We have already looked at the two teams which will be fighting to win the division in San Francisco and Seattle, so where does that leave Arizona and St. Louis? Glad you asked…
It is not impossible for a team with a poor quarterback to make the playoffs, but it is impossible to predict a team with a poor quarterback to make the playoffs. That’s because so many other things have to go right for a team to overcome weak QB play.
This is the situation for the Cardinals right now, who will be playing Kevin Kolb and John Skelton in their key position this year. Therefore, I have totally written the Cardinals off. That said, I don’t feel comfortable predicting the Cardinals to be a league worst team like many are. I know of all their issues at QB, but Kurt Warner retired two seasons ago and the Cardinals have had the same issues ever since. They still managed five wins in 2010 and eight in 2011. This includes a stellar 6-2 home mark last season and a respectable 4-4 the season before. In total under coach Ken Whisenhunt, the Cardinals are 26-14 at home. I expect they will be able to defend their home turf again this season and that will keep them out of the league’s basement. The NFC West’s basement is a different story.
St. Louis is more of an enigma this season. Before the disaster of 2011 the Rams went 7-9 in 2010 and were one game away from a post-season appearance. Outside of that 2010 season though, the Rams have only won eight games in four seasons. Read that again. Two games per season! I think Jeff Fisher will bring a solid foundation to St. Louis. I think that Sam Bradford can be their QB for the next number of years, and I think this Rams team can show promise right out of the gates this season.
But overall their lack of talent will catch up with them. Whether it happens in week 1 or week 10, somewhere along the line it is going to be apparent St. Louis doesn’t have the depth to compete with the rest of the league. The Rams have first round picks littered across the offensive and defensive lines, but they have failed to produce big results. The picks from Fisher’s first draft do not look primed to make an immediate impact either.
First round defensive tackle Michael Brockers has a high ankle sprain and is out indefinitely. Second round wide receiver Brian Quick is more of a project than an immediate impact player. The new scheme and enthusiasm may produce some early results for the Rams, but it will not last all season and the Rams will slide down the divisional depth chart.
So that wraps-up the NFC West. To find the rest of my predictions, visit my column, “3rd String NFL”.
