Is the NFC West The Best Division In The NFL?

When looking around the league, there are numerous teams with a lot of talent. But, which division has the best talent top to bottom? Every division has a few star players, but the NFC West has the best talent by a large margin.

Seattle Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks have been to the Superbowl two years in a row, winning the Lombardi trophy in 2013. In the offseason, Seattle added one of the best offensive threats in the NFL in Jimmy Graham in a trade with the New Orleans Saints, giving the Seahawks yet another target for Russell Wilson.

It is also no secret that the NFC West is a defensive minded division. The Seahawks have led the NFL in defense each of the past two seasons, and are showing no signs of slowing down. Seattle holds the bets duo safeties in the league, Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor. The Seahawks also have all-pro corner, Richard Sherman patrolling the field as well as all-pro linebacker Bobby Wagner and defensive end Michael Bennett.

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On offense, Seattle is no slouch. The Seahawks’ captain, Wilson is one of the best young quarterbacks in the NFL, while all-pro running back Marshawn Lynch is well, beast mode. Seattle is favored to win the NFC West once again and for good reason.

St. Louis Rams

The St. Louis Rams are itching for a breakout season. This team will surprise a lot of people around the league, but it shouldn’t come as a surprise. The Rams have very quietly been forming a roster over the past four years that is destined for greatness. It all started when the Rams traded the second overall pick to the Washington Redskins in the 2012 NFL draft. This trade allowed the Rams to stock up on several all-pro players such as Alec Ogletree, Janoris Jenkins, Michael Brockers, Stedman Bailey and Greg Robinson. This has allowed the Rams to steadily form a roster built around strong defensive play and what should be a very good running back for years to come. Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams has transformed this Rams defense into something to be feared heading into 2015. On offense, the Rams have been laughable for quite some time.

Arizona Cardinals

The Arizona Cardinals are a very interesting team in the NFL. Arizona hasn’t one the NFC West since 2009, but seen to be in the mix year in and year out. In 2014, the Cardinals dominated the first half of the season and winded up with an 11-5 record, good enough for a wild card berth. In fact, the division has had three consecutive wild card berths by the four teams. The Cardinals are run by their defense, but it’s their offense that makes them or breaks them. Carson Palmer is an average quarterback in the NFL when healthy, but he is recovering from a torn ACL that put him on the shelf for half of the 2014 season. Larry Fitzgerald is one of the best wide receivers in the NFL and may be the best receiver in the NFC West, but that is all the Cardinals have. They lack offensive firepower. Regardless of how good the defense plays, the Cardinals will need Palmer and Fitzgerald to have huge seasons in order to compete for an NFC West title in 2015.

San Francisco 49ers

Three years ago, the 49ers were playing in the Superbowl, but after a crushing defeat at the hands of the Baltimore Ravens, the 49ers have been on the fast track down the toilet. Jim Harbaugh took the 49ers to heights they hadn’t reached in several years, but he is no longer apart of the equation. Harbaugh excepted a job to coach the Michigan Wolverines leaving the 49ers with a first-time NFL coach. They also have lost three intricate pieces to their defense. Patrick Willis, Chris Borland and Justin Smith elected to call it quits via retirement, leaving the once feared defense in shambles heading into 2015. This leaves the door wide open for the Cardinals and Rams to finally fill the void of the 49ers. I fully expect San Francisco to finish last in the NFC West in 2015. Colin Kaepernick no longer has Harbaugh to lean on and the defense has numerous question marks. But, only time will tell.

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