As I finish my preview of the NFC, I turn to maybe the most wide-open division in the NFC, which is the NFC West.  While none of the teams in this division were powerhouses last season, the Rams and Seahawks have been the consistently good teams in the division, and the 49ers and Cardinals are quickly improving.  I think you could make a case that any of the teams could finish first and that any of the teams could finish last.  It will be interesting to see how fans defend their teams and destroy their opponents.  Here is how I see the NFC West playing out this season.  

 
St Louis Rams

Strengths:  The strength of this team is the same as it has been since 1999.  While the Rams may not have most of the pieces from the Greatest Show on Turf, they still have a wide-open offense.  The Rams have finished in the top 10 in yards every year since 1999.  They have finished in the top 12 in points scored six out of the last eight seasons.  You cold argue that the Rams have the best quarterback, running back, and receiver combination in the entire NFL.  Bulger, Jackson, and Holt are about as good as it gets.  The Colts and Bengals are probably the only teams that could make an argument that their #### is better.  The Rams are definitely in the conversation.  Bulger is coming off a season in which he threw for over 4000 yards, 24 touchdowns, and just 8 picks.  Jackson is coming off a season in which he had over 1500 yards rushing, over 800 yards receiving, and 16 total touchdowns.  He is entering his fourth season, and should be among the top 3 or 4 running backs next season.  Torry Holt had his typical 90 catch, 1000-yard, 10-touchdown season.  Linehan has done an excellent job of keeping the explosiveness in the offense that Martz loved, while getting back to the running game that  Vermeil embraced.  With the additions of Drew Bennett, Randy McMichael, and draft pick Brian Leonard, the Rams should be poised to put even more points on the board this season.    

Weaknesses:  The main weakness is still the defense.  While the Rams have been consistently good on offense, they have been just as consistently bad on defense.  Since 2002, the Rams have never been better than 16th, in total yards or points allowed.  That means this defense has been in the bottom half of the league every year in that time frame.  Its no surprise that the only year they have had a great record was 2003.  The defense had its highest ranking in the last 4 seasons, ranking 17th in both yards allowed and points allowed.  However, the offense also had a great ranking of 3rd in points scored.  The Rams have done a couple things to address their defensive problems.  They drafted Adam Carriker with the 13th pick.  He should upgrade the defensive line immediately.  Keith Jackson and Jonathan Wade add depth.  Little, Hall, and Weatherspoon are good returning players.  The front seven has a lot less questions than the secondary.  

Prediction:   This is probably the division I am the most nervous about picking.  It is a wide-open division.  The Rams are basically the NFC's version of the Cincinnati Bengals.  No, the whole team did not get arrested this offseason.  You have an unbelievable team on the offensive side of the ball, some good players on defense, but lots of holes and question marks on that side of the ball.  The Rams don't need the 85 Bears defense to win this division.  They just need to keep the score close so that the offense can keep people off balanced.  With Jackson controlling the ground, Bulger, Holt, Bruce, and others will be able to move the ball through the air. I like this offense to challenge New Orleans for the highest scoring offense in the NFC.  The Rams have some very tough games.  They travel to New Orleans, Cincinnati, and Baltimore.  They have games against Carolina, Green Bay, and Pittsburgh at home.  If Martz were still the coach, I would have no faith in the defense improving.   Linehan will at least assist the defense by running the ball every now and then.  I look for the Rams to take a highly contested division, based on the fact that they have the best offense in the division, and that other than San Fran, no one appears to have a defense capable of stopping them. Furthermore, while the 49ers signed some nice pieces this offseason, it remains to be seen what that translates to on the field.   

Record:  10-6, NFC West Division Title, NFC #4 seed

Seattle Seahawks

Strengths:  The Seahawks probably have the best balance in the division.  They were 14th in points scored and 19th in points allowed.  Last season is relatively hard to evaluate.  Hasselbeck and Alexander missed a lot of time last season.  Despite that, the Seahawks still finished 9-7 and won the division.  Alexander is still one of the most dangerous running backs in the NFL.  Walter Jones is still an elite left tackle.  Grant and Kerney are nice additions to the defense.  Peterson and Tatupa are excellent linebackers.  Other than Alexander and Jones, the Seahawks don't have a lot of big names and flashy players.  They just have a lot of high quality players that play hard and make plays.           

Weaknesses:  Usually the draft will indicate where a team was weak the previous season.  The Seahawks drafted 4 defensive players with their first five selections.  However, the position that concerns me the most is wide receiver.  Jackson was a big loss.  He had 10 touchdown catches last season.  I know people will point to the fact that he was injured a lot, and that they have a lot of talent to replace him.  Deion branch has never had a 1,000 yard season.  Granted, he had 998 yards in 2005, but his next best total is 803.  His best season was 5 touchdown catches.  I have been hearing for the last 3 years that he is ready to have a breakout season.  I haven't seen it yet.  Burleson has 520 yards and 3 touchdowns in 28 games with Seattle.  He has been a major bust.  Hackett and Engram have their moments.  I just think this is a position of weakness.  While they have a lot of quality guys, they don’t have that dominant number one receiver.  Until Branch and Burleson show me they can catch 80 balls for 1200 yards and 8-10 touchdowns, I'm not going to be impressed with them.  Other than that, I like the defense, I like the offensive line, and quarterback positions.  They may not have one particular phase that excites you like the Ravens and Bears Defense, the Colts Offense, or the Bears Special Teams.  However there is no position where you feel they are overmatched.   

Prediction:  This is probably Seattle's last stand in the NFC West.  This team has made the playoffs for four consecutive years.  They made the Super Bowl in 2005.  They have won the division 3 years in a row.  In today’s NFL, you usually have about a 5-year window.  That said, Alexander turns 30 this year and Walter Jones is 33 years old. As they start to get older and the Cardinals and 49ers youth gains experience, you will probably see a changing of the guard.  I think the Seahawks had a better team than their record indicated last season.  Injuries to Alexander and Haselbeck prevented the team from reaching their full potential.  That said, they lost 3 of 4 games to divisional rivals Arizona and San Fran.  They also lost 3 of their last 4 games to end the season, with Alexander and Hasselbeck present.  They needed a botched Tony Romo snap to escape Seattle with their playoff lives.  Then they lost a heartbreaker at Chicago to the NFC's best team.  They had better get off to a fast start, because after week 10, the schedule gets brutal.  They get San Fran, Chicago, Arizona, and Baltimore at home and St Louis, Philly, Carolina, and Atlanta on the road.  There are 5 very losable games in there.  I think this team has one last run in it before the guard in the NFC West changes.  However, if they are ####ed up like they were last year, the Cardinals and 49ers are in a much better position to pass them.  

Record: 9-7, 2nd NFC West, NFC #5 seed 

San Francisco 49ers 

Strengths:  This is a very hard team to evaluate, because they had one of the busiest offseasons in the NFL.  Last season is not very relevant with the wholesale changes they have made.  The strength of this team was their running game last season.  The 49ers ranked 6th in rushing, behind Frank Gore, who had a breakout season.  Gore rushed for 1695 yards and 8 touchdowns.  Making that all the more impressive was the fact they he played with the 29th ranked passing offense.  Helping maters, the 49ers drafted Joe Staley in the 1st round to help bolster the offensive line.  The defense, which ranked last in points allowed and 26th in yards allowed, has gone over a major overhaul.  The 49ers added Nate Clements and Michael Lewis to the secondary.  They drafted Patrick Willis in the first round, a player many consider a candidate for defensive rookie of the year.  They added depth with 5 draft picks between round 3 and 5 on defense, to go along with some lesser names they signed in free agency.  If the 49ers finish last in points allowed again, it isn't going to be because they went in with the same group as last season. 
 
Weaknesses:  The main weakness for this team was the passing game.  Despite finishing 6th in rushing, the 49ers offense finished 29th in pass yards and 24th in points.  Alex Smith improved a great deal from his rookie year to his second year.  On the other hand, he had nowhere to go but up.  After throwing 1 touchdown and 11 interceptions in his rookie campaign, Alex Smith made great strides.  He rose his completion percentage from 50.9 % to 58.1 %, raised his touchdowns to 16, and had 16 interceptions.  He also passed for 2890 yards.   The problem is that it was a tale of two seasons for Alex Smith.  In the first 6 games he had 8 touchdowns, 4 interceptions, and was passing for 214 yards per game.  At that pace, he would have thrown for 3400 yards, 22 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions.  The last 10 games, he threw for only 8 touchdowns, had 12 interceptions, and threw for over 200 yards in only one game, which was 201 yards in a loss to the Packers.  The big question for this season is whether he will revert back into the quarterback that played the first 6 games of the season or will he continue to be the quarterback that struggled the last 10 games of the season.  The 49ers front office did everything they could to help him.  The drafted a tackle in the first round.  They signed Darrell Jackson to improve the receiving core.  Ashlie Lelie was signed as well, but reports out of San Francisco have him injured and limping around the locker room already.  He has been a 1st round bust to date.  Brandon Williams, Marcus Maxwell, and Jason Hill will probably be competing to play opposite of Darrell Jackson.  Also remember that last years 6th choice Vernon Davis is still in the mix at tight end. 

Prediction:  This is a very tough team to predict for this season.  They were 7-9 last season, but have made so many changes to their team, that there is really no body of work to base a prediction off of.  The defense has to improve.  Even though I believe that Clements was overpaid, he will bolster the secondary.  I just can't see this defense giving up as many points as they did last season.  My hesitancy in picking this team to take the next step lies with Alex Smith.  This passing offense was brutal last season.  While he was the first pick in the draft, he is now entering his 3rd year.  It is still early in his career, but what he has shown me is that he is a younger Trent Dilfer.  He should evolve into a quarterback capable of managing a team, but not capable of being a franchise quarterback that you can build around for years to come.  If he doesn't break out this season, it probably isn't going to happen.  Most quarterbacks break out by their 3rd season.  I think people’s predictions for the 49ers will depend on what you think of Alex Smith.  If you think Alex Smith is the real deal, then this is easily a playoff team.  If you think he is a marginal quarterback, you aren't going to pick them to improve on the win total.  Fans of the team will point to the draft and free agency.  I will point to the Washington Redskins.  Spending money does not equal playoffs.  That team struggled last season, because the couldn't find consistency in the passing game.  Uninformed people will blame it on the Portis injury.  Betts had 1,000 yards and the Redskins were 4th in rushing yards.  The problem was a 21st ranked passing offense and a bad defense.  Sound familiar?  If the 49ers are going to break out this season, Alex Smith has to get over 3,000 yards and 20 touchdowns.  If he doesn't, the 49ers will need to finish in the top 10 in defense to think about making the playoffs.  While I think the defense is improved, I don't think it has reached that level in one year.  I also think the division is brutal.  If the 49ers were in the NFC North, and the Packers were in the NFC West, I would pick the 49ers to finish second, and make the playoffs.  In that scenario, Alex Smith might be the best quarterback in the division.  In reality, the 49ers still are in the NFC West, and he could probably be the worst starting quarterback.  We’ll find out where this team rates pretty early.  They play the entire division before their week six bye, with Pittsburgh and Baltimore sprinkled in.  I look for the 49ers to slightly improve their record, be a more competitive and consistent team, but finish outside of the playoff race.   
    
Record:  8-8, 3rd Place NFC West, No Playoffs

Arizona Cardinals 

Strengths:  The strength of this team is a young quarterback and two young wide receivers.  Despite starting two quarterbacks last season, the Cardinals finished in the top 10 passing yards in the league.  Part of that was because the running game was 30th in the league, and part of that was because the Cardinals were behind a lot last year.  However, after starting the season 1-8, the Cardinals did finish the season 4-3.  After not having a 100-yard game prior to week 13, Edgerrin James rushed for three 100-yard games to close out the season.  Fitzgerald, Boldin, and Johnson form one of the best wide receiver trios in the league.  The Cardinals were decent at stopping the run, finishing 16th in the league.  However, their terrible pass defense led to them finishing 29th in points allowed.  Adrian Wilson however is one of the better strong safeties in the league. 

Weaknesses:  The Cardinals weakness was clear.  The Offensive Line.  This offensive line was probably the worst unit in the National Football League.  It really goes to show you how important the front 5 is to a team’s success.  The Cardinals have a proven Pro Bowl Running Back, 2 Pro Bowl caliber receivers, and a great young quarterback.  What that got them was the 30th ranked rushing offense and the 19th scoring offense.  If you can't block, you can't win.  It is no wonder the Cardinals hired Ken Wisenhunt and Russ Grimm to bring their smash mouth Pittsburgh mentality to the desert.  They also drafted Levi Brown in the first round.  The Cardinals had to come away with an impact offensive lineman.  Al Johnson also comes over to help bolster the offensive line.  While the Cardinals lost Leonard Davis, this is not a bad thing.  The Cowboys greatly overpaid for him, and he has never lived up to his lofty draft status.  On the defensive side of the ball, the Cardinals added Alan Branch to the defensive line.  If he can watch his diet and not eat his way out of the league, he should be a good addition to that side of the ball.  Ben Patrick may have been a good late round pick up at tight end.  

Prediction:  I really believe this team will make the Super Bowl within the next 5 years.  I expect them to make the playoffs next season.  They are loaded at the skill positions, which are the toughest positions to fill.  The young core can grow together and football should be very exciting in the desert.  Denny Green was a good coach, and left the offensive state of the team in much better shape than he found it.  However, he was never able to commit to the running game, and in particular the defense, something that plagued him in Minnesota.  Wisenhunt and Grimm will bring an excellent mentality to Arizona.  Arizona needs to become a more physically and mentally tough team.  Those two were winners in Pittsburgh, and that should not change in Arizona.  These two should be able to help Arizona grow in the right areas to reach the top of the mountain.  St Louis and Seattle are starting to get older at some key positions.  The sky is the limit for Arizona.  That said Arizona has some growing pains to go through.  They are still young at quarterback, the line is young, and the defense is rebuilding.  Its not that I think Arizona has a bad team, I just think the other teams are ahead of them this season.  Arizona will be a different team this year.  While the wins and losses might not reflect it, they will be a better team.  The start of the season is very tough.  They play San Fran, Seattle, St Louis, Carolina, Baltimore, and Pittsburgh.   Then they get a nice month with Washington, a bye, Tampa Bay, and Detroit.  While the start may be rough, I can't imagine them starting the season 1-8.  They will have their ups and downs, but will give everyone they play a good game.  If they break out this year, I wouldn't be entirely shocked, but unfortunately for Arizona fans that have been waiting for a long time, I think they are still one year away.   

Record: 6-10, Last Place NFC West, No Playoffs 

I hope you enjoyed reading the NFC predictions.  To recap, I have New Orleans and Chicago as the two divisional winners earning first round byes.  I have Dallas and St. Louis rounding out the division champions and hosting first round games.  Finally, I have Seattle earning the first wildcard, with Green Bay sneaking into the playoffs as the 6 and final seed.  I will predict how they do in the playoffs after I preview the AFC.  I will try to post the AFC West sometime next week.