NFC West preview: Cardinals, Rams, 49ers and Seahawks
NFC WEST
ARIZONA CARDINALS
Coach: Kliff Kingsbury (third season in Arizona, 13-18-1 in the regular season).
Last season: 8-8 (third in the division).
Key additions: DE J.J. Watt, WR A.J. Green, C Rodney Hudson, CB Malcolm Butler, RB James Conner, G Brian Winters, ILB Zaven Collins.
Key subtractions: CB Patrick Peterson, WR Larry Fitzgerald, LB De’Vondre Campbell, NT Corey Peters, C Mason Cole, CB Dre Kirkpatrick, LB Hasson Reddick, G J.R. Sweezy.
Looking ahead: The Cardinals have been in Arizona longer than they were in Chicago or St. Louis, but where they probably wish they were is back in the NFC East (Motto: “Just Trying To Get it Together”) instead of the NFC West (Motto: “We’re thinking Super Bowl”). With Peterson and Fitzgerald gone, this needs to be QB Kyler Murray’s team and room. Murray’s wonderful when healthy. Good luck, Kyler.
LOS ANGELES RAMS
Coach: Sean McVay (fifth season with the Rams, 43-21 in the regular season, 3-3 in the playoffs)
Last season: 10-6 (second in the division), lost to Green Bay in the NFC Wild Card round.
Key additions: QB Matthew Stafford, WR DeSean Jackson, WR Tutu Atwell.
Key subtractions: QB Jared Goff, S John Johnson III, C Austin Blythe, DT Michael Brockers, LB Samson Ebukam, CB Troy Hill, WR Josh Reynolds.
Looking ahead: The rare trade of starting quarterbacks brings Stafford, a tough, spectacular player, more capable of big plays than Goff and not as likely to turn the ball over. Did you realize the Rams had the NFL’s No. 1 total defense and scoring defense? Playing in a division with two injured starting quarterbacks helped. LA might take some time to find its way — new QB, new center (they make the line calls) and Johnson made the defensive calls.
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
Coach: Kyle Shanahan (fifth season in San Francisco; 29-35 in the regular season, 2-1 in the playoffs).
Last season: 6-10 (fourth in the division).
Key additions: LB Samson Ebukam, C Alex Mack, OG Aaron Banks.
Key subtractions: DE Kerry Hyder, CB Richard Sherman, WR Kendrick Bourne,
Looking ahead: Jimmy’s down! Jimmy’s healthy! Jimmy’s quarterbacking a Super Bowl team! Jimmy’s down again! QB Jimmy Garoppolo missed 23 of 48 games in three seasons with the 49ers. Starting with defensive end Nick Bosa’s season-ending injury in Week 2, you could hear the crack of the 2019 NFC champions’ 2020 season being kneecapped (almost literally). If they stay healthy, this can be a Super Bowl team again.
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
Coach: Pete Carroll (12th season in Seattle, 112-63-1 in the regular season, 10-8 in the playoffs)
Last season: 12-4 (first in the division), lost in the NFC Wild Card round to the Rams.
Key additions: G Gabe Jackson, DT Al Woods, TE Gerald Everett, DE Aldon Smith.
Key subtractions: CB Shaquill Griffin, G Mike Iupata, DT Jarran Reed, LB K.J. Wright, TE Greg Olsen, CB Quinton Dunbar, WR David Moore.
Looking ahead: QB Russell Wilson harrumphed about his pass protection — Seattle did tie for 27th in sacks allowed with a still-mobile Wilson — and word got out that he would accept a trade to a select few teams. He’s still in Seattle, but that line looks awfully similar to last year’s. Carroll would love to get back to the run-and-defense look of Seattle’s Legion of Boom Super Bowl days and might have the team to do it. If it can handle the drama, that is.
DAVID J. NEAL
This story was originally published September 6, 2021 at 8:00 AM.
