The NFC West has been exciting this season, but not for the reasons we expected
The NFC West has been exciting this season, but not for the reasons we expected.
Going into the 2024 campaign, the San Francisco 49ers were seen as one of the favourites for the Super Bowl and certainly in the conference, let alone the NFC West. The Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks Arizona Cardinals were tagged as dark horses, with the offensive talent at their disposals.
However, the Rams had lost legendary defensive lineman Aaron Donald to retirement and no one knew whether Jared Verse would come in and produce or not. Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray is someone that splits opinion and Seattle saw long term head coach Pete Carroll depart upstairs.
It was seen as a division that would be dominated by the 49ers but have a very exciting race for the second spot and place as a wildcard team.
It has definitely not been the year in the division anyone envisaged.
49ers Super Bowl hangover
The Super Bowl hangover has been around for years, for both winners and runners up and the niners themselves know this all too well. After losing to the Kansas City Chiefs at the conclusion of the 2019 season, they had an injury hit year and finished 6-10.
Both the Denver Broncos and Atlanta Falcons both managed five wins each after losing in the Super Bowl in both the 1990 and 1999 seasons.
In the 2007 season, the Patriots lost In Super Bowl XLII despite going 16-0, and despite 11 wins in the following campaign, they missed the playoffs in a year where Tom Brady suffered a season ending injury against the Chiefs in Week One.
The Raiders went 4-12 in 2003, a year after losing in Super Bowl XXXVII to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and after losing to the Patriots in Super Bowl XXXIX, the Philadelphia Eagles only managed six wins in the following campaign.
However, the Super Bowl hangover had seemed to disappear in recent years. The Chiefs, Cincinnati Bengals and Eagles are the last three teams to lose a Super Bowl but have combined for a record of 35-15 across these three campaigns.
However, just like they the season 3-0 but then lost five of their next six. They have now won four in a row and lead the division (8-5).
Any other year, and the 49ers’ season would be over. A 6-7 record is poor for a team that came so close to winning did in the 2020 season, the Niners have once again suffered with injuries and they stand with a very realistic chance of not making the playoffs despite being one of the offseason favourites.
Seahawks, Rams and Cardinals blow hot and cold
The Cardinals and Rams both started this season 1-3, the latter going 1-4. Meanwhile, the Seahawks started 3-0 but then lost five of their next six. They have now won four in a row and lead the division (8-5).
Due to no team seemingly wanting to win this division, the 49ers are just two wins away from the top of the NFC West, despite their struggles this season.
The Rams and Niners game tonight is massive. For the Rams, they can go level on wins with the Seahawks, who themselves have a tough task against the Green Bay Packers. The 49ers can go one win behind.
However, a Seahawks win and loss for the Rams could move them two wins apart from each other with three games left whereas the Niners could be all but officially out of division title contention. A loss on Thursday Night Football and a victory for Seattle on Sunday could mean there is a three win difference.
With a game against the 3-10 Patriots to come on Sunday for the Cardinals, they could be the real beneficiaries this weekend.
Future of division
The division faces an interesting future. This was seen as the Niners’ last dance, with plenty of high-profile players’ contract situations intensifying. The contracts of Brock Purdy, Deebo Samuel, George Kittle and Jauan Jennings all end in 2025 and with wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk earning a four-year $120 million extension this offseason, it is unlikely all of these players get paid.
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford and wide receiver Cooper Kupp shared the Super Bowl 56 triumph together but neither are getting any younger. However, they have the future set-in place through some excellent draft moves by General Manager Les Sneed.
They took two young defensive studs this year in Jared Verse and Braden Fiske. This in addition to getting in Byron Young and Kobie Turner . These four lead the team in sacks and only Verse was a first-round pick.
The Rams also drafted wide receivers Tutu Atwell and Puca Nacua in the 2021 second round and the 2023 fifth round respectively and have both been very productive for the Rams. The future is bright with the Rams and the same could be said for the Cardinals and Seahawks. Arizona’s Marvin Harrison Jr has had some bright sparks in the wide receiver’s rookie year for the Cardinals. It has been hit and miss for Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba but he has had his moments, with three 100-yard or more games in 2024.
The NFC West was once seen as the premier division in the NFL but there has been a lull in recent years, despite having three of the last five conference champions. With some excellent young talent coming through on both sides of the ball, the NFC West may be a division to watch in years to come, but right now there is some technical difficulties.
Andy Davies