Football NFC West

[BradHemphill]

What a mess this division has been so fat. Seattle has been great, San Francisco looks dazed, and the Cardinals are 2-2 and have only played one home game. St. Louis was a lot of people's picks for a surprise team and they may already be out of the mix.

Thoughts?

 

[thajayz]

I think that San Francisco will take the division in the end. Remember, they will be getting Mario Manningham and Michael Crabtree back around week 11 or so. That will be an enormous boost to the squad. Seattle does get Bruce Irvin back this week but their offense has to many question marks for my liking. I don't know if Percy Harvin is going to be 100% this season. Their other wide receivers are very injury prone and unproven. I can't believe how bad St. Louis looks. I thought they'd be a wild card this year.

 

[BradHemphill]

I'm from Arizona and an admitted Cardinals fan so my predictions are based as much on hope as anything else. Week 11 may just be too late for the Niners, even though they are loaded with talent. The Cardinals really are a mess in a lot of ways, but one small oddity in their favor is that after four weeks they are one of only two teams in the entire NFL that has played 3 road games. The NFL does it to them every year with the thinking that sending teams to AZ in September is dangerous because of the heat. It has been a challenge over the years. Green Bay doesn't have to play an inordinate amount of road games in Nov./Dec. just because it's cold. And worse still, the Cards have had an indoor stadium for years now, but they still get road heavy September draw. At 2-2, though, maybe this year it will be a benefit.

 

[BradHemphill]

And I almost forget...The Cardinals get Daryl Washington back this week. Washington is arguably the best middle linebacker in the NFC and will be fresh and hungry.

 

[TimmyH6]

If there is one thing that I have learned over the years it is to never predict what will happen in an NFL season after four weeks. So much can happen between now and January when the playoffs start.

The Seahawks have put themselves in good position to win the West with their 4-0 start and victory over the 49ers. Seattle does not generate much offense, but their defense is solid and as long as Russell Wilson is at quarterback they always have a chance to win no matter how much time is on the clock. The 49ers and Cardinals sit at 2-2 which puts them in the playoff mix. The Rams may not look good now, but Jeff Fisher is a good coach. If there is a way to turn things around he will figure it out.

Really, the West is no more of a mess than half of the divisions in the NFL. The NFC East is so bad that the local radio station here in Washington is touting the Redskins as being in second place, but won't say that they are 1-3. The AFC North has three teams tied at 2-2 and the 0-4 Pittsburgh Steelers. The NFC South is the undefeated New Orleans Saints and three teams at 1-3.

The NFL tries every year to make it so that every team still has a chance to make the playoffs when November rolls around. Thus, we get early season divisional races like the current ones in the NFC West, NFC East, NFC South and AFC North.

 

[BradHemphill]

Good re-cap. The NFC is by far the most screwy, partly because they are losing their head to head games with the AFC. Only four teams in the NFC even have a winning record! Heck, only two other teams are even .500! That obviously will change when a more divisional-heavy schedule kicks in, and it's way to early to say this, but if the playoffs started today, and NFC team with a losing record would get in!

 

[BradHemphill]

I take that back, the six teams with a .500 record or better would be the playoff teams. And, again, what helps the Cardinals is they are one of those 6 teams and have 7 of their final 12 games at home, where they have already beaten the Lions. Just Saying!

 

[TimmyH6]

Hope springs eternal. The Cardinals have as good a chance as anyone. Bruce Arians has always been good at assessing his talent during the course of a season and making the necessary adjustments. I still don't know why my favorite team, the Steelers, decided not to keep him as their offensive coordinator a couple of years ago. It worked out for him as he proved his worth as a head coach filling in for Chuck Pagano in Indianapolis last season.

If the Cards want to win the West then they will have to beat Seattle. The Seahawks have a quarterback that just refuses to lose. Every time that I see Russell Wilson, he reminds me of Roger Staubach in that he never feels any deficit is insurmountable. A player like that at the quarterback position makes his team hard to beat.

 

[thajayz]

Hope springs eternal. The Cardinals have as good a chance as anyone. Bruce Arians has always been good at assessing his talent during the course of a season and making the necessary adjustments. I still don't know why my favorite team, the Steelers, decided not to keep him as their offensive coordinator a couple of years ago. It worked out for him as he proved his worth as a head coach filling in for Chuck Pagano in Indianapolis last season.

If the Cards want to win the West then they will have to beat Seattle. The Seahawks have a quarterback that just refuses to lose. Every time that I see Russell Wilson, he reminds me of Roger Staubach in that he never feels any deficit is insurmountable. A player like that at the quarterback position makes his team hard to beat.

I think you are severely underrating the 49ers They are still the team to beat in the NFC West until Seattle can prove that they are better by either beating the 49ers in the playoffs or beating them twice in one season. Remember, the game that they won against the 49ers this year was in Seattle. And Arians is an amazing coach. I also do not understand how Pittsburgh let him go.

 

[thajayz]

I'm from Arizona and an admitted Cardinals fan so my predictions are based as much on hope as anything else. Week 11 may just be too late for the Niners, even though they are loaded with talent. The Cardinals really are a mess in a lot of ways, but one small oddity in their favor is that after four weeks they are one of only two teams in the entire NFL that has played 3 road games. The NFL does it to them every year with the thinking that sending teams to AZ in September is dangerous because of the heat. It has been a challenge over the years. Green Bay doesn't have to play an inordinate amount of road games in Nov./Dec. just because it's cold. And worse still, the Cards have had an indoor stadium for years now, but they still get road heavy September draw. At 2-2, though, maybe this year it will be a benefit.

But doesn't Arizona have an indoor stadium? Wouldn't that prevent players from over-heating? I think so. I've never been a Caron Palmer fan. He doesn't get rid of the ball quick enough and is too stiff. He's a Drew Bledsoe clone to me.

 

[thajayz]

If there is one thing that I have learned over the years it is to never predict what will happen in an NFL season after four weeks. So much can happen between now and January when the playoffs start.

The Seahawks have put themselves in good position to win the West with their 4-0 start and victory over the 49ers. Seattle does not generate much offense, but their defense is solid and as long as Russell Wilson is at quarterback they always have a chance to win no matter how much time is on the clock. The 49ers and Cardinals sit at 2-2 which puts them in the playoff mix. The Rams may not look good now, but Jeff Fisher is a good coach. If there is a way to turn things around he will figure it out.

Really, the West is no more of a mess than half of the divisions in the NFL. The NFC East is so bad that the local radio station here in Washington is touting the Redskins as being in second place, but won't say that they are 1-3. The AFC North has three teams tied at 2-2 and the 0-4 Pittsburgh Steelers. The NFC South is the undefeated New Orleans Saints and three teams at 1-3.

The NFL tries every year to make it so that every team still has a chance to make the playoffs when November rolls around. Thus, we get early season divisional races like the current ones in the NFC West, NFC East, NFC South and AFC North.

Seattle was gifted the last win though. Houston should have had that one but Matt Schaub did a very Matt Schaub like thing by throwing that last pass. I think the Cardinals should give this young kid Ellington a try at running back instead of Mendenhall.

 

[TimmyH6]

In the NFL, a win is a win. If a team is going to give it to you then take it and don't look back.

Besides, the Seahawks have won quite a few games in which they had to come from behind. This is the mark of a team that believes no lead is insurmountable. I think that Wilson has a lot to do with this. He makes his teammates believe that they can win every game. When this feeling takes over, everyone stays alert and gives the extra effort to make the big play as Richard Sherman did Sunday.

As for Mendenhall, I remember him with the Steelers and the main thing was keeping him motivated. When he wanted to, Rashard could run with the best of them. I haven't seen him much this season so really can't judge his performance. But I will say that if Arians thinks Ellington should play more then he will.

 

[BradHemphill]

thajayz, I mentioned the indoor stadium in my post. That's what irritates me. The Cards have been indoors (open roof if they want) for years and still they start every year with an extremely road-heavy schedule.

I'm not counting the Niner's out, but every year in the NFL some team that by all rights should be a monster struggles. I just think the Niner's might be that team this year.

I'm not sold on Mendenhall, either. I actually still even on the fence about Arians.

 

[thajayz]

But why would the NFL be concerned with players over-heating in Arizona if they are playing indoors? That makes no sense. I can see the 49ers ripping off four or five straight wins. If you take a look at their schedule it is pretty easy. Those first three weeks were the real challenge. I think Mendenhall will be out of the league in three years. He just can't stay healthy and running backs have a short shelf life.

 

[BradHemphill]

That's my point. It makes no sense. Any maybe it's just some coincidence, but just look back at schedules from the last few years and you'll see the AZ still opens A LOT on the road. There is not heat risk at all at this point, but AZ is still NEVER one of those teams that opens with 2 home games.