The NFC West is Hard to Predict

In the last few seasons, the NFC West has been one of the strongest divisions in the league, resulting in its rivalries being some of the most entertaining in recent years. It's a far cry from the NFC West I remember from my childhood, where for years, it was the San Francisco 49ers basically crushing the other teams in the division. Now, the NFC West is wide open, and it's basically anyone's division to win, especially since the 49ers will have all hands on deck after an injury plagued 2020 season.

So let's look at this team-by-team, starting with the aforementioned 49ers. Last year, the Niners were coming off appearing in the Super Bowl. What followed was a nightmare season that was plagued by injuries at nearly every position except for the kicker and punter, which derailed any and all plans that the Niners had of making the playoffs, let alone back to the Super Bowl. Even so, they did have a few moments, including winning both games over a Los Angeles Rams team who reached the Divisional Playoff. This season, the whole team is back. Jimmy Garoppolo, Nick Bosa, Raheem Mostert, and most importantly, their star tight end George Kittle. The Niners plan to make some noise in the 2021 season.

The Arizona Cardinals; they've been a very interesting team in the Kyler Murray era, and last year's acquisition of DeAndre Hopkins via a trade that still baffles football fans made this team even more fun. I mentioned the NFC West's rivalries; the one between the Cardinals and the Seattle Seahawks has featured a lot of drama, and a lot of overtime in recent years. Despite their ability to stymie the Seahawks, the Cards couldn't really get other wins when they needed them the most, and as a result of that, they were eliminated from playoff contention on the final week of the 2020 season. Even with their disappointing end, the Cardinals have to be taken seriously, especially with the additions of running back James Conner and defensive end JJ Watt. Two huge acquisitions that could make a huge difference for Arizona.

The Rams' 2020 season was interesting. 2020 saw the Rams beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in their park, and even split the season series with the Seahawks. Yet they also swept the NFC East (which is nothing to brag about), got swept by the injury-plagued 49ers, and became the first of only two teams to lose to the New York Jets (even worse, it was a home loss). In spite of this, the Rams reached the playoffs and actually ousted the Seahawks in Seattle before meeting their end in Lambeau Field. The Rams swapped QBs with the Detroit Lions during the offseason, so Matthew Stafford is their leader now. It should be interesting to see how the 2021 Rams fare under Stafford, especially since (one would think) the pressure is definitely now on head coach Sean McVay. Remember that Rams' Super Bowl appearance? That was three years ago. That's not long, but considering they missed the playoffs the following year and barely made it last year, one has to believe that McVay better give big results in 2021, or he could be out of a job.

Last, but not least, there's the Seattle Seahawks, who won the NFC West in 2020. The Hawks are one of those teams who have good seasons, but have shocking losses during them. In the case of 2020, Seattle actually lost at home to the New York Giants, a conference loss that made a big difference as they were competing with the Green Bay Packers and the New Orleans Saints for homefield. Seattle ended up with the #3 seed, and they suffered a home playoff loss to the Rams--a terrible ending to a 12-4 season. Russell Wilson still has that two-headed monster at wide receiver: DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, but they had problems keeping the RB position healthy, plus Seattle's defense has fallen off a bit. Regarding 2021, I expect more of the same for the Seahawks, which will make this division thrilling.

So who will win the NFC West in 2021? I can't really say. It's really hard to pick. Some will say the Seahawks. Others may have the Rams doing it. It can be said that the 49ers will rebound and take the division. An argument can be made that the Cardinals will be the best in the West. All four points can be deemed valid. One thing is certain: the NFC West will definitely thrill football fans--something the division has been doing for (at least) the last five seasons.

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