National Football League

NFC West: 2016 Season Preview

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

foxsports

The 2016 NFL season begins on Thursday. But before we start the season, it’s time for a look at the final division in our season preview, the NFC West.

The NFC West started off this decade as the laughing-stock of the NFL, having a division winner post a losing record to make the playoffs. Things quickly turned around in the division, with the NFC West representing the conference in the Super Bowl three straight seasons and taking home a ring in 2013.

The division seems to have come back down to Earth recently. The Arizona Cardinals took the division last season, but were demolished in the playoffs by the eventual NFC Champions, the Carolina Panthers. Whether or not the Cardinals have what it takes to repeat as division champs and advance further in the playoffs is just one of the many intriguing story-lines heading into tomorrow’s season kickoff.

The San Francisco 49ers have found themselves in the spotlight the past week, thanks in large part to Colin Kaepernick’s refusal to stand for the National Anthem. How long will the quarterback continue his stance? How vitriolic will the response be when/if he refuses to stand the day after Sept. 11?

Staying in California, the Los Angeles Rams are back in the state after more than 20 years away. They make their return to California with the number 1 pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, Jared Goff, currently listed as the team’s backup quarterback. How long before Goff is thrown into the fire? Will the Rams be able to improve upon their record from 2015 in their return to Los Angeles?

Then there’s the team that seemingly everyone, at least from a media standpoint, has forgotten about. The Seattle Seahawks. Will they right the ship after a sub-par 2015 and reclaim their post as a legitimate Super Bowl contender? Will Russell Wilson finally convince the doubters that he’s elite?

Just how does the NFC West play out in 2016? Let’s find out.

Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

4. San Francisco 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers were a team on the rise just a few short years ago. They had a great young coach, they had a rising star at the quarterback position, and they had just come off a Super Bowl appearance. Everything was looking up in Bay Area.

Snap back to the present day and that couldn’t be further from the situation surrounding this team. The 2016 49ers squad may be one of the worst in football this season. It’s not that the roster isn’t talented, either. There are a lot of pieces in place. They have a couple superb offensive linemen and a promising young running back on offense. Defensively, they have two young studs up front, a potential Hall of Fame linebacker, and an excellent safety.

The problem in San Francisco is a severe lack of talent where it counts, namely at the helm. Their quarterback situation looks the bleakest it’s been in a long time, maybe ever. They enter the season with Blaine Gabbert as their starting quarterback. Meanwhile, the once-promising Colin Kaepernick has been unseated and has seemingly forgotten all the promise he once showed.

The most legitimate player they have at the position, Christian Ponder, is somehow sitting at third string. I realize he was just recently signed with the team, but I still think he’s a better option than either Gabbert or present-day Kaepernick.

Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

3. Los Angeles Rams

The Los Angeles Rams. We’ve had all offseason to adjust to it, but it still feels strange to say. The Rams haven’t been in Los Angeles since I was in grade school, but they make their triumphant (they hope) return to the City of Angels after a 22-year absence. What are the chances they’re bringing a winning team with them?

Not very good. The team, at least on the offensive side of the ball, is in the midst of a rebuilding phase. And it definitely shows. They moved up in the 2016 NFL Draft to select the man they think will be the face of the franchise for years to come, Jared Goff.

And they have him sitting behind Case Keenum, A journeyman quarterback who has bounced around from bad team to bad team. Perhaps the Rams are playing it safe and slowly bringing Goff along, but sitting behind Keenum doesn’t instill a lot of confidence.

Beyond Goff, the Rams offense has a lack of talent at every position except running back. Todd Gurley burst onto the scene when he finally played last year and never looked back. Gurley will be a star in this league soon if he isn’t already. But after Gurley, the cupboard is pretty bare.

At wide receiver, the Rams have Tavon Austin, who has a lot of talent, but has yet to convert that talent into production. The team just gave Austin a sizable contract extension, banking on this being the year that he finally puts it all together. The hope is that this is the year his production finally meets his promise—I just don’t see that happening.

Up front, the offensive line is anchored by former second-overall pick Greg Robinson. Robinson hasn’t been terrible in his first two seasons for the squad, but he hasn’t lived up to the hype surrounding him coming out of college.

The saving grace for the Rams is going to be their defense, led by an absolute beast of a defensive lineman in Aaron Donald. If Donald isn’t already the best interior lineman in the NFL, he will be very, very soon. The defense should keep them in enough games to give them a slight edge over San Francisco.

Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

2. Seattle Seahawks

Prior to the 2015 season, the Seattle Seahawks and their fans were on top of the world. They had made two straight Super Bowl appearances and, were it not for a questionable play call in the final moments, would probably have been back-to-back champions.

In 2015, however, the Seahawks fell back to Earth a bit, finishing only 10-6 and runner-up to the Arizona Cardinals. Though they would qualify for the playoffs and win their first-round game, it wasn’t the success the team had enjoyed in previous seasons.

Look for that trend to continue in 2016. The Seahawks have a solid roster, spearheaded by quarterback Russell Wilson. While strong overall, the roster does have some weaknesses. Marshawn Lynch retired after the 2015 season, leaving a hole at running back. Thomas Rawls looks to fill those shoes, but he’s currently bothered by the lingering effects of his season-ending ankle injury suffered last year.

Behind Rawls is Christine Michael. He’s received a lot of buzz in the offseason as a potential breakout player. I don’t think I’m ready to buy into the hype. Michael has had a solid preseason, but he’s had solid displays in the past and has failed to turn it into regular season success. If Rawls isn’t back soon, Seattle could be in a dangerous place at the position.

However, even with the questions at running back, the Seahawks are a team led by their defense. And that is a squad that remains formidable in 2016. The “Legion of Boom” has taken some hits in the last couple years, but they are still one of the best group of defensive backs in the league. Richard Sherman is still arguably the best cover corner in the league. Earl Thomas is still a potential Hall of Fame player.

If the 2016 Seattle Seahawks are going to have success, it’s going to be on the backs of a strong defense, and thanks to some magic from Russell Wilson. I wouldn’t put it past them, but I think they’ll fall just short of the division crown.

Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

1. Arizona Cardinals

In stark contrast with the 49ers, the Arizona Cardinals have the strongest roster in the division. They may have the strongest roster in all of the NFL, from top to bottom. They’re led by Carson Palmer, who even at his advanced age, is finding a way to lead the team consistently to the playoffs.

Surrounding Palmer is the most talented team he has ever played for. He has a wide receiver corps that I would put up against any in the entire league. He has a strong line protecting him and has one of the best young dual-threat running backs in the league in David Johnson.

On the defensive side of things, they are just as strong. They possess elite-level athletes at every level of the defense. Calais Campbell anchors the front line. Chandler Jones and Deone Buchannon lead a stellar group of 3-4 linebackers. Patrick Peterson is still one of the best cornerbacks in the league, and Tyrann Mathieu makes his return to the team after a knee injury cut his 2015 season short.

The 2016 Arizona Cardinals squad has all the pieces in place to take the NFC West title and make a deep run in the playoffs. The only thing I see standing in their way is health. Carson Palmer has had a history of injury, and there isn’t much backing him up. If he goes down, the ship is sunk. If he stays healthy, the sky is the limit. Either way, they should be fun to watch.