Who Will Win The NFC West This Year and Why?

Based on what we are currently seeing this season, there is no question that the NFC West division is at least top two of the toughest divisions to win this year, along with it being the best division right now in football.

All the teams within the division currently have a .500 record or better, which means they division is now up for grabs, just like the AFC North division. You currently have the Arizona Cardinals, San Fransisco 49ers, and the Los Angeles Rams sitting at 2-0 and the Seattle Seahawks sitting at 1-1.

With that being said, the one question that is lingering around that division is who should be the favorites to win the division and right below is where you can find the answer to that question.

If your team is in the NFC West, you should look below to see where your team is expected to finish.

Arizona Cardinals

With the moves that have happened this past offseason with this team, along with the strong start they started this season off with, there is no question to why the Cardinals are in the conversation to not only win the division, but the NFC conference as well.

Adding veterans such as All-Pro and Pro Bowl defensive end JJ Watt to their defense to compliment All-Pro and Pro Bowl linebacker Chandler Jones, along with veteran wide receiver such as AJ Green to compliment wide receiver Deandre Hopkins, the Cardinals this season seems to be a team on the rise and should be one to be reckoned with if they remain healthy and together as a team.

The NFC West is going to be tough to win this due to all teams being legit threats to not only one another but the entire conference and with that being said, the Cardinals are expected to split the series with each team in their division. That’s right, the Cardinals are expected to have at least two loses in between divisional rivals the Seattle Seahawks, San Fransisco 49ers, and the Los Angeles Rams.

Along with that, they have to go on the road to play the Cleveland Browns and the Dallas Cowboys and to have to come back home in between those games and play the Green Bay Packers and the Carolina Panthers who are both coming off strong victories over the Detroit Lions (Green Bay) and New Orleans Saints (Panthers).

Based on how these teams are looking right now, the Cardinals I expect to lose at least three more games outside their division to the Browns, Packers, and Cowboys if all three of these teams can stay healthy and play up to their expectations.

Projected: 11-6

San Francisco 49ers

Losing star running back Raheem Mostert for the season due to a torn ACL and 2nd team running back Elijah Mitchell exiting the Sunday’s game vs. the Philadelphia Eagles with a shoulder injury, followed by games exits of running backs KaMycal Hasty (ankle) and rookie Trey Sermon (head), the 49ers seems to be thin at running back depth on their roster.

Until their running back core can get healthy again or at least half way to what they were entering this season, the team will have to rely on other star players on both the offensive and defensive side in the names of QB Jimmy Garoppolo, rookie QB Trey Lance, DE Nick Bosa, LB Fred Warner, WR’s Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk, and TE George Kittle.

Thankfully, they signed running back Jacques Patrick to their team to at least give them a somewhat idea to who their running back can be to at least their 2nd or 3rd team running back can come back healthy and ready to go with the team.

As long as everyone else on the team can stay healthy, I don’t see the 49ers losing that many games this season.

There is only four teams on their schedule that I see them losing to this season and those teams are the Green Bay Packers (9/26), Arizona Cardinals (10/10), Bears (10/31), Seahawks (12/5), and Tennessee Titans (12/23).

All the other games I believe this 49ers team can beat and will beat this year if they stay healthy.

With that being said, it will a all out dog fight between them or another team in the NFC West to see who will be crowned the champions at the end of 2021 season.

Projected Record: 12-5

Los Angeles Rams

Let’s started off by saying this, the move to trade for Matthew Stafford seems to be playing out well based on how he and the Rams offense have looked so far this season.

Matthew Stafford is so far having a MVP caliber season recording 5tds/1int, 599 passing yds, along with having a QBR of 127.0 and 69.6% completing percentage.

When we speak about the early candidates for league MVP Matthew Stafford should be in that conversation due to being on a new team with a complete new offensive system while coming off season ending shoulder surgery he suffered last year in Detroit, along with the great defense that the Rams have being led by All-Pro, Pro Bowl, 3x Defensive Player of The Year Aaron Donald and wide receivers such as Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp, the Rams can be legit Super Bowl contenders, but they’re not there just yet and here’s why.

Let’s get started on their run defense and their inability to stop the run.

Their inability to stop the run was questionable even in their dominant win over the Chicago Bears when they won 34-14 due to Bears running back David Montgomery averaging 108 rushing yards that game, which made people question Chciago’s decision that game to not run the ball, along with Colts running backs averaging 4 yards per carry they had last Sunday as well.

To be an elite and to be ranked by ESPN number 12th in rushing defense, along with being ranked 23rd in downs given up and 11th in the pass can be bad sign for team who has yet to play the Seahawks, 49ers, Cardinals, along with the Buccaneers, Titans, Ravens, Packers, and Vikings, this can scare fans as the season comes alongs.

These teams that the Rams are scheduled to play will not be running away from running ball with or without their starting running back.

Looking at the remainder of their schedule, there will be at least five to seven losses this season coming their direction.

Losses: Seahawks (1x), 49ers (1x), Cardinals (1x), Buccaneers (1), Titans (1), Ravens (1), and Packers (1)

Along with that, the Rams offensive line is still questionable due to the way the Colts defense was able to get pressure on Stafford throughout that game and running game that has not yet got going due to Cam Akers being out for the year, teams like those who they play this year will pick up on and tear them apart similar to what the Packers did last years in the playoffs.

With that being said, the Rams maybe favored by many to come out on top fo this division but not here. The Rams will finished 3rd in the division or maybe last, depending on how things play out in San Fransisco and Arizona.

Projected Record: 10-7

Seattle Seahawks

Even though they have suffered a devastating lost at home against Tennessee, don’t get it twisted when ti comes to the Seahawks and the”12″ fan base that comes with them.

Sitting 4th place right now in. the division will have people questioning the Seahawks, if we weren’t in week 2 of the season. With that being said, the month October is around the corner and QB Russel Wilson is one the best in that month sitting with a record 22-11-1, 25-10 in November, 28-13 in December, which will the games that will pretty much determine your season due to playoff implications kicking in more.

Offensively the team is getting stronger with wideouts in DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, along with defensive players in the lights of safety Jamal Adams and linebacker Bobby Wagner, this teams has more than enough to get it done within the division,

The 49ers right now need to get healthy due to them needing their running game against this teams if they’re going to win the division.

The Cardinals still are coming together as a whole regardless of looking right now or not and well the Rams are too questionable within their running game and against the run, along with questionable offensive line.

Experience matters as a teams and that will be what is going to win this division, the Seahawks has that more than anyone in the NFC West.

They will suffer some tough losses this season, but not by teams who won’t be in the postseason come January just like them.

Here are their projected losses this year

49ers (1x), Rams (1x), their divisional record will be 4-2.

@Steelers (1), Packers (1) are their only non divisional losses that will occur this season to add to the lose they suffer last Sunday at home against the Tennessee Titans.

Projected Record: 12-5