, San Francisco's Nolan.
Worth noting
No team has finished in first place in the NFC West two years in a row since the 49ers' last run of four straight division titles in 1992-95. Every other division in the league has had a repeat winner more recently.
_STLfan_in_DFW+Aug 26 2005, 06:14 PM-->
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