San Francisco 49ers

NFC West: How Good Is the 49ers' Own Division in 2016?

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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The NFC West was considered atop the NFL’s best divisions not long ago. Two weeks into the 2016 season, the NFC West isn’t exactly being praised as highly competitive. Has the 49ers’ own division fallen on hard times, or is this just a glitch?

Nov 27, 2014; Santa Clara, CA, USA; General view of the line of scrimmage as San Francisco 49ers center Marcus Martin (66) snaps the ball to quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) against the Seattle Seahawks at Levi’s Stadium. The Seahawks defeated the 49ers 19-3 in the Thanksgiving Day game.Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Remember the days when the NFC West boasted some of the best teams in the NFL, especially on defense?

Yeah, those days weren’t long ago. In fact, one might consider 2015 a year in which this division was still atop the league rankings. It did, after all, send two teams — the Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks — deep into the playoffs.

Defensively, the St. Louis Los Angeles Rams might also be thrown into the mix.

But here we are two games into 2016. And would you believe it? The San Francisco 49ers actually sit on top of this division.

Yes, the Niners, technically, are in first place when one factors in the tiebreakers.

Not much is expected out of San Francisco this season. The same could be said of Los Angeles, at least offensively outside of running back Todd Gurley.

So this prompts the question — is the NFC West as bad as it seems? Just consider the video below:

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We’ll get to the individual teams in a moment. But factor in the 49ers’ woes of which we know all about. And consider the Rams haven’t scored a touchdown yet. The Seahawks? Well, they have their own offensive problems too.

So let’s break down the NFC West after two weeks and try to come up with some sort of answer regarding what’s going on here.

Starting with the bottom — yes you, Seattle — on up.

Sep 18, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) looses the ball as he is sacked by Los Angeles Rams defensive end Robert Quinn (94) during the first half of a NFL game against the Seattle Seahawks at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Seattle Seahawks

Offensive Points: 15 (No. 31)

Offensive Yards: 658 (No. 26)

Defensive Points Allowed: 19 (No. 1)

Defensive Yards Allowed: 497 (No. 1)

OK, so the Seahawks defense is still really, really good. Granted, they did face off against the offensive-inept Rams in Week 2. And the Miami Dolphins’ Week 1 offensive effort wasn’t much better.

Still, averaging 248.5 yards against over two games is no joke. And we can assess Seattle will probably have to ride the strength of their defense if the postseason is going to be in the picture.

The major question here is the offense. Or lack thereof.

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Quarterback Russell Wilson is still an elite playmaker. Few will doubt that. But protecting him has been an entirely different story.

Wilson has already been sacked five times this season. And as Pro Football Focus pointed out after Week 2, the offensive line will likely be a problem for the Seahawks all season long. There simply isn’t any easy fix here.

KNBR 680’s 49ers broadcaster Ted Robinson also pointed something out worth considering. The Seahawks boasted the highest-paid O-line during their Super Bowl championship season. Now, that same unit is the league’s lowest-paid group.

Oh, and the absence of retired running back Marshawn Lynch seems to hurt too. The once-vaunted Seattle rushing attack has gained a net total of 179 yards on the ground — good for 18th.

A far cry from the mantra of the Seahawks offense not long ago.

Sep 18, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald (11) celebrates a catch against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second quarter at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Arizona Cardinals

Offensive Points: 61 (No. 5)

Offensive Yards: 760 (No. 11)

Defensive Points Allowed: 30 (No. 5)

Defensive Yards Allowed: 669 (No. 13)

Had it not been for an amazing and stunning Week 1 loss to the Tom-Brady-less New England Patriots in Week 1, the Cardinals would be sitting pretty atop the NFC West after two weeks.

Exactly where most people projected them to be.

Arizona is in win-now mode. It makes sense, considering the age factor for aging quarterback Carson Palmer and veteran wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald. They want their rings.

Fitzgerald isn’t showing any signs of slowing down. He already has 162 receiving yards and three touchdowns this season. And Pro Football Focus gave him a top-mark 85.5 grade in Week 2.

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Oh, and that guy David Johnson is a pretty good running back as well.

The defense, on paper, looks mean. And the addition of linebacker Chandler Jones this offseason is certainly a boost. But the number of yards given up to a Patriots passing offense led by quarterback Jimmy Garappolo, as well as 300-plus yards to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 2, doesn’t quite suggest elite.

And if Palmer was to go down with a serious injury? Disaster.

Sep 12, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald (99) reacts during the second half of an NFL game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Los Angeles Rams

Offensive Points: 9 (No. 32)

Offensive Yards: 468 (No. 32)

Defensive Points Allowed: 31 (No. 7)

Defensive Yards Allowed: 626 (No. 10)

Are the Rams really that bad, offensively, or have they had the misfortune of facing off against two good defenses (we’ll get to whether or not the 49ers have a good D)?

Outside of running back Todd Gurley, we have to go with the former.

Yes, Los Angeles seems like it’s going to stink it up on offense as it did for much of last season. And the calls for rookie quarterback Jared Goff will continue to rise until, well, he starts.

Maybe Goff is the elixir this team needs. Perhaps he’s not. Or maybe it’s head coach Jeff Fisher, who hasn’t had a winning season at the helm since 2008.

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Like last year, the Rams will go as far as their defense will take them. Gurley too, although he’s yet to crest the 100-yard mark this season. And that’s not a per-game average. We’re talking net yards total.

Los Angeles’ front-seven defense finally came alive in Week 2 and chewed up Seattle’s offensive line. So the Rams get some points there.

Still, 2016 probably isn’t going to be the winning season for which Fisher hoped.

Sep 18, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Blaine Gabbert (2) talks to head coach Chip Kelly in the second quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

San Francisco 49ers

Offensive Points: 55 (No. 9)

Offensive Yards: 622 (No. 27)

Defensive Points Allowed: 46 (No. 16)

Defensive Yards Allowed: 714 (No. 15)

Alright, 49ers fans. It’s your time. Enjoy the thought of the Niners being in first place within the NFC West. How long that lasts? Well, hopefully it’s for a bit. Maybe.

Week 2 brought the feel-good feelings from Week 1 crashing to a halt. The Carolina Panthers routed the 49ers 46-27 in a game San Francisco had no business winning — on paper or by any other analysis.

But, to be fair, the Niners were trailing by only seven points with five-plus minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. It was a game. And the fact Carolina led only 17-10 at the half meant this didn’t turn into a blowout from the opening whistle.

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That’s good. The 49ers can compete with top-tier teams, which is a far cry from what was seen a year ago.

Still, there are more than a few problems here. See the vast difference between total points scored on offense compared to offensive yards?

This means two things — San Francisco is benefiting from insanely good field position and/or scoring off turnovers.

The latter should draw our attention. The 49ers actually rank second in the NFL with six turnovers generated so far.

But the problem is San Francisco still doesn’t have a likable answer at quarterback. Blaine Gabbert has been inconsistent, and Colin Kaepernick probably isn’t the answer either.

So the offense will likely go as far as running back Carlos Hyde will take them. He excelled in Week 1. Not so much in Week 2. At least the Niners are boasting a strong offensive line, as Pro Football Focus pointed out.

Insofar as the defense, the 49ers do have some nice pieces. DeForest Buckner and Arik Armstead will look to bookend the defensive line. Linebacker NaVorro Bowman is a stud. And there are workable pieces in the secondary.

Will that be enough to offset the lack of playmaking ability on offense?

Sep 27, 2015; Glendale, AZ, USA; San Francisco 49ers defensive end Arik Armstead (91) sacks Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer (3) during the second half at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Cardinals won 47-7. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Is the NFC West the NFL’s Worst Division?

We could break down where the NFC West ranks, statistically, in comparison to the other seven divisions across the NFL. But two weeks’ worth of evidence doesn’t exactly lend a lot of help here. One would have to wait until each division has had at least one round of interdivisional games played.

Whatever. It’s convoluted.

Regardless, here’s the thought — the NFC West is no longer at the elite level it once was. Does that make it the worst division in football?

No. Not even close.

The NFC East is still carrying that label in many pundits’ minds. At least until proven otherwise. And the NFC South, outside of the Panthers, has question marks written all over it. Minus the Houston Texans, the AFC South seems awfully lackluster so far.