NFL Divisional Deep Dive: NFC West

By Peter Mann

It’s tough out there in the West, the NFC West that is, just ask Kyle Shanahan, Jonathan Gannon, Sean McVay, and Mike Macdonald and, with a couple of weeks of the regular season still to play, three of the four are still in with a shout.

Gannon’s Cardinals have long since been out of the running, but the other three franchises, McVay’s Rams, Macdonald’s Seahawks, and Shanahan’s 49ers, still have a lot to play, as this week’s divisional deep dive shows.

Since the Cardinals last won the NFC West, back in 2015, the Rams have won four (2017, 2018, 2021, 2024), the 49ers three (2019, 2022, 2023), and the Seahawks two (2016, 2020), in the last nine seasons. Additionally, in four of those nine seasons, an NFC West franchise has made the Super Bowl, with the Rams winning it all in 2021.

All four of the NFC West franchises have made the big one, with the Cardinals losing to Pittsburgh Steelers in 2008, the Seahawks going back-to-back when defeating Denver Broncos in 2013 before losing to New England Patriots twelve months later, and the Niners were edged by Kansas City Chiefs, in OT, two years ago.

Since becoming the NFC West, back in 1970, the division has had eighteen participants in the last fifty-five Super Bowls, shy of a third, winning eight of those, five of which went to San Francisco; this season, the post-season (at time of writing) has the Rams as the NFCs #1 seed, the Seahawks are the #5 seed, and the 49ers the #6 seed, going into week sixteen.

LOS ANGELES RAMS (1st, 11-3, def. visiting Detroit Lions 41-34)

Sean McVay has had Inglewood bouncing this season as he looks to go back-to-back, again, in the NFC West, already bettering last season’s 10-7 record with an 11-3 ledger going into the closing weeks of the regular season.

In his ninth season at the helm, McVay has led the Rams four NFC West titles, two Conference titles, and the 2021 Super Bowl, and, with veteran quarterback, Matthew Stafford, leading the line over the past five seasons (including this), they could easily go all the way again.

The current season did see the Rams begin with a 3-2 record, the losses being narrow ones at home to Philadelphia Eagles (26-33), and away to divisional rivals San Francisco 49ers (23-26 OT), whilst collecting wins over Houston Texans, Tennessee Titans, and Indianapolis Colts.

Either side of the bye week though, McVay’s charges put together a six-match winning streak, including a 42-26 revenge win against the Niners, and a 21-19 success against another divisional rival in the Seahawks, on consecutive weekends.

A narrow loss away to Carolina Panthers slowed the Rams juggernaut, but strong victories over the past two weeks rekindled hopes of glory; a 45-17 victory at the Arizona Cardinals in week fourteen was followed by a stunning, 41-34 score against Detroit Lions last time out.

Victory over the Lions was one which, for most of the contest, looked like the Rams were going to lose, the Lions being 24-17 ahead at the half, before a third quarter overhaul put the result in McVay’s favour – opposing quarterback, Jared Goff, registered three touchdown scores for 338yds, with David Montgormery adding a rushing touchdown for added measure.

However, Matthew Stafford’s supporting arsenal is strong; the veteran Rams quarterback, in his seventeenth season, posted 24/38, 368yds, 2TDs, both to tight end, Colby Parkinson, whilst running backs Kyren Williams and Blake Corum, added three rushing scores. Williams registered 15cars, 78yds, 2TDs, alongside Corum’s 11cars, 71yds, 1TD, whilst Harrison Mevis kicked through 2/2FGs, 44lng, 5/5PATs.

The Rams now have a pair of road games, before finishing off at their SoFi Stadium in early January, where which they’ll hope to be celebrating another NFC West, and looking forward to the post season.

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (2nd, 11-3, def. visiting Indianapolis Colts 18-16)

In an ever-changing playoff picture, Mike Macdonald, the most inexperienced of the NFC Wests Head Coaches, will be aware that results going their way in the closing weeks of the regular season will be a huge difference-maker.

The nine-time winners of the NFC West, all coming in the past two decades, are tied on 11-3 with the Rams going into the closing weeks having also began with a 3-2 record, the three victories sandwiched between an opening day loss to the Niners (13-17), and a week five loss to Tampa Bay Buccaneers (35-38), both at home.

Four straight wins either side of their bye week was followed by a tough loss at the Rams in week eleven, but Macdonald’s charges, led by their veteran quarterback, Sam Darnold, pushed them back into contention in the NFCs playoff picture.

Road wins at Tennessee Titans (30-24) and Atlanta Falcons (37-9), and a home shut-out of Minnesota Vikings (26-0) sandwiched between, saw them 10-3 going into this past weekend’s round of matches, one which saw them pick up a narrow success over the visiting Indianapolis Colts (18-16), a game which, on the main, was settled by the kickers.

The returning veteran, Philip Rivers, was attributed the contests only touchdown score late in the second quarter, he posting comeback statistics of 18/27, 120yds, 1TD, with Blake Grupe 3/3FGs, 60lng, 1/1PAT, meanwhile, in replay, the Seahawks were kicked over the finishing line by Jason Myers’ boot.

Posting 6/6FGs (47yds, 52yds, 46yds, 32yds, 30yds, 56yds), Myers, who came into the NFL in 2015, is in his eleventh season, and seventh in Seattle, with his longest of the game, coming at 56yds, was the game-winning score with eighteen seconds left on the game-clock.

The challenge now for Macdonald’s Seahawks is to overcome a tough regular season finale, with results elsewhere going their way, if they’re to make the post-season.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (3rd, 10-4, def. Tennessee Titans 37-24)

The glory days of the eighties and nineties may be in the rear-view mirror for the Niners, but they’ve been on the cusp of returning to former glories in recent years as Head Coach Kyle Shanahan has taken them to the Super Bowl, twice.

Three NFC West titles, two Conference titles, and Super Bowl runners-up in 2019 and 2023, losing both to Kansas City Chiefs, has left Levi’s Stadium praying for their Red & Gold to take that final step, and bring the big one, home.

Presently #6 seed in the North, they need a handful of results to go their way in the closing weeks of the regular season, especially with a tough run-in themselves, whilst hoping any of their four defeats don’t come back to haunt them, especially the last of those, at home to the Rams (26-42) in week ten.

Having won their first three games, Shanahan’s charges then proceeded to win three, lose four, of their next seven outings, as their season stuttered, more with the interchanging quarterbacks between Mac Jones and Brock Purdy, but they’re still in with a shot.

Road wins against divisional rivals, the Cardinals (41-22) and Cleveland Browns (26-8), with a home success over Carolina Panthers (20-9) sandwiched between came before their bye week, returning with a home, 37-25 success over Tennessee Titans in their last outing, has them pushing the Seahawks for a higher seeding.

Speaking of that last outing, at the Titans, saw the Niners register 30+ points for only the third time this season, the other two being in wins over New York Giants (34-24) and Arizona Cardinals (41-22), in weeks nine and eleven respectively.

Titans quarterback, Cam Ward, chipped in with two touchdown scores for 170yds, along with a rushing score from running back Tony Pollard, made for an interesting game; the Niners arsenal though is a strong one itself, especially the Brock Purdy-Christian McCaffrey combo.

Purdy, in his fourth season leading the Niners, threw for 23/30, 295yds, 3TDs, connecting with wide receiver Jauan Jennings twice, and with tight end George Kittle, he a nine-year Niners veteran (and who we featured earlier this season).

Niners’ star running back, McCaffrey, posted 22cars, 73yds, 1TD of his own and, as a nine-year veteran himself (previously with Carolina Panthers), brings a lot to that Niners arsenal as they look to push themselves into another playoffs run.

It’ll be tough, and will need to rely on results elsewhere as well, but they have the talent, and the run-in, especially with their last two outings being at their Levi’s Stadium home, in which to do the business.

ARIZONA CARDINALS (4th, 3-11, lost 20-40 to hosts Houston Texans)

It’s been tough for the Cardinals over the past decade; since last winning the NFC West, in 2015, they’ve finished second twice, third on three occasions, and fourth four times (there’s a pattern emerging there). This season will see a third, fourth place finish, in the last four years.

They’re also on-course for their worst season since 2018, when they finished 3-13 (they’re currently 3-11), and have three games remaining. They have however also lost several, key players to injury, that list being well into double figures and has included quarterback Kyler Murray, running backs James Conner and Trey Benson, as well as a plethora of cornerbacks, and their star receiver Marvin Harrison Jnr.

It’s been tumultuous to say the least and, results-wise, after enjoying back-to-back victories in the opening weeks against New Orleans Saints (20-13) and Carolina Panthers (27-22), the Cardinals proceeded to lose the next five straight, before a huge home win, against Dallas Cowboys (27-17) on their return from their bye week, gave hope.

Any hope they did have was blown away as Jonathan Gannon’s side lost their next six, including this past weekend when at Houston Texans, shipping forty points in a sixty-point game, with much-travelled quarterback, Jacoby Brissett, posting 27/40, 249yds, 3TDs, connecting twice with tight end Trey McBride, and once with wide receiver Michael Wilson.

Texans quarterback, CJ Stroud however, threw for three touchdown scores of his own, whilst Ka’imi Fairbairn added 4/5FGs, 55lng, 4/4PATs, to condemn the Cardinals to a defeat that saw them become the only NFC West side to be swept by the AFC South.

With a home game next up, Gannon’s charges will finish with two games on the road, in the hope of putting this season quickly to bed.

 

With three games left of the regular season to play, and with the top three franchises in the division still in with a chance of making the playoffs, it’s all to play for; McVay’s Rams face road games at Seattle Seahawks and Atlanta Falcons, before finishing at home to the Cardinals, whilst Macdonald’s Seahawks have road games to close the season, away to Carolina Panthers and the Niners, after welcoming the Rams this coming weekend of course.

Shanahan’s charges, the Niners also have a tough run-in but, after travelling to Indianapolis Colts this weekend, their last two are at home, welcoming that of Chicago Bears and the Seahawks, whilst Gannon’s Cardinals are hosting Atlanta Falcons, before road trips to Cincinnati Bengals and the Rams, with a lot to play for all round before the regular season closes its doors.

PETER MANN

NFL ANALYST

PETER IS A LIFELONG SPORTS FAN, JOURNALIST AND AUTHOR BASED IN COUNTY DURHAM. HE HAS FOLLOWED THE NFL AND THE RAIDERS SINCE THE 1980s, AND LOVES BOTH SPORTS AND FAMILY HISTORY. PETER HAS A DEGREE IN SPORT & EXERCISE PSYCHOLOGY, AND CAN BE FOUND ON TWITTER @petermannwriter

 
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