ESPN may be right on the Rams, but they get it wrong on the division

The Los Angeles Rams won’t compete for the NFC West title in 2017, but look for them to be better than who the “Mother Ship” thinks will finish second.

The Los Angeles Rams have been picked to win right around four or five games in 2017, and ESPN has them at winning six. While I think they may be close to that, I can hardly find fault in their assessment. But I am confounded at how much love the Arizona Cardinals seem to keep getting.

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For the record, I’m no Cardinals hater, but they weren’t terribly impressive in 2016, and an older

Carson Palmer

and

Larry Fitzgerald

won’t help. Add to that a defense decimated in free agency, and eight wins may be a reach.

It IS a reach.

No one in the NFC West will challenge Seattle, but the Rams regularly play them tough, and 10 wins for the Seahawks may be generous by a game.

I believe the Rams and San Francisco will surprise inside the division. So much so, I think Arizona has a better chance of finishing at or near the bottom than Los Angeles or the 49ers do.

But not by much.

The Rams, San Francisco and the Cardinals will do battle for the mushy middle that will become the NFC West. That’s what happens when two teams are in the process of getting out of the cellar and one perhaps making its way down into it.

So what does this mean for LA?

As I wrote last month, I think the Rams will split with Seattle and San Francisco, but sweep Arizona. I’d feel better if they were playing the Cards in Los Angeles versus Twickenham outside of London, but we can’t have it all.

Arizona IS the reason I think the Rams will be better than 4-12, as some prognosticators have picked them.

Bottom line, the NFC West will have some daylight between the Seahawks and the rest of the division. Maybe even considerable amounts. But the team who finishes in second won’t likely be the Cardinals.

Next: NFL Power Rankings: Rams benefit from NFL Draft

Which means the Rams and Niners could be playing for not only second place, but the future of the NFC West.

Something long past due.