Who's The Favorite In The NFC West?

[DrMoonTooth]

I just wanted to know what every one thought about the NFC West this year. With the retirement of Kurt Warner and the departures of Anquan boldin, Karlos Dansby,and Antrel Rolle, I can't say the Cardinals will repeat as the NFC West Champions. Seattle hasn't looked that great either with Matt Hasselbeck struggling with injury as of late. St. Louis is obviously rebuilding...still.

...One would think that the 49ers are left standing as the early favorites, no? I think so. Alex Smith could finally take the next step with better protection via the 49ers' draft. A better O-Line also translates to better play from Frank Gore, who can be a monster RB when he stays away from the injury bug. They also have a pretty good Defense led by Patrick Willis AKA "Baby Ray Lewis". Vernon Davis and Michael Crabtree could be a nasty tandem this year as well. Mike Singletary is a great coach, too.

So, do all signs point to San Fran?

[H8R]

I pick the 9ers, but that division is pretty much wide-open. If Leinhart can play well, the Cards will be near the top.

[DrMoonTooth]

[quote name='H8R' timestamp='1281916933' post='452155']
I pick the 9ers, but that division is pretty much wide-open. If Leinhart can play well, the Cards will be near the top.
[/quote]
Agreed...but that's a big "if".

[H8R]

No doubt. They did loose some pieces on defense too. I really like the 9ers because I think the defense will be solid and a healthy Frank Gore with a HOPEFULLY Improved Alex Smith and the other offensive weapons.

[DrMoonTooth]

[quote name='H8R' timestamp='1281917624' post='452159']
No doubt. They did loose some pieces on defense too. I really like the 9ers because I think the defense will be solid and a healthy Frank Gore with a HOPEFULLY Improved Alex Smith and the other offensive weapons.
[/quote]
Exactly. A healthy Frank Gore is questionable, too. Barring any injury at this point though, the 49ers definitely have the best team on paper in my opinion.

[RavensAllTheWay]

Even though this is a bad division, it's gonna be competitive. The way I see it,

1st 49ers
2nd Seahawks
3rd Cardinals
4th Rams

But instead of the niners dominating, I think the hawks are gonna finish closer to them than the Cards. The hawks may even win it in 2011 because they're on their way back up.

[Reddawn36]

gonna have to say it depends on who has the better QB play

[ed.s52]

San Fran is obviously the favorite imo.

Last year, if they won the game they should've won at the Seahawks they would've beat the Cards for the division spot.

If Alex Smith just repeats last year's play and their aren't any major health issues they should win it by a landslide.

[McBurks]

If Alex Smith can manage the game and Frank Gore doesn't get hurt,the 49ers could sweep the division.Then I had the Cards coming in second but they're looking questionable since Fitzgerald has a sprained MCL and he's going to play a big part in the success of Matt Leinart.

[BrownsFan]

I don't think Leinart necessarily has to play well.. just not play badly. If he can just protect the ball and be a bit conservative Arizona still has enough weapons to win games and possibly that division.

Besides Arizona I think the other option has to be SF. Smith has seemed to finally get 100% healthy and turn into a solid QB.

[RavensAllTheWay]

I really think the Cards are going to miss veteran leadership, not just from Warner but from Boldin and Dansby also. But I like what the Seahawks are doing. They've been filling all sorts of team needs with high profile players in both FA and especially through the draft (first two rounds). They added Okung to replace Walter Jones, Earl Thomas to add spark in the secondary and Golden Tate to compliment TJ. Not to mention, they seem to have more optimism than Arizona by a long shot.

[lowrider]

I have a theory that the Cardinals hate themselves and never want to win. So they insist on finding ways to lose however they can. They tried so hard their Super Bowl year to not be good (they went 8-8 in the regular season) and they made a run in the playoffs still. The FO aren't willing to spend any money to keep the people that got them to the Super Bowl. But lucky them, this year will put them right back where they like to be. In the bottom of the power rankings.

[DrMoonTooth]

[quote name='BrownsFan' timestamp='1281962649' post='452375']
I don't think Leinart necessarily has to play well.. just not play badly. If he can just protect the ball and be a bit conservative Arizona still has enough weapons to win games and possibly that division.

Besides Arizona I think the other option has to be SF. Smith has seemed to finally get 100% healthy and turn into a solid QB.
[/quote]
True. I think a big wildcard to the Cardinals' success is Beanie Wells, who could have a breakout year with Tim Hightower complimenting him. If Leinart is going to play more conservative, they need a good run game.

[Ed_Reed20]

The 9ers have the best combination of talent, coaching and hunger. Barring major injuries to guys like Gore, Davis, Willis or Goldson, I think they're a lock to win that division.

[Shammy]

SF is my 2nd favorite team i was actually a 9ers fan b4 Bmore so of course ima go with them

[DrMoonTooth]

Wow, I didn't expect this poll to be a shutout. No Cardinals or even Seahawks supporters?

[Gtown Purple]

I like the 49ers due to there defense and adding brian westbrook.

[DrMoonTooth]

[quote name='Gtown Purple' timestamp='1282145977' post='453663']
I like the 49ers due to there defense and adding brian westbrook.
[/quote]
Adding Westbrook is definitely a big pickup. If he can stay healthy, he's a great compliment to Gore's bruising running style.

[DrMoonTooth]

...and Pu with the bold prediction!!! lol.

[PuRock]

[quote name='DrMoonTooth' timestamp='1282146663' post='453672']
...and Pu with the bold prediction!!! lol.
[/quote]

I have Nostradamus qualities (and plus I'm not a fan of lopsided polls).

I predict that the 49ers Alex Smith will lose any momentum that he gained and injuries to both Gore and Westbrook are imminent.
I predict that the Seahawks will spend more time on focusing the mess that is their running back and WR situation then on winning gameplans.
I predict that the Cardinals' Leinhart will settle down with a cheerleader and start taking bong hits before each home game and that Fitzgerlad cannot hide from the Madden 10 curse (Sort of like Final Destination).

Lastly I predict that I might eat some left over pizza for lunch and throw the bedding into the laundry @ Lunch hour. And the Rams make strides.

[DrMoonTooth]

[quote name='PuRock' timestamp='1282147045' post='453676']
I have Nostradamus qualities (and plus I'm not a fan of lopsided polls).

I predict that the 49ers Alex Smith will lose any momentum that he gained and injuries to both Gore and Westbrook are imminent.
I predict that the Seahawks will spend more time on focusing the mess that is their running back and WR situation then on winning gameplans.
I predict that the Cardinals' Leinhart will settle down with a cheerleader and start taking bong hits before each home game and that Fitzgerlad cannot hide from the Madden 10 curse (Sort of like Final Destination).

Lastly I predict that I might eat some left over pizza for lunch and throw the bedding into the laundry @ Lunch hour. And the Rams make strides.
[/quote]
I wish I could give this a +29746378276. The best part is how realistic this all is. Very bold, but very possible.

[PuRock]

[quote name='DrMoonTooth' timestamp='1282163990' post='453851']
I wish I could give this a +29746378276. The best part is how realistic this all is. Very bold, but very possible.
[/quote]

That's the best part about the NFL, anything can happen. So much better than the other sports.

[Clutch Ravens]

[quote name='Simba' timestamp='1281962602' post='452374']
If Alex Smith can manage the game and Frank Gore doesn't get hurt,the 49ers could sweep the division.Then I had the Cards coming in second but they're looking questionable since Fitzgerald has a sprained MCL and he's going to play a big part in [i]limiting the failure of Matt Leinart[/i].
[/quote]

Just thought I'd fix that.

I really don't think the Cardinals will find it easy to win with Leinart at the helm. He has the personality and demeanor of a loser on the football field and that impacts his team-mates in a negative way, almost like Russell did to the Raiders. They lost a couple of key defenders to boot.

The Seahawks are getting the pieces in place but I doubt they do much with Matt "Mr Durability" Hasselbeck and Charlie "Clipboard Jesus" Whitehurst at the helm. The D is starting to improve with the addition of Earl Thomas but still seems pretty weak.

Sam Bradford is in his rookie year with very few weapons and a shakey offensive line. That spells tackle-dummy.
The Rams D still looks horrible.

The 9ers win the division by default. Alex Smith just has to limit his failure this season and the 9ers can easily clinch the weakest division in football. They can make the Playoffs but I can't see them ever doing much with Alex Smith at the helm.

It's a division I really don't care about. The 49ers are probably the only team that finish with a winning record.

[DrMoonTooth]

[quote name='PuRock' timestamp='1282164543' post='453855']
That's the best part about the NFL, anything can happen. So much better than the other sports.
[/quote]
Definitely. It makes football so much more exciting to watch (not that it needed it...it's light-years ahead of other sports in excitement). The [i]extent[/i] of the phrase "anything can happen" in football is a great anomaly, too.

[DrMoonTooth]

[quote name='Give it to Clutch Clayton' timestamp='1282165958' post='453871']
Just thought I'd fix that.

I really don't think the Cardinals will find it easy to win with Leinart at the helm. He has the personality and demeanor of a loser on the football field and that impacts his team-mates in a negative way, almost like Russell did to the Raiders. They lost a couple of key defenders to boot.

The Seahawks are getting the pieces in place but I doubt they do much with Matt "Mr Durability" Hasselbeck and Charlie "Clipboard Jesus" Whitehurst at the helm. The D is starting to improve with the addition of Earl Thomas but still seems pretty weak.

[b]Sam Bradford is in his rookie year with very few weapons and a shakey offensive line. That spells tackle-dummy.[/b]The Rams D still looks horrible.

The 9ers win the division by default. Alex Smith just has to limit his failure this season and the 9ers can easily clinch the weakest division in football. They can make the Playoffs but I can't see them ever doing much with Alex Smith at the helm.

It's a division I really don't care about. The 49ers are probably the only team that finish with a winning record.
[/quote]
Sam Bradford is in for a nightmare with that O-Line. I'm afraid he's in the same boat that Bulger found himself in his last few years in St. Louis. I just hope the lack of protection doesn't end up being why he busts (if he does, that is). I'll also be interested to see if that shoulder of his holds up after about 10+ NFL hits.

[T-ray]

[quote name='DrMoonTooth' timestamp='1282167014' post='453880']
Sam Bradford is in for a nightmare with that O-Line. I'm afraid he's in the same boat that Bulger found himself in his last few years in St. Louis. I just hope the lack of protection doesn't end up being why he busts (if he does, that is). I'll also be interested to see if that shoulder of his holds up after about 10+ NFL hits.
[/quote]

10 plus NFL hits.... hmmm, you mean after the first game haha??

[DrMoonTooth]

[quote name='T-ray' timestamp='1282167400' post='453885']
10 plus NFL hits.... hmmm, you mean after the first game haha??
[/quote]
Haha...basically. It was my suttle way of saying the Rams are terrible.

[Renediffie]

i love the fact that somebody voted Rams

[PuRock]

[quote name='Renediffie' timestamp='1282170041' post='453906']
i love the fact that somebody voted Rams
[/quote]

That was me....somebody has to keep balance in the world.

[Clutch Ravens]

Bradford's shoulder injury was the same that Brees had years ago - Bradford even had it surgically repaired by the same guy. Brees hasn't had a problem since but he wasn't dumped on his a** every play a few months removed from it.

I still don't know why the Rams opted for Rodger Saffold over Charles Brown at the beginning of the second round. Hell, they could've got an extra pick or two and still picked up a better tackle. Could've picked up a receiving tight end for Bradford to check down to every play (Onobun doesn't count).

That's why I'm happy I don't support the Rams. I like to think my team's front office knows football better than I do and if I supported the Rams...It's the stuff of nightmares.