NFC West prediction 2012

NFC West

No contest here. The 49ers went 13-3 last season and finished a fumbled punt short of the Super Bowl. The offense is better and the defense is just as good as it was. The rest of the division is in catch-up mode for the time being.

San Francisco 49ers: All I needed to see to pick San Francisco to win this division was the return of all 11 starters from a defense that was as solid and fundamentally sound as any I have seen in years. The offense doesn’t need to do much, but will also be improved with the additions of Mario Manningham and a supposedly motivated Randy Moss. The 49ers will compete for the NFC’s top seed.

St. Louis Rams: Sam Bradford’s healthier, Steven Jackson has a top-notch understudy in Isaiah Pead and Jeff Fisher is a top-notch coach. I’m not expecting playoffs from this team but they’ll be better. That’ll be enough to move them up a couple notches in the division.

Seattle Seahawks: The bottom three spots in this division are a bit of a tossup in my eyes. In Russell Wilson and Matt Flynn, Seattle has improved dramatically at the quarterback position, which should help take some of the focus away from Marshawn Lynch and the run game too. If the offensive line can keep Wilson upright, I could see the Seahawks sneaking into second place.

Arizona Cardinals: The offensive line is brutal, the run game is unsettled and the quarterback position is in disarray. I feel for Larry Fitzgerald, one of the top couple receivers in the game, because he’s stuck catching passes from John Skelton and Kevin Kolb, both of whom are hampered both in talent and protection. I see a long year in the desert.