Jan 26, 2013, Honolulu, HI, USA; NFC cheerleaders Vanessa Smith (Arizona Cardinals), Tecoya Gordon (Washington Redskins), Melissa Armstong (Minnesota Vikings), Heidi Isaacson (Seattle Seahawks), Michelle Love (St. Louis Rams) and Lauren Spires (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) pose at Ohana Day for the 2013 Pro Bowl at Aloha Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Bailey Deeler: Both teams did a very good job in the offseason. The Rams were 7-8-1 and were on the cusp of reaching the playoffs when the season ended, while the 5-11 Cardinals had an abundance of holes to fill. New general manager Steve Keim did a great job of filling Arizona’s needs, starting with quarterback. Arizona’s quarterbacks posted an atrocious 63.1 passer rating in 2012, so it’s safe to say an upgrade was needed.

Carson Palmer posted a 101.1 passer rating in 2005, and he has the potential to take the Cardinals far. He has more talent around him than he’s ever had, as he didn’t have much to work with in Cincinnati and Oakland. Stepfan Taylor, Andre Ellington and Rashard Mendenhall are all hard to tackle, and all will add needed depth at running back. The Cardinals took Ryan Swope at wide receiver in the sixth round, and Swope can spread the field for Palmer with his speed (he ran a 4.34 40-yard dash).After selecting Jonathan Cooper and Earl Watford and returning Levi Brown, the Cardinals have the depth and talent to succeed on the offensive line as well. They filled every hole they needed to fill on offense, which will completely transform the team. The defense was already solid, but it needed work after the loss of Daryl Washington. Arizona signed Jasper Brinkley and Karlos Dansby and drafted Kevin Minter to fill this hole, and it drafted Tyrann Mathieu for speed and playmaking ability in the secondary.

The Rams improved on offense with Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey, which could bring back old memories of Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt for Rams fans. The two will team up with Brandon Gibson and Chris Givens to add lots of depth at wide receiver, which will be huge for Bradford. The offense is going to break out, even though it lost Steven Jackson. I see Daryl Richardson breaking out, and I see the secondary stepping up. T.J. McDonald was a great pickup, and Darian Stewart’s return will help as well.

Alec Ogletree is a tackling machine, and he can be molded into a great player by a great coach in Jeff Fisher. The Rams didn’t make high-profile signings on defense, but they filled the holes they needed to fill. The Cardinals made some more notable signings, but they also filled the holes they needed to. I say the Cardinals improved more, but they had more to do. Both teams did what they needed to do.

Will the Cardinals be able to bounce back against the Rams and the NFC West?

Bailey Deeler: I do think the Cardinals could steal a game from the Rams in Week 1, but they won’t do well against the division. With Bradford and his new toys developing chemistry, I think the Cardinals could sneak out of St. Louis with a tight win. Palmer and Larry Fitzgerald are both veterans, and I don’t think chemistry will be a huge problem between the two. The Cardinals’ defense was able to hold the Rams for the most part, but the offense brought them down.

St. Louis is a better team than Arizona, and I’d be shocked if the Rams didn’t win at least one game against the Cardinals. I’d also be shocked if the Cardinals took more than one game from the 49ers and Seahawks. Seattle and San Francisco are both stacked, and both have defenses with the speed and depth to contain Arizona’s weapons. Arizona has a favorable situation with the Seahawks having an easy game against Tennessee before a Thursday Night Football clash with the Cardinals, and I could see the Cardinals winning that game. However, that’s about it.

I think the Cardinals will win one or two games within the division, with one coming against the Rams.

Is Carson Palmer Better Than Sam Bradford?

Bailey Deeler: In my opinion, both of these signal-callers are slightly above-average. Neither have pinpoint accuracy, but both can get the ball where it needs to be. Bradford’s new receivers will be perfect because Austin can make adjustments and Bailey has spectacular hands, meaning they can catch balls that aren’t thrown perfectly. Bradford gets the ball in the vicinity of the receiver, and his receivers will be able to adjust if the throw is a bit off-target. Palmer likes to take chances, and Fitzgerald will be able to bail him out on his risky throws. Also, Palmer should be able to accumulate more passing yards with Ryan Swope getting open with his speed.

Expect both to have great years, and expect both teams to be in contention. I think both are in good situations, and I would rather have Palmer in AZ and Bradford in St. Louis. Bradford isn’t seen as a risk-taker, and Palmer is. For Palmer, taking risks will allow Fitzgerald to make big plays. Fitzgerald can gain separation, but he isn’t fast and won’t blow by anyone. Bradford, who isn’t a risk-taker, would have to develop great chemistry with Fitzgerald to throw these passes.

Austin will gain separation, and Bradford will throw him the ball. If Austin can establish himself as a threat, he will require more attention, which will allow the sure-handed Bailey to get open. Bradford will have a great year, and I think 30-plus touchdowns is even a possibility. Palmer will throw 10-15 INTs, but he’ll also put up big yardage numbers and TD numbers. I think both are good quarterbacks and good fits, but I’d have to go with Bradford. Both had extremely similar TD numbers, but Bradford isn’t going to throw as many INTs. Expect Bradford to step up and carry the Rams to the playoffs, and expect Palmer to keep the Cardinals in contention.

Will the Cardinals Make the Playoffs?

Bailey Deeler: I don’t think the Cardinals will make the playoffs, but I think they will contend. Arizona is going to win more than five teams, and they are going to pull off some upsets. However, I think the NFC West is the hardest division in the NFL, and I think the Cardinals will finish last.

The chemistry won’t be hard to develop, but I think the young players will need time. The Cardinals are basically a new team, and it’s going to take time for them to consistently play well. I think the Cardinals will win 7-9 games in 2013 and build on that in 2013, but if the offensive line dramatically improves and Arizona’s new linebackers step up in the wake of Washington’s absence, they could even sneak into the playoffs. It’s unlikely, but the Cardinals have a chance.

I would agree that the NFC East was the best division in football a few years ago when the division was sending two or three teams to the playoffs on a consistent basis, but that tradition is one that looks to be ending. The NFC East may just be turning into the NFC West of old, where the team to win the division only has to win eight or nine games. The NFC East may be the most exciting division in football as the division normally comes down to the final week of the season. In 2011, the Cowboys, Giants, and Eagles all had a chance to win the division in the final week. However the NFC East certainly isn’t the best. Most exciting? Maybe. But the best? Probably not.

The NFC West used to be the laughing stock of the NFL. However the tides have turned and statistically speaking the NFC West is the best division in football, as the division had an average winning percentage of .54725. The NFC West has also sent two teams to the playoffs the last two seasons, and have one at least their first playoff game the last nine years. The NFC West may have been the laughing stock of the NFL in the regular season, but when it came to the playoffs, the NFC West is always ready to play. The last time an NFC West team did not win their first playoff game was back in 2004 when the Rams lost to the Carolina Panthers which may have caused the decline of the franchise over the next decade.

It was as if three years ago when the Seahawks won the division at 7-9, the NFC West found that embarrassing and everyone decided to all of a sudden get better, much better. The Cardinals may have gone 5-11 last season, but they started out the season 4-0, beating the Patriots and Seahawks in the process. The Cardinals are putting their faith in Carson Palmer, who may just be what the Cardinals needed at the quarterback position. If it’s on thing Palmer can do it is air the ball down the field.

The Rams haven’t been to the playoffs since 2006 and have posted one of the worst league records since then. However the Rams went 4-1-1 in the division last year and just got a whole lot better this off season by adding playmakers and solidifying the offensive line with Jake Long. The Rams could definitely be a contender in 2013, but even if they aren’t, I wouldn’t sleep on them.

The Seahawks are going to be good once again this season and it would not be surprising if this team ended up winning the division this season or making a super bowl run. The Seahawks, as much as I hate to say it, are legit and will be contenders this season. They added Percy Harvin in the offseason and added more depth to their defensive line. The Seahawks will be a team to watch in 2013.

The 49ers will be good once again in 2013 and it will be Colin Kaepernick’s  first full NFL season. No team has lost the super bowl and returned the next season since the Buffalo Bills did it 3 years in a row in the 90′s. The odds may be against them, but don’t rule out the 49ers returning to the big game and winning it this time. The 49ers had a fantastic draft adding talented players to already one of the more talented rosters in the league. The 49ers are ready to get over the hump and win. It’s not a question if they will do it, but when.

It is time for people to begin to recognize the NFC West as the best division in football if they haven’t already. The NFC West will be representing the NFC in the Super Bowl on more than one occasion over the next decade. This year was not a one time thing. With the Seahawks and 49ers already two of the top contenders in the NFL and the Rams and Cardinals on the rise, these teams are for real and come ready to play and hit hard every week. Russell Wilson has already been quoted saying that he wouldn’t be surprised if three teams came out of the west and made the playoffs this next season, and nobody should be surprised. All four teams are legit and the division will be a fun one to watch for many years to come.

October 4, 2012; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Rams cornerback Janoris Jenkins (21) celebrates a defensive play against the Arizona Cardinals during the first half at the Edward Jones Dome. Mandatory Credit: Photo by Scott Rovak-USA TODAY Sports

Over the last week, Ramblin’ Fan has gone through and “power” ranked nearly every position or unit on the offensive and defensive side of the football. All in all, there appear to be three teams that should via for a top spot in the NFC, which will make the NFC West one of the toughest, if not the toughest division in the NFL this season. For those who have missed the series, or are too lazy to go back and read through five or six different articles, here is the breakdown and a link to each ranking:

Quarterbacks, NFC West Power Rankings: Breaking Down The Quarterbacks

1. Seattle Seahawks, Russell Wilson

2. St. Louis Rams, Sam Bradford

3. San Francisco 49ers, Colin Kaepernick

4. Arizona Cardinals, Carson Palmer

Running Backs, NFC West Power Rankings: Lining Up The Skill Positions

1. Seattle Seahawks, Marshawn Lynch & Christine Michael

2. San Francisco 49ers, Frank Gore, Kendall Hunter, & LaMichael James

3. St. Louis Rams, Daryl Richardson, Isaiah Pead, & Zac Stacy

4. Arizona Cardinals, Rashard Mendenhall

Wide Receivers

1. San Francisco 49ers

2. Arizona Cardinals

3. St. Louis Rams

4. Seattle Seahawks

Tight Ends, NFC West Power Rankings: How Do The Tight Ends Stack Up?

1. St. Louis Rams, Jared Cook & Lance Kendricks

2. San Francisco 49ers, Vernon Davis & Vance McDonald

3. Seattle Seahawks, Zach Miller

4. Arizona Cardinals, Rob Housler & Jeff King

Defensive Line, NFC West Power Rankings: Battle For The Top Defensive Line

1. St. Louis Rams

2. Seattle Seahawks

3. Arizona Cardinals

4. San Francisco 49ers

Linebackers, NFC West Power Rankings: Best Of The Best Linebacker Corps

1. San Francisco 49ers

2. St. Louis Rams

3. Seattle Seahawks

4. Arizona Cardinals

Secondary, NFC West Power Rankings: Best Of The Defensive Backfields

1. Seattle Seahawks

2. St. Louis Rams

3. San Francisco 49ers

4. Arizona Cardinals

Preseason rankings are difficult, for a number of reasons. At this point last season the Seattle Seahawks would have been ranked dead last in the division, with the reasonable assumption that Matt Flynn would be the starter come Week 1. St. Louis had one of the worst secondaries in the league at the end of 2011, but completely overhauled the roster when Jeff Fisher took over, adding players like Cortland Finnegan through free agency and Janoris Jenkins and Trumaine Johnson through the draft. Bruce Irvin was marked as the “worst pick” of the 1st round of the 2012 NFL Draft, with analysts lambasting the ‘Hawks for selecting him too high… look how that turned out.

The point is, no one know how rosters will shake out when the actual season begins. Alec Ogletree could be the next Derrick Brooks… or he could be the next Aaron Curry. Russell Wilson and Colin Kaepernick could have “sophomore” slumps as starters… or they could become Top 10 quarterbacks. The additions of Tavon Austin, Jared Cook, and Stedman Bailey in St. Louis could bring back memories of the Greatest Show on Turf… or the offense could remain as stagnant as it has been for the last decade. Only time will tell…

Stay tuned at Ramblin’ Fan for all of your St. Louis Rams and NFC West news. We will undoubtedly roll out more Power Rankings as the season rolls on, and we know you do not want to miss that!