Mike's NFL Preview: NFC West

Suntan Superman

WC's Resident Samoan

Here's the NFC West, sorry about the delay, blame the chicks...


1. San Fransisco 49ers
Key Additions:
LB Tully Banta-Cain(NE)
CB Nate Clements(BUF)
WR Darrell Jackson(SEA)
WR Ashley Lelie(ATL)
SS Michael Lewis(PHI)
LB Patrick Willis(1st Rnd)
OT Joe Staley(1st Rnd)

Key Losses:
DT Anthony Adams(CHI)
SS Mike Adams(CLE)
WR Antonio Bryant(Cut)
TE Eric Johnson(NO)
C Jeremy Newberry(OAK)

Here's my limb pick for you, the 49ers WILL win the West. They added some HUGE talent this offseason, an abysmal secondary gets instant credibility with the additions of Michael Lewis and Nate Clements. Did they overpay? Possibly. Will it be worth it? Probably. Fact: Frank Gore could be the best RB in the division, that's with Steven Jackson, Edgerrin James and Shaun Alexander. Fact: They will miss Norv Turner the OC. Fiction: The Defense is a weakness. This could be the team that returns the Niners to glory.

2. St. Louis Rams
Key Additions:
WR Drew Bennett(TEN)
LB Chris Draft(CAR)
KR Dante Hall(KC)
DE James Hall(DET)
SS Todd Johnson(CHI)
P Donnie Jones(MIA)
TE Randy McMichael(MIA)
Key Losses:
WR Kevin Curtis(PHI)
WR Shaun McDonald(DET)
OG Adam Timmerman(Cut)
P Matt Turk(Cut)

Shored up a pretty good defense with the addition of Pass Rush Specialist James Hall. Offense which was pretty good, just got better, Adding TE Randy McMichael and WR Drew Bennett is huge. Steven Jackson returns after a huge year at HB and Marc Bulger will be Marc Bulger. Solid if unspectacular. Really not much to be said, Second year coach Scott Linehan really turned it on in the final four weeks of the year, so I guess we'll see how much that carries over to the next year.

3. Seattle Seahawks
Key Additions:
FS Deon Grant(JAX)
DE Patrick Kerney(ATL)
TE Marcus Pollard(DET)
FS Brian Russell(CLE)

Key Losses:
FS Ken Hamlin(DAL)
WR Darrell Jackson(SF)
TE Jerramy Stevens(TB)
C Robbie Tobeck(Retired)

Seattle's margin of error has shrunk. And now, with St. Louis back, San Fransisco no longer rebuilding, and the Cardinals on the ropes, Seattle could end up as the doormat. Injuries decimated the Seahawks last year that led them to a 9-7 year. Shaun Alexander should bounce back from injuries, as with Matt Hasselbeck. However another single digit year win could be a sign that this team has peaked as far as how far they can go. Sorry Joe Cool... things don't look good as with each year the core group of players gets older.

4. Arizona Cardinals
Key Additions:
OT Mike Gandy(BUF)
FS Terrence Holt(DET)
OT Levi Brown(1st Rnd)

Key Losses:
OT Leonard Davis(DAL)
FS Robert Griffith(Cut)

The Cardinals... are who we thought they were! Dennis Green is gone, so is his fiery attitude and the West Coast Offense. Enter Ken Whisenhunt, the man largely associated with Ben Roethlisberger's early success in the league. For Matt Leinart, this could be good. His Offense has all it needs to succeed right away. Oh wait, they STILL have no offensive line! You can have Edgerrin James, Matt Leinart, Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, and Leonard Pope but it doesn't matter if Leinart can't get the ball out, or James can't make it past the line! Sure it's great that they added Levi Brown, but the line already had a veteran like Levi in Leonard, who they let walk via Free Agency. Sadly I see this team going virtually nowhere from a 5-11 season last year.

Suntan Superman

WC's Resident Samoan

finished... sorry about the wait

Slimdust

I think this division could really go to any team, I am interested to see what happens.

PS3 Online Name: xJimmyx23

www.haulingkings.com

Blitzkrieg

Administrator

I don't.. I see it as a 3-team race here. SF should be decent, I loved their offseason and Gore is a stud plus the devloping Alex Smith but I'm not sure if they're ready to challenge Seattle barring any major injuries. Rams should be a wild card contender, I don't see Arizona doing anything.. Maybe 6 wins.

Slimdust

i give arizona the least amount of credit, but on paper they seem really good, its hard to count them out even though they always let you down.

PS3 Online Name: xJimmyx23

www.haulingkings.com