National Football League

NFC West Guide: Predictions for Cardinals, Rams, 49ers and Seahawks

Updated Sep. 8, 2022 2:52 p.m. ET

By Eric D. Williams
FOX Sports NFL Writer

After a magical season that ended in a Super Bowl victory on their home field, the Los Angeles Rams believe they can be the first team in nearly 20 years to repeat as Super Bowl champs.

Just ask cocksure cornerback Jalen Ramsey.

"When you have great ambition to be legendary in the league, it’s easy to turn that page and go strive for the next big thing," Ramsey told reporters this week.

The last team to achieve that feat was the New England Patriots during the 2003 and 2004 seasons. But the Rams must first run the NFC West gauntlet again to get the opportunity to reach the goal.

The NFC West was the only division to have three teams reach the playoffs last season, and teams like the San Francisco 49ers and the Arizona Cardinals improved on paper.

So, it won’t be easy to repeat as NFC West champs. But Rams head coach Sean McVay believes his teams has what it takes to climb the mountain again.

"We’ve moved on," McVay said. "I will always have great reverence for that team. But this is about 2022, being ready to roll when this thing kicks off at 5:21 at SoFi Stadium. That’s exclusively where my focus and concentration is."

Here’s a closer look at the division.

Arizona Cardinals

Overview: Under the direction of Kliff Kingsbury, the Cardinals have made steady improvement each season, going from five wins his first year, to eight wins his second season followed by 11 wins and a postseason berth in Year 3. However, the Cardinals posted a 12-2 record through Week 7 over the last two seasons but finished 7-13 in games after Week 7. Kingsbury must figure out a way to avoid the injury bug and finish strong. The Cardinals will also be without their best receiver to open the season, with DeAndre Hopkins suspended for the first six weeks for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs.

Strength: Led by electric quarterback Kyler Murray, the Cardinals have one of the most explosive offenses in the league. Arizona will lean on the bruising running of James Conner, who finished with a career-high 18 total touchdowns in 2021. Murray also has several playmakers at his disposal, including new addition Marquise Brown, veteran A.J. Green and tight end Zach Ertz. Arizona averaged 26.4 points per game last season, good enough for No. 11 in the NFL.

Breakout player: Someone must step up with Hopkins not available to start the season. And with Christian Kirk leaving to join the Jacksonville Jaguars in free agency, that should allow for Rondale Moore to get more touches as a slot receiver. Moore finished with 54 receptions for 435 receiving yards and a touchdown last year and should eclipse those numbers in 2022.

Prediction: While the Cardinals are improved, they lost two veteran playmakers on defense in Chandler Jones and Jordan Hicks. Replacing that experience and production will be difficult. And they face teams that made the playoffs in four of their first six games of the season. Arizona has not won a division title or playoff game since 2015.

Win-Loss Prediction: 9-8

Los Angeles Rams

Overview: All McVay has done is win since arriving in Los Angeles five years ago. The Rams have won at least 10 games and reached the postseason in four of the five seasons under McVay. With a 55-26 record over that stretch, only the Kansas City Chiefs and New Orleans Saints have a better record since 2017. The Rams lost some good coaches to other teams and talented role players in free agency, but the foundational players remain on this roster, making them a formidable foe to overcome in this division.

Strength: While the Rams boast one of the more dynamic offenses in the NFL led by McVay, this team should be led by the defense. It all starts with Aaron Donald up front. The addition of linebacker Bobby Wagner in free agency solidifies a weak spot on the second level of their defense. And Ramsey remains one of the best cover corners in the league. The Rams allowed the second-fewest TD passes in the NFL in 2021 (21). L.A. was the only team to allow fewer than 20 TD passes in each of the last two seasons.

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Breakout player: A fourth-round selection out of Purdue in the 2020 draft, tight end Brycen Hopkins finally showed he could make plays during the postseason and in the Super Bowl. The confidence earned making plays in that high-pressure environment carried over to training camp this year, and he looks like he will be a regular contributor in the passing game for the Rams in 2022.

Prediction: Yes, Andrew Whitworth retired, Odell Beckham Jr. is still rehabbing from knee surgery and Von Miller is in Buffalo. But the Rams added a future Hall of Famer in Wagner, along with big-bodied receiver Allen Robinson II in free agency. And core players like Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp, Donald and Ramsey remain on the roster. The Rams will be a Super Bowl contender again.

Win-Loss Prediction: 12-5

San Francisco 49ers

Overview: The Trey Lance era begins for San Francisco, with the second-year pro taking over the starting quarterback job. However, he will have pressure to succeed early on, with former starting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo restructuring his contract and remaining on the roster as the backup QB. The Niners have one of the most talented rosters in the league and could push to overtake the Rams as the leaders in the NFC West. San Francisco reached the playoffs in two of the past three seasons (the Niners made it to the NFC title game last year and the Super Bowl after the 2020 season).

Is Trey Lance ready?

The San Francisco 49ers will start Trey Lance at QB Week 1 vs. Chicago Bears. Emmanuel Acho, Joy Taylor, LeSean McCoy and David Helman decide if 49ers made the right move going with him as their starter.

Strength: San Francisco has one of the best defensive lines in the NFL, led by Nick Bosa and Arik Armstead. And linebacker Fred Warner remains one of the best in the business. The 49ers led the NFL with 22 forced fumbles last season and are the only team in the league to finish in the top five in total defense in each of the last three seasons.

Breakout player: A first-round selection in the 2020 draft out of Arizona State, Brandon Aiyuk totaled 52 receptions for 820 receiving yards and four touchdowns from Week 8 through the playoffs last season. While Deebo Samuel and George Kittle are expected to carry the receiving load, Aiyuk gives the Niners another option for Lance who can make plays over the middle of the field and win contested catches.

Prediction: San Francisco’s trajectory this season will depend on how fast Shanahan can get Lance to play efficient football. The 49ers are helped by facing teams that did not make the playoffs in five of the first six games. But if Lance struggles, how long will it take for Shanahan to turn to Garoppolo? Since Shanahan took over in 2017, San Francisco is 31-14 with Garoppolo as the starter and 8-28 in all other games.

Win-Loss Prediction: 11-6

Seattle Seahawks

Overview: Pete Carroll and the Seahawks moved on from Russell Wilson this offseason, so the rebuild is underway in Seattle. Geno Smith won the quarterback competition in training camp over Drew Lock. But Carroll said that competition will continue into the regular season. Carroll also moved on from longtime defensive coach Ken Norton Jr., with Clint Hurtt elevated to defensive coordinator. He will have to fix one of the worst pass defenses from last season. Seattle allowed 265 passing yards a game in 2021, No. 31 in the NFL.

Strength: Carroll got back to what his teams did well in the past — running the football — as former first-round selection Rashaad Penny played to his potential last season. The San Diego State product led the league in rushing yards (671) and rushing touchdowns (6) over the final five weeks of 2021. Penny posted at least 130 rushing yards in each of his last three games and led the NFL with 6.3 yards per carry last season.

Breakout player: Edge rusher Darrell Taylor is an explosive athlete who has not played a lot due to injuries. But the second-round selection in the 2020 draft provided a glimpse of what he can do last season, finishing with 6.5 sacks. If Taylor can stay healthy, he should be a double-digit sack guy for the Seahawks, which would be the first time a player accomplished that in Seattle since 2018.

Prediction: Expectations are low for Seattle with Wilson in Denver. The Seahawks missed the postseason in 2021 for just the third time in 12 seasons under Carroll and finished last in the NFC West for the first time since 1994. The Seahawks appear headed down a similar path this season. Still, Carroll hasn’t forgotten how to coach, and Seattle should figure out a way to keep games close this season. Winning games in the fourth quarter is another matter. The Seahawks were a league-worst 0-5 in games decided by three points or fewer last season.

Win-Loss Prediction: 7-10

Eric D. Williams is an NFL writer for FOX Sports. He has covered the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on Twitter @eric_d_williams.