The NFC West has gone from the laughing stock of the NFL, just a few short years ago, to the cream of the crop. While the rest of the league is “zigging” with new high-powered offences, and concentrating on passing, the NFC West is “zagging” with old-school football. The rest of the league is taking notice as rushing the ball and strong defense is what is winning once again. Let’s go into the trenches of the top division in football and see what will happen in 2014.
NFC WEST PREDICTIONS
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS: 2013 Season Record (13-3)
In my predictions for 2013 the Seahawks were projected to win the Super Bowl. Now we take a look at how they will fair in 2014. Will they experience the Super Bowl “hangover” that many teams before them have?
I like to always look at the objective side of things. I do expect a slide in some terms for the Seahawks this year as they did lose some key pieces. The three names that jump out to most fans is the loss of two decent cornerbacks in both Brandon Browner and Walter Thurmond, as well as the departure of WR Golden Tate to the Lions. It is evident that the secondary will definitely miss them this year and will need Byron Maxwell to step up in their place. Golden Tate is a shifty WR with decent hands and will be missed as well. The biggest loss of the off-season, however, is Breno Giacomini. He is a very good offensive tackle that was a big part of the front line in opening up holes for the running game, as well as protecting QB Russell Wilson. Also, as per one of my previous articles, I do expect Marshawn Lynch to have a set-back this year as the tread on his tires are wearing thin.
But before you discount the Seahawks we have to dissect the above stats a little, and focus on the positive. Maxwell is more than suitable in replacing Browner at CB, and the Seahawks had a huge off season in securing the “Legion Of Boom” for years to come. They secured the best safety in the NFL in Earl Thomas for five years, CB Richard Sherman and Michael Bennett both for four years. The Seahawks look to dispel the ‘hangover’ theory as they were the youngest team to win the championship in the Super Bowl era. Even though Tate is gone, the WR position will be even better this year if Percy Harvin can stay healthy for a full season. He is a dynamic and explosive playmaker. Lynch is still a beast, and even if he declines a bit, Christine Michael will improve more than Lynch will decline, so the running game may even be better.
The Seahawks are an amazing 17-1 as hosts in the past two seasons, including playoffs. Expect them to slightly win out in what is the best division in football.
2014 Projection (12-4)
SAN FRANCISCO 49ers: 2013 Season Record (12-4)
After week one Colin Kaepernick had major struggles for the first half of 2013. He never had composure and many pundits thought Kaepernick had taken a huge step back. What they fail to realize, however, is that he was without a healthy Vernon Davis for almost a half season, and his main threat at WR in Michael Crabtree was on the sidelines for a majority of the year as well. Once he had all his targets in place he cruised through all the competition for the final six games and through most of the playoffs as well.
The 49ers staff also went out to surround their young QB with more weapons to work with. Stevie Johnson is a very decent WR who will add to the woes of every defense that will have to face San Fran this season. They also added Brandon Lloyd as well. San Fran took a blow in training camp as they lost RB Kendall Hunter with a torn ACL and will be out the whole year. He was a nice complement to aging Frank Gore. With Gore now a 31-year-old back who has shown signs of slowing down, the Niners will turn to rookie Carlos Hyde out of Ohio State to handle the rock moving forward. Hyde has the potential to be a top tier RB for years to come. In his senior year, after missing three games to a suspension, he went off for over 1500 yards rushing and a staggering 7.3 yards-per-carry.
Three things will prevent the Niners from surpassing the Seahawks in 2014 though. One, is the fact that they could lose stud outside linebacker Aldon Smith to suspensions for multiple games. Two, is they will be lucky if Navorro Bowman will have recovered enough from his torn ACL and torn MCL to be back at all until the final few games of the season. And three, may be the most compelling of them all. The 49ers will be playing this season in the newly opened Levi Stadium. It is a major adjustment to get acclimated to a new stadium, and even longer for a team to begin to acquire that home-field advantage that is so important.
2014 Projection (11-5)
ARIZONA CARDINALS: 2013 Season Record (10-6) The Arizona Cardinals have one of the best defenses in the NFL and will be again in 2014. The offence struggled for the first half of the season, as Carson Palmer and the offence began to gel. Through week eight the team was averaging 19 points-per-game. From week nine through the end of the season they averaged 27.3 points-per-game.
The main reason for the surge was running back Andre Ellington. Through the first half of the year Arizona used Rashard Mendenhall as the main back. Bruce Arians has vowed to utilize Ellington a lot more moving forward in 2014. They already have a lethal receiving corpse in Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd, so expect a more prolific offence in the desert this season.
One of the best acquisitions in the league this off-season was LT Jared Veldheer. Arizona has never had a decent LT or any protection whatsoever for their quarterbacks. Veldheer only played in five games last season due to injury, and allowed only one sack. First round selection Jonathan Cooper missed his whole rookie campaign due to injury as well. So, when you look at “performance above replacement”, the Cardinals look to be vastly improved on the O-Line. A healthy “honey Badger” Tyrann Mathieu will be a huge plus as well.
I really felt that they had a chance to surprise many teams this year, but ultimately, with the loss of Daryl Washington and playing in the toughest division in football will keep them behind Seattle and San Francisco, for now.
2014 Projection (9-7)
ST. LOUIS RAMS: 2013 Season Record (7-9)
If Sam Bradford can stay healthy, and live up to his potential of a couple years ago, the Rams have nice young team. The O-Line may be the best in the NFL with Robert Quinn and Chris Long. Quinn is so under-rated. He is one of the best young players in the league and headed to the hall of fame in my mind.
Zac Stacy has developed as a really good starting running back, and first round pick Tavon Austin really started to hit his stride mid-season as an explosive weapon in the Rams offence. Jeff Fisher also added the very talented WR Kenny Britt to the offence. Britt has had a lot of personal issues and injuries thus far, but Fisher has worked with Britt in Tennessee, and could help ignite his dormant potential.
The Rams are just a few pieces away from being a really good team. The biggest hurdle at this point is keeping their QB healthy, and somehow finding a way to win in this division. Expect a lot of growth in 2014, but a .500 season looks to be about the best we can see for now.
2014 Projection (8-8)
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