Rams positioning to not finish in bottom half of NFC West anymore

The Los Angeles Rams begin the 2017 preseason this weekend with a new look. The kind that says they won’t be a doormat any longer in the NFC West.

Los Angeles Rams fans won’t need to lament their team finishing at the bottom of the NFC West this season. While it won’t be a dogfight from top to bottom, the lower half of the division, or specifically LA, the San Francisco 49ers, and the Arizona Cardinals, won’t be battling to take down Seattle necessarily, but to stay out of the cellar.

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Let me be clear, the Seattle Seahawks ARE the class of the NFC West, at least for this season. But looking out on the horizon of what’s to come, and based on the positive momentum in Los Angeles and likely in San Francisco, the days of the Northwest’s stranglehold on the division are numbered.

Enter the Rams.

I’ll take a few things for granted right now:

First, that be it Jared Goff or someone else, Sean McVay will have solved the quarterback situation by this time next year.

Second, Todd Gurley gets back to being Todd Gurley.

Third, the Rams beginning this year have turned the corner to a respectable offensive line, including finding a long term solution at center.

Fourth, Gurley, along with wide receiver Pharoh Cooper, and tight end Tyler Higbee will emerge as legitimate offensive threats in Los Angeles and the NFC West.

And lastly, Aaron Donald continues to anchor a top defense that remains the centerpiece of the Rams organization for seasons to come.

Most would concede that while the sun is not setting in Seattle, the cyclical nature of football means that what goes up, eventually comes down (except in New England, and that’s a different story). The Seahawks are beginning to see that the laws of gravity have them closer to the middle of the pack than ever before.

I like the Rams to do well inside the division in 2017.

How well?

As I’ve written, I like LA to split with both San Francisco and Seattle in very close games, while sweeping Arizona.

also, I like the 49ers to be better this year, with the Cardinals sliding down and beginning a few seasons of looking up at everyone else.

It’s like I said, what goes up, will come down. Cardinals’ fans should settle in for a bit as the inevitable rebuild begins.

As for Los Angeles, heading into their first preseason contest this weekend means all eyes will focus on McVay, Goff, and the question of whether they have finally turned the corner.

Next: Rams defense very mortal after injury

Bottom line, they have.

If for no other reason than Jeff Fisher is now unemployed.