NFC West predictions

[Phrazbit]

I saw the last few pages of the "predict the starters" thread have turned into a debate about records. I figure the topic could use its own thread.



49ers 11-5. I'd predict them to finish worse because I dont think they their route to 13 wins was sustainable, but I think the rest of the division is pretty bad.

Cardinals 6-10. Tough schedule, especially in the 2nd half. A lot of close games competitive games but not enough consistency on offense to win.

Seahawks 6-10. If Flynn is a bust then 6 wins is optimistic.

Rams 3-13. They better hope RGIII is a flop.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

I saw the last few pages of the "predict the starters" thread have turned into a debate about records. I figure the topic could use its own thread.



49ers 11-5. I'd predict them to finish worse because I dont think they their route to 13 wins was sustainable, but I think the rest of the division is pretty bad.

Cardinals 6-10. Tough schedule, especially in the 2nd half. A lot of close games competitive games but not enough consistency on offense to win.

Seahawks 6-10. If Flynn is a bust then 6 wins is optimistic.

Rams 3-13. They better hope RGIII is a flop.

SF: 10-6
Cards: 8-8
Sea-h: 7-9
Rams: 5-11

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Cards 9 - 7
SF 9 - 7
Seahawks 8 - 8
Rams - 3 - 13

I think the talent difference between 49ers, Cards, and Seahawks isn't that great. It is going to come down to coaching.

 

[bg7brd]

Sf - 10-6
Az - 9-7
Stl - 7-9
Sea - 5-11

 

[WildBB]

I thinik with a healthy season we're going to compete well.

SF - 11-5
Cards - 10-6 (wc)
St. Lou - 8-8
Seattle - 8-8

I think the division starts making some waves this year and NO will go down to .500 team.

 

[JAB]

Cards: 10 and 6
S.F.: 8 and 8 They won't get their +28 and will start doubting.
Seahawks: 6 and 10
Rams: 3 and 13


Reserve full right to change mind after preseason games have been played.

 

[LoyaltyisaCurse]

Cards 9 - 7
SF 9 - 7
Seahawks 8 - 8
Rams - 3 - 13

I think the talent difference between 49ers, Cards, and Seahawks isn't that great. It is going to come down to coaching.

Co sign

 

[A fan who cares]

Cards 16 - 0
SF 0 - 12 - 4
SEA 0 - 12 - 4
STL 0 - 12 - 4

All teams that start with an S in the NFC West tie with each other possessing the worst possible records while being winless

 

[Jetstream Green]

Niner and Cards will be tied with 10 or 9 wins apiece and we will triumph in the tie breaker. Why? Alex will not get any better than last year and even if the increase is slight with our QBs, Kolb and especially Skelton will be just enough to edge it in our favor

 

[Cheesebeef]

SF: 10-6
Cards: 8-8
Sea-h: 7-9
Rams: 5-11

I almost just had a heart-attack. this may be the first time we've EVER agreed on something.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

I almost just had a heart-attack. this may be the first time we've EVER agreed on something.

Ooops! I'd better do an edit (lol)

 

[football karma]

SF will be interesting to see

their 2011 turnovers forced, and net turnover margin were not just good -- they were historic in how good they were -- well outside the normal range of even league leaders for those figures.

That suggests that SF's turnovers forced and net positive figure won't be repeated.

In fact, looking at other teams over the past five years or so that had league leading turnover margin: more than half of them went to a negative turnover margin the next year.

One more thing to consider (and it goes hand in hand with turnovers): SF played a lot of close games, and won nearly all of them: 7-2 in games decided by one score or less.

If SF is simply average in turnover margin next year -- I could easily see 9 wins if their offense doesn't progress.

 

[JeffGollin]

All four teams go 8 & 8.

 

[WarnerHOF]

49ers 9-7
Cards 7-9
Seahawks 7-9
Rams 4-12

 

[Krangodnzr]

SF will be interesting to see

their 2011 turnovers forced, and net turnover margin were not just good -- they were historic in how good they were -- well outside the normal range of even league leaders for those figures.

That suggests that SF's turnovers forced and net positive figure won't be repeated.

In fact, looking at other teams over the past five years or so that had league leading turnover margin: more than half of them went to a negative turnover margin the next year.

One more thing to consider (and it goes hand in hand with turnovers): SF played a lot of close games, and won nearly all of them: 7-2 in games decided by one score or less.

If SF is simply average in turnover margin next year -- I could easily see 9 wins if their offense doesn't progress.

Yep, and the same goes for Seattle. The Suckhawks were very much a feast or famine team. If they don't keep up the torrent of turnovers they will lose a lot of ball games.

They lost every game this year in which they didn't win the turnover battle. Look at our first game against Seattle; it was one of the most frustrating games of the season because I felt like we beat ourselves.

 

[52brandon]

Niner and Cards will be tied with 10 or 9 wins apiece and we will triumph in the tie breaker. Why? Alex will not get any better than last year and even if the increase is slight with our QBs, Kolb and especially Skelton will be just enough to edge it in our favor

I completely agree with this. And STL/SEA will both be about 6-7 wins

 

[Snakester]

Cards 11. 5
49ers 10. 6
Seahags 6. 10
Rams 5. 11
Cards defense puts the smack down on division.

 

[Darkside]

Cards: 11-5
SF: 6-10
Rams: 6-10
Seattle: 3-13

Mark it down people. I expect this thread to be regenerated when we have a phenomenal year (mostly because of our D and field position and time of possession).

 

[Krangodnzr]

SF 10-6
Cards 9-7
Seattle 7-9
Rams 4-12

SF turnover production decreases and their big push improve their passing game with ordinary QB Alex Smith is a bust. Overall they still have a very good defense which keeps them from sucking.

Arizona improves but plays a tough schedule. QB Kevin Kolb plays better, but a week 7 injury forces him on IR with John Skelton stepping in. Skelton rallies the team to a winning record despite his poor production, but the team narrowly misses the playoffs.

Seattle banks on improved QB play, but Matt Flynn isn't the answer. The defense is still the heart and soul of the team, but Marshawn Lynch's tough running style leads to a week 10 injury and the Seahawks season ends there.

The Rams are still atrocious after failing to add any more weapons for Sam Bradford or improve a porous offensive line. Bradford does nothing to prove that he's a franchise QB and is injured in week 14. The Rams are looking for a franchise QB again after only a few years.

 

[Darkside]

This probably isn't the place, but you gotta wonder how much the Rams are ruining Sam Bradford. The guy can play, but he never ever gets any weapons to work with. Eventually a dude has to lose confidence, I don't care who it is. Total talent being wasted in St. Louis. Other teams get some weapons for their franchise QB, almost every time. But not them, they tell him to work with crap every single year and make it happen. That has to work on a dude's confidence, it just has to, because he's going to have another bad year.

 

[Krangodnzr]

This probably isn't the place, but you gotta wonder how much the Rams are ruining Sam Bradford. The guy can play, but he never ever gets any weapons to work with. Eventually a dude has to lose confidence, I don't care who it is. Total talent being wasted in St. Louis. Other teams get some weapons for their franchise QB, almost every time. But not them, they tell him to work with crap every single year and make it happen. That has to work on a dude's confidence, it just has to, because he's going to have another bad year.

I don't know, I've seen enough of Bradford to start legitimately questioning his abilities now. I seen him failing to identify open receivers, failing to step up in the pocket, checking down for the easy completion.

If Sam Bradford is successful with the Rams, I'll be mildly surprised. Not all of their passing ineptitude can be blamed on a banged up offensive line and lack of solid targets.

BTW I'm lazy and I don't really feel like looking it up, but I predicted the Rams were going to be awful last year and some of the posters on this board lambasted me when I said their free agency and draft were horrible.

Fisher's philosophy IMO isn't a sustainable winning philosophy. From some reason, he avoids drafting playmakers, and instead goes for solid, meat and potato players. I don't think Fisher builds a winner with the Rams on what will probably be a 3 year window.

 

[Darkside]

I don't know, I've seen enough of Bradford to start legitimately questioning his abilities now. I seen him failing to identify open receivers, failing to step up in the pocket, checking down for the easy completion.

If Sam Bradford is successful with the Rams, I'll be mildly surprised. Not all of their passing ineptitude can be blamed on a banged up offensive line and lack of solid targets.

BTW I'm lazy and I don't really feel like looking it up, but I predicted the Rams were going to be awful last year and some of the posters on this board lambasted me when I said their free agency and draft were horrible.

Fisher's philosophy IMO isn't a sustainable winning philosophy. From some reason, he avoids drafting playmakers, and instead goes for solid, meat and potato players. I don't think Fisher builds a winner with the Rams on what will probably be a 3 year window.

In his rookie year when they (media) were saying he was awesome, his completion percentage was 60% with only a 6.0 average per attempt, which supports your underneath completion statement. That's Leinart type #'s and we ate him alive, even though Leinart had a higher completion %age and more yards per attempt.

I guess you're right, because 6.0 per attempt is pathetic, and that was his best year. That just means he's checking down every single time. Your point is well made.

And I've never been a believer in Fischer, but people ridiculed me for it. He has tenure, and I give him that. But running a team and franchise with Eddie George and Steve Mcnair, those two core players right there are built for success and they both played their entire careers for Fischer. I don't even think he did much with that talent to be honest. It'd be like having Kurt Warner and Edge (in his prime) for 10 years and winning...what? Don't get me wrong, you can sustain some playoffs, but where's the rings? Those are two HOF players probably on the same team. That doesn't even take into account some other great, and possible HOF'ers, in other positions. Fischer did nothing with that but ride coattails.

 

[Duckjake]

In his rookie year when they (media) were saying he was awesome, his completion percentage was 60% with only a 6.0 average per attempt, which supports your underneath completion statement. That's Leinart type #'s and we ate him alive, even though Leinart had a higher completion %age and more yards per attempt.

I guess you're right, because 6.0 per attempt is pathetic, and that was his best year. That just means he's checking down every single time. Your point is well made.

And I've never been a believer in Fischer, but people ridiculed me for it. He has tenure, and I give him that. But running a team and franchise with Eddie George and Steve Mcnair, those two core players right there are built for success and they both played their entire careers for Fischer. I don't even think he did much with that talent to be honest. It'd be like having Kurt Warner and Edge (in his prime) for 10 years and winning...what? Don't get me wrong, you can sustain some playoffs, but where's the rings? Those are two HOF players probably on the same team. That doesn't even take into account some other great, and possible HOF'ers, in other positions. Fischer did nothing with that but ride coattails.

I think you are being a little harsh on Fisher. Look who owns the Titans. Fisher took over a bad situation in Houston and over the next decade had some very good years. Just think that if Tobin had taken over from Ryan and took the Cards to the playoffs 6 times with only 5 losing seasons over the next 16 years with three 13-3 seasons and a 12-4 and 11-5. Heck he'd be a Saint on this board. Just like Coryell who never won a playoff game with the Cards. Fisher's not treasure but he's not trash.

Never forget that Denny Green had Kurt Warner and Edgerrin James and Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald and won 6 games.

 

[SissyBoyFloyd]

I just hope we don't play any overtime games. We are due to lose a few.

Realistically however, to improve our record we will have to have a better run game. That is the key for me. A run game effects so many other things during the game. If we can somehow improve the run game considerably, then I see our QB rating improving with it, and produce a very competitive team. If not, well with the tough schedule, it could be a long year.

6-10 to 10-6. How is that for nailing it down?

 

[PDXChris]

Cards 16-0
49ers 0-12-4
Seahawks 0-12-4
Rams 0-12-4