NFC West Q&A: Who will win the division, and how many teams will make the playoffs?ESPN.com
Alden Gonzalez, Los Angeles Rams reporter: I have the Seahawks winning the division, pretty easily, and nobody else making the playoffs.
The 49ers are rebuilding under John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan; they made some nice moves through free agency and the draft but have a ways to go. The Rams aren’t necessarily in a rebuilding phase, but they also have brought in a new head coach, are coming off a 4-12 season and have sported the NFL’s least-productive offense in each of the past two seasons. They’re probably still at least a year away.
Then there are the Cardinals. They were a popular Super Bowl pick heading into the 2016 season, but a lot has happened since. Mainly, Carson Palmer and Larry Fitzgerald got a year older and the Cardinals finished with a 7-8-1 record. They then lost several important pieces on defense and didn’t necessarily get better on either side of the ball.
The Cardinals just don’t seem to have enough to make the playoffs, and they definitely don’t have enough to catch the Seahawks. I’m not sure how much longer this Seahawks defense will be dominant. But it should happen for at least another year, especially with safety Earl Thomas back. Seattle's offense will be better, as well, with Eddie Lacy in its backfield. I still have questions about the Seahawks' offensive line, but this roster, if healthy, should be good enough to coast to a division title.
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