By TLarner
My final divisional preview takes us to the NFC West. The regular season is right around the corner!
“Winners never quit, and quitters never win”
Arizona Cardinals
Strength- If this was the start of the 2009 season, I would say that Arizona’s passing attack with Kurt Warner at the helm would be the team’s biggest upside. However, their offense has undergone some big changes. Say goodbye to Warner, who retired after last season. Receiver Anquan Boldin was traded to the Baltimore Ravens. The success of the Cards will depend on the ground game this year. Last year’s first round pick was running back Beanie Wells. He led the team with 793 yards and seven touchdowns. Tim Hightower compliments Wells. Hightower had 585 yards and eight touchdowns. He was also third on the team with 63 receptions, and fourth with 428 yards through the air. Wells is nursing a knee injury, so expect Hightower to carry the workload early on, but Wells hopes to bounce back and have a strong season. The team also added nine time Pro Bowl guard Alan Faneca to the offensive line. He reunites with Head Coach Russ Grimm, who coached Faneca while they were in Pittsburgh.
Weakness- The weakness of the Cardinals is their defense. They ranked 20th overall in 2009, and the passing defense was 23rd. They lost their star inside linebacker, Karlos Dansby. Dansby signed with Miami in the offseason. In the past two seasons, Dansby has started all 32 regular season games and recorded over 100 tackles both seasons. The two inside linebacker spots will be occupied by new faces. Rookie Darryl Washington, taken in the second round, was the highest drafted linebacker out of TCU. Paris Lenon will start at the other inside position. Lenon played in St. Louis last season, starting 10 games. Safety Antrel Rolle also left as a free agent. Rolle, now with the New York Giants, was fourth on the team with 72 total tackles, and third with four interceptions. Safety Kerry Rhodes was added, formerly of the Jets, to help the secondary. Second year pro Greg Toler will see his first career start at corner in Week 1.
Biggest Question- How much production will Arizona see at QB? Matt Leinart was recently released, leaving the starting quarterback job for Derek Anderson. Leinart was the 10th overall pick in 2006 after winning the Heisman Trophy at USC. He failed to live up to expectations and never managed to hold on as a starter. He started 17 games in his four seasons as a Cardinal. He threw only 14 touchdowns compared to 20 picks. Anderson was released from Cleveland early this offseason. He had a career year in 2007, throwing for over 3,700 yards and 29 touchdowns. Since then, he hasn’t performed at all. In seven starts with the Browns last season, Anderson had a 42.1 passer rating. His completion percentage wasn’t much better, only 44.5%. Anderson does have weapons around him, including Larry Fitzgerald, Steve Breaston, and Early Doucet as receivers, and the aforementioned Wells and Hightower in the backfield. The Cardinals hope he can replicate his only Pro Bowl year, and keep them in the playoff picture.
St. Louis Rams
Strength- The Rams would not have an offense without Steven Jackson in the backfield. Jackson has put up phenomenal numbers throughout his career. He was second in the league last year with 1,416 yards on the ground. Jackson has rushed for at least 1,000 yards every year since 2005, including a career high 1,528 in 2006. That same year, he had 90 receptions for over 800 yards. His rookie year in 2004 was the only year he didn’t break the 1,000 yard barrier, mostly because he split time with Marshall Faulk. He has struggled to stay healthy though. 2006 was the only year he started all 16 games. As the Rams ease this year’s first overall pick Sam Bradford in as a rookie quarterback, Jackson should have another big year in the ground. As my number one fantasy back, I’m expecting at least 1,400 yards and 10 scores.
Weakness- Besides having Jackson at running back, there is not a whole lot more St. Louis fans have to look forward too. They were 29th overall in both offense and defense last season. They have 14 rookies on the active roster. A big hole on offense is the receiver position. Donnie Avery, who led the Rams with 589 yards and five touchdowns in 2009, was placed on Injured Reserve after he tore a ligament in his right knee. Laurent Robinson and Danny Amendola are now the top targets in St. Louis. They made a combined five starts in 2009, and each caught a touchdown. The Rams traded for veteran Mark Clayton from Baltimore. After an outstanding 2006, Clayton hasn’t performed nearly as well. He became the odd man out after the Ravens added Anquan Boldin and T.J. Houshmandzedah. St. Louis used six of their 11 draft picks on defensive players, half of them being defensive linemen. Tackle Gary Gibson has been placed on Injured Reserve the past two seasons. Starting corner Bradley Fletcher also finished 2009 on I.R. The Rams lack talent and experience in many areas.
Biggest Question- What will be considered a successful season for Sam Bradford? Bradford is being thrown to the lions this season. He is starting behind a line that gave up 44 sacks between the three quarterbacks who made starts in 2009. Without any solid options at receiver, Bradford may struggle to find a go to guy, or establish any rhythm with his offense. Jackson has proven to have good hands, but a team cannot rely on a workhorse running back to be the leading receiver. While some may think starting as a rookie may be an invaluable learning experience, I often look at past examples. Joey Harrington was drafted third overall by Detroit in 2002. If you haven’t heard of this guy, he was a complete failure. He never lived up to his draft position. Then look at Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers sat behind Brett Favre for a few seasons, and now is considered one of the best in the league. If Bradford starts all 16 games and remains healthy, I think he can call 2010 a success, as long as he learns the offense and all his reads. Don’t expect Bradford to throw for 30 touchdowns.
San Francisco 49ers
Strength- When looking at the 49ers, there are two names I immediately think of, Frank Gore and Patrick Willis. Not only is “Gore” a great football name, he is an all star athlete. I remember watching University of Miami games, and hearing how good this kid would be in the NFL. In his second year, Gore rushed for 1,695 yards and eight touchdowns. That was the first of his four straight years with over 1,000 yards. In 2009, Gore had a career high 10 runs that finished in the end zone, including an 80 yard score against division rival Seattle in Week 2. He was also third on the team with 52 receptions. On the defensive side on the ball, inside linebacker Patrick Willis has quickly become a name offenses do not want to hear. The 2007 Defensive Rookie of the Year is already considered the best linebacker in the league after only three seasons. For the second time in his career, Willis led the NFL in tackles with 152. He had 141 tackles in 2008 and 174 in 2007. He also added four sacks and three interceptions last season, making him a threat in the passing game as well as in run defense. These two will not let the San Fran coaches down in 2010.
Weakness- Alex Smith is not the worst quarterback in the NFL, but I believe he is holding the 49ers back from reaching their full potential. He was taken first overall in 2005, and has battled through his share of struggles. He started seven games as a rookie, and finished with a dismal one touchdown and 11 interceptions. He improved in 2006, starting all 16 regular season games. His time in San Francisco appeared to be over in 2008, when Shaun Hill and J.T. O’Sullivan took the snaps. In 2009, Smith regained his job, starting the last 10 games, throwing for a career high 18 touchdowns and an 81.5 passer rating. Smith is the key to winning in 2010. If he can improve off of last season, the 49ers will be a quality team. If not, he may be done.
Biggest Question- How much production will the 49ers get out of their rookies this season? Two of the starting offensive linemen in 2010 are rookies. Tackle Anthony Davis was taken with the 11th overall pick. The former Rutgers big man will line up with fellow first round pick Mike Iupati. Iupati was drafted 17th overall out of Iowa. Head Coach Mike Singletary expects these two, along with tackle Joe Staley (another first round pick from 2007) to lead the way for Frank Gore on the ground, and give Alex Smith time to find Michael Crabtree and Vernon Davis in the passing game. Rookie running back Anthony Dixon will spell Gore after the unexpected retirement of Glen Coffee. Safety Taylor Mays wants to prove his old USC coach Pete Carroll wrong. Carroll and the Seahawks took Texas Longhorn safety Earl Thomas in the first round, allowing Mays to fall to San Francisco in the second. Mays adds quality depth to the secondary.
Seattle Seahawks
Strength- The defense in Seattle will lead the team in 2010. Seattle has a strong group of linebackers. Lofa Tatupu returns healthy in 2010 after playing in only five games last year. The three time Pro Bowl selection led the team in tackles in his first four seasons, with a career high 123 in 2006. He has also totaled seven sacks and nine picks in his five years as a pro. Aaron Curry started 12 games after being selected fourth overall in the 2009 NFL Draft. The other outside linebacker, David Hawthorne, led the team with 117 tackles last season. Safety Earl Thomas was the Seahawks’ first round pick this year. He will jump in and start at free safety. His coverage skills should help a defense that was near the bottom of the league with only 13 picks. Seattle acquired the following defensive ends this offseason: Chris Clemons from Philadelphia via trade, signed former Colt Raheem Brock, and drafted E.J. Wilson. Tackle Kentwan Balmer was also traded to Seattle from San Francisco.
Weakness- Seattle will not have a high flying offense this season. Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck is near the end of his career. His Pro Bowl days are long gone and he has struggled to remain healthy as he gets older. The 12 year veteran has missed 11 games in the past two seasons. In seven games in 2008, he threw five touchdowns and 10 interceptions. In 2009, he made 14 starts, ending with a 75.1 passer rating. He threw 17 picks and fumbled the ball 11 times. Former USC receiver Mike Williams has miraculously revived his career. A first round pick of Detroit in 2005, Williams was criticized for being out of shape when last seen in football pads with Tennessee in 2007. The Seahawks released T.J. Houshmandzadeh after just one year. He led the team with 79 receptions for 911 yards after signing a five year, $40 million contract with then Head Coach Jim Mora and former GM Tim Ruskell. You probably won’t see a 1,000 yard rusher in Seattle this year. The team has a running back-by-committee, with Justin Forsett, Julius Jones, and Leon Washington.
Biggest Question- How will Head Coach Pete Carroll fair in the NFL? Many wondered why Carroll left his job at USC. Some say he knew too much about the investigation behind Reggie Bush and other members of the football team who received illegal benefits. If so, he got out at the right time. Carroll last coached in the NFL for New England from 1997-’99. He compiled a 27-21 record with the Patriots. He also was the head ball coach for the Jets in 1994. Carroll never came close to the level of success he reached in college football. He has overhauled the Seahawks’ roster, trying to find the pieces that fit his puzzle. Charlie Whitehurst came to Seattle in a trade with San Diego. Whitehurst will be the backup quarterback. Houshmandzadeh was cut. Starting corner Josh Wilson was traded to Baltimore. Defensive end Darryl Tapp was traded to Philadelphia early this offseason. Offensive line Coach Alex Gibbs announced his retirement just days ago. The unexpected move came as Gibbs stated health problems forced him to leave the team. Pete Carroll better forget his days of winning championships at USC. At least for this season, he’s in for a rough ride.
Division Prediction- The NFC West is definitely a tight division. However, these teams have a better chance at playing for a high draft slot instead of a playoff spot. There is quite a lot of rebuilding out west. St. Louis and Seattle will find themselves on the bottom again. I do hope the Rams can put together a few more wins this year. I am swinging for the fences with this division. Arizona will sneak into the playoffs if, and only if, Derek Anderson can come close to his Pro Bowl year. While I favor the Cardinals, I must make the safer pick, and go with the 49ers. San Francisco will return to the playoffs for the first time since 2002.
Wally says
T —
I agree with you … the 49ers should win the division … admittedly not a “great accomplishment” this year in probably the weakest division in the NFL. I think Singletary will prove to be a very good coach, esp for a young team. The other 3 teams — ARZ, SEA and STL may all be under .500.
I hope Pete Carroll loses EVERY game … given the way he ran a loose, rule-breaking ship over at USC and escaped before the posse got there. Wonder why Seattle didn’t secure the rights to Matt Lienhart …. thought Pete Carroll was his biggest fan???
Casey says
I second Wally’s sentiment about Petey. Like you mentioned T, check Pete’s motivation for taking the Seattle job. He was escaping the inevitable at USC. It would be karma if he took a few years of slagging in the NFL.
Funny how Michael Crabtree is barely a foot note.
Oh man is Sam Bradford going to have a rough introduction to the NFL.