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2009 NFC West Preview
Published by JM Van Horn on August 30, 2009
All eyes are on the NFC West, a division that was one of the weakest during the 2008 NFL season. While it is home to several teams who can make a run at the division title, there are several big questions that need to be answered.
Will the Arizona Cardinals be able to capture the magic again and use their potent passing attack to lead them to a consecutive Super Bowl appearance?
Can quarterback Matt Hasselbeck return to his 2007 form and lead the Seahawks to a division title?
Can San Francisco 49ers head coach Mike Singletary continue to motivate the team properly or will his message wear thin?
Will quarterback Marc Bugler be able to play the entire season for the St. Louis Rams and prove to be effective?
Here is the preview of the NFC West for the 2009 NFL season and where the teams will place, from first to last.
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks have become perennial fixtures in the NFC playoff picture from 2003 to 2007. That all changed during the 2008 season when the team was racked with injuries, eventually leading to a 4–12 season.
When it comes to the Seahawks offense, the unit found it difficult to score in 2008. They were ranked 25th in the NFL in scoring, averaging 18.3 points per game.
The offense will bounce back in 2009 with a healthy Hasselbeck on the field. If he is able to return to his 2007 form where he completed 62.6% of his passes for 3,966 yards with 28 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, this offense will increase by leaps and bounds.
To help with this numbers, the Seahawks brought in former Bengal T.J. Houshmandzadeh to be the team’s number one wide receiver. Though some question whether Houshmandzadeh can handle the pressure as being the main guy, he should still put up productive numbers.
As for running the ball, the Seahawks have decided to let Julius Jones shoulder the load even though he only ran for 658 yards and two touchdowns in 2008. To help make sure he has the motivation, the Seahawks brought in Edgerrin James to provide pressure from the backup role.
The defensive unit of the Seahawks will be carried by their linebacker group of Lofa Tatupu and rookie Aaron Curry. To help this unit attack the ball effectively, the Seahawks will need to keep the pressure on the opposing quarterback, something they did quite well in 2008 when they recorded 35 sacks.
While the division race will be close, the Seahawks will gain the edge over the Cardinals thanks to the advantage they’ll have with two of their last three games at home.
In the end, the Seahawks will be back in the NFC playoff picture.
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals had a truly special season in 2008. Not only did they lock up the NFC West division title, but they were able to shock the world by winning three straight and advancing to the Super Bowl. Even though they fell just short of a victory, there are still those who feel luck had to do with it more than skill.
Even though quarterback Kurt Warner is a year older, there’s no reason to expect this offense will suffer a let down in 2009.
Warner, who had a Pro Bowl year by completing 67.1% of his passes for 4,583 yards with 30 touchdowns and 14 interceptions, is back and ready to take this team to the next level.
Helping him out on offense is the best trio of wide receivers in the game. Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, and Steve Breaston combined for 262 receptions for 3,475 yards and 26 touchdowns in 2008. The Cardinals selected Chris ‘Beanie’ Wells in the 2009 NFL draft to help with a running game that was ranked dead last with 73.6 yards per game.
One of the most underrated aspects of the Cardinals in 2008 was their defense. Though they remained middle of the pack in terms of yards allowed and were ranked 28th in points, the Cardinals defense stepped up their performance in the playoffs. The strength of the team, the secondary, will need some help from the front seven to keep pressure on the quarterback.
If the Cardinals want to return to the NFC playoffs, they will need to improve upon their 3–5 road record, especially since four of their last seven games are on the road. Expect a tight battle for the division title but with the Cardinals on the outside looking in when the playoffs begin.
San Francisco 49ers
When head coach Mike Singletary took over during the middle of the season, the 49ers slowly turned things around and ended the season 7–9.
One of the biggest questions surrounding the 49ers offense in 2009 will be the quarterback position. Look for Alex Smith to return to the starting role where he should remain if he can return to his 2006 form.
If you are looking for the one solid piece of the 49ers offense, it will be running back Frank Gore. He was able to put together his third straight 1,000-yard season while remaining a threat out of the backfield with 43 receptions for 373 yards and two touchdowns. The offense will have a big boost if they can sign rookie wide receiver Michael Crabtree.
The 49ers defense, led by a solid linebacker duo of Patrick Willis and Takeo Spikes, will need to continue to improve their game in 2009 if they want to challenge for the division title.
The defense will need to improve their pass rush to help the secondary. In 2008, the unit was ranked 20th in the NFL, allowing 219.2 yards per game.
There are some NFL pundits who feel that Singletary’s coaching style will wear thin in San Francisco and cause more problems than it will help. While there may be some truth to it, it will be an interesting season for the team who has a chance to finish with a .500 record.
St. Louis Rams
In 2008, the St. Louis Rams were one of the few teams who were competing with the Detroit Lions for the worst record in the NFL. Though the Rams were able to finish with a 2–14 record, there was not much to celebrate by the time the season was over.
On the offensive side, the Rams need quarterback Marc Bulger to remain healthy for an entire season. The last time Bulger played the entire season was in 2006 when he passed for more than 4,000 yards with 24 touchdowns.
Despite starting off slow, running back Steven Jackson was able to break the 1,000-yard mark on 253 carries with seven touchdowns. If Jackson is able to avoid the injury bug in 2009, he will be a constant headache for opposing defenses.
When it comes to the Rams defense, new head coach Steve Spagnuolo brought in several players form the New York Giants to help with the change. Chris Long and James Laurinatis are the future of the unit and will need to make steady improvement in 2009.
The Rams should be able to sneak in another win or two but it will not amount to much. The one thing Rams fans have to look forward to is a high pick in the upcoming 2010 NFL draft.
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