Credit: Rick Scuteri / AP
NFL Predictions and Opinions: NFC West Edition
Published: Thursday, September 5, 2024
by Ryan Nelke and Chris Heite
After covering seven divisions, it's time to wrap up this series with the NFC West. I’m sure our editors are relieved this is the final article! But now, let's get to the predictions.
The NFC West still belongs to the 49ers. Despite some concerns about key departures,
the issues with Brandon Aiyuk and Trent Williams are resolved—Aiyuk signed a 4-year,
$120 million deal, and Williams signed a restructured 3-year, $82.66 million deal.
Meanwhile, the Rams are worrisome after Aaron Donald's retirement, which leaves a
significant hole in their defense. In Seattle, Pete Carroll is out, replaced by Mike
MacDonald, but the team didn’t make major moves, and it's hard to see much improvement.
Finally, the Cardinals' offense looks exciting with Kyler Murray at the helm, but
they'll face stiff competition.
San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers are coming off another Super Bowl loss to the Chiefs, their second in four years. Despite the heartbreak, they remain the top team in the conference. Brock Purdy enters his third year, leading a potent offense with Christian McCaffrey, Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel, and George Kittle. While the defense lost key players like Arik Armstead and Chase Young, it's still formidable with Nick Bosa, Fred Warner, and Talanoa Hufanga. They will undoubtedly have another stellar season and set themselves up for a deep playoff run. I see the 49ers finishing as the NFC's #1 seed with a 14-3 record.
– Ryan Nelke
The 49ers had another exciting run to the Super Bowl last season. However, the season ended in disappointment, as victory slipped through their hands once again. Thankfully, San Francisco’s offensive core remains intact, with Brock Purdy, Brandon Aiyuk, George Kittle, and Deebo Samuel ready to dominate the NFL once again. While the offense looks untouched, the defense has certainly taken a hit. Even with the defensive losses, I still expect the team to perform well and make a deep playoff run. I predict a 13-4 season and the 49ers securing the #2 seed in the NFC.
– Chris Heite
Los Angeles Rams
After a Super Bowl hangover in 2022, where the Rams finished with a putrid 5-12 record, they bounced back last year with a 10-7 record and a playoff appearance. The offense will have the same core, as Matt Stafford, Cooper Kupp, and young standouts Kyren Williams and Puka Nacua all return. As mentioned previously, the defense took a major hit this offseason with Aaron Donald’s retirement. If the defense is able to hold up without Donald, they could still find themselves in the playoff hunt. However, I don't think the Rams’ defense will be able to adjust, and I see them finishing 9-8, just missing the playoffs.
– Ryan Nelke
It’s safe to assume that Rams fans have had a roller coaster of emotions in the past few seasons. While Matt Stafford is still solid, the offense has been mediocre at best. Even with the emergence of Puka Nacua, I still believe this is one of the weaker offenses in the NFC. The retirement of future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald leaves the Rams’ defense vulnerable, and I think they’ll struggle against the high-powered offenses in the NFC. I predict a tough season for the Rams, finishing 5-12.
– Chris Heite
Seattle Seahawks
The Pete Carroll era in Seattle is over, as Mike MacDonald has taken over in Seattle. Even with a new coaching staff, the Seahawks will continue to rely on Geno Smith, who led Seattle to an average record of 9-8 last year. The Seahawks don’t have a very high ceiling for this year, which raises questions about the direction of the team going forward. With no major upgrades and the loss of franchise legend Bobby Wagner, it's hard to see much improvement. I predict a slight regression to 8-9, missing the playoffs.
– Ryan Nelke
The Seahawks have been a consistently average team, and Geno Smith has shown he’s still capable of being a starting quarterback. DK Metcalf had early success in the league but needs to improve after an average season in 2023. Both the offense and defense are just okay. I think they will be competitive throughout the season, but I don’t think they’ll be good enough to make the playoffs. I have the Seahawks finishing with a 7-10 record.
– Chris Heite
Arizona Cardinals
From a fantasy perspective, the Arizona Cardinals' offense looks exciting this year, led by dual-threat QB Kyler Murray, with RB James Conner, WR Marvin Harrison Jr., and TE Trey McBride in the mix. This lineup should generate plenty of points and make for entertaining football. However, this isn't fantasy football, and defense matters. I'm not confident their defense can keep pace, especially with early season matchups against Buffalo, Los Angeles, Detroit, San Francisco, and Green Bay. While betting on high-scoring games might be smart, I have them finishing last in the NFC West at 7-10.
– Ryan Nelke
Cardinals fans have faced disappointment year after year, and I believe this season will bring more of the same. The offseason didn’t bring significant changes, and I don’t think Kyler Murray has the supporting cast needed to win big games. Both the offense and defense are mediocre, with little improvement from previous seasons. Sadly, I expect the Cardinals to be one of the worst teams in the league, finishing with a 3-14 record.
– Chris Heite
Projected Standings
Ryan Nelke’s NFC West Predictions
1) 49ers (14-3), #1 seed
2) Rams (9-8)
3) Seahawks (8-9)
4) Cardinals (7-10)
Chris Heite’s NFC West Predictions
1) 49ers (13-4)
2) Seahawks (7-10)
3) Rams (5-12)
4) Cardinals (3-14)
That wraps up our NFL Predictions and Opinions series. The season kicks off tonight—let’s
see how it all unfolds!
Chris Heite can be reached at christopher.heite@student.shu.edu.
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