4. St. Louis Rams
2013 Record = 7-9, Last in NFC West, Missed Playoffs
2014 Schedule = Vikings, @ Buccaneers, Cowboys, BYE,
@ Eagles, 49ers, Seahawks, @ Chiefs, @ 49ers, @ Cardinals, Broncos, @ Chargers,
Raiders, @ Redskins, Cardinals, Giants, @ Seahawks
Blue Chippers = DE Robert Quinn
High Quality Players = LT Jake Long
Solid Contributors = RG Rodger Saffold, RT Joe
Barksdale, DE Chris Long
Impact Rookies = G/T Greg Robinson (1-2, Auburn), DT
Aaron Donald (1-13, Pittsburgh), CB LaMarcus Joyner (2-41, Florida State)
Good News = St. Louis was once again one of the
winners of the Draft thanks to the RGIII trade.
Bad News = You’ve heard about Sam Bradford, right?
Outlook = St. Louis has a roster full of young
players with tons of potential, but with the loss of Sam Bradford for the
entire season, it will be hard for those players to make a leap in 2014.
Sucking might not be a bad way to go for the Rams this year, as they’d be able
to reboot their quarterback situation with a high draft pick next year. For
now, Shaun Hill is capable enough so the Rams will at least be competitive on a
regular basis.
Prediction = A talented young defense will not be
able to hold up thanks to an offense that leaves them on the field too long. 3-13
3. Arizona Cardinals
2013 Record = 10-6, Third in NFC West, Missed
Playoffs
2014 Schedule = Chargers, @ Giants, 49ers, BYE, @
Broncos, Redskins, @ Raiders, Eagles, @ Cowboys, Rams, Lions, @ Seahawks, @
Falcons, Chiefs, @ Rams, Seahawks, @ 49ers
Blue Chippers = DE Calais Campbell
High Quality Players = WR Larry Fitzgerald, CB
Patrick Peterson, FS Tyrann Mathieu
Solid Contributors = HB Andre Ellington, WR Michael
Floyd, LT Jared Veldheer, OLB John Abraham
Impact Rookies = S Deone Bucannon (1-27, Washington
State)
Good News = Andre Ellington will be given the keys to
a full-time workload.
Bad News = They are running out of linebackers.
Outlook = The strength of the Cardinals last year was
their top ranked run defense, but without Darnell Dockett and Daryl Washington
this year, that’s going to be nearly impossible to replicate. Dockett tore his
ACL during training camp, and Washington is suspended for the year due to
steroid abuse. Dockett didn’t play particularly well last year, but he still
kept some attention away from stud lineman Calais Campbell. The secondary is
also more of a question mark, as Tyrann Mathieu might not be himself at all in
2014 after blowing his knee out last December. If Antonio Cromartie can play at
a high level opposite Patrick Peterson, that will take pressure off of the
Honey Badger.
Offensively
the Cardinals are loaded with talent at the skill positions, but the Achilles
Heal is Carson Palmer. Palmer still has a big arm, but has become more and more
turnover prone over the years. It wouldn’t be shocking if his career fell off a
cliff this season. Andre Ellington projects as a poor man’s LeSean McCoy.
Arizona appears bent on using him until he breaks this year. Michael Floyd came
on strong at the end of 2013, and is poised to be a near equal to Larry
Fitzgerald. The offensive line was a weakness last year, but free agent
acquisition Jared Veldheer should bring some stability.
Prediction = Facing a tough schedule with a
diminished defense, we expect the Cardinals to take a step back this year. 6-10
2. Seattle Seahawks
2013 Record = 13-3, NFC West Champions, Super Bowl
Champions
2014 Schedule = Packers, @ Chargers, Broncos, BYE, @
Redskins, Cowboys, @ Rams, @ Panthers, Raiders, Giants, @ Chiefs, Cardinals, @
49ers, @ Eagles, 49ers, @ Cardinals, Rams
Blue Chippers = HB Marshawn Lynch, CB Richard
Sherman, FS Earl Thomas
High Quality Players = QB Russell Wilson, WR Percy
Harvin, DE Michael Bennett, DT Brandon Mebane, DE Cliff Avril, OLB K.J. Wright,
SS Kam Chancellor
Solid Contributors = WR Doug Baldwin, TE Zach Miller,
LT Russell Okung, C Max Unger, DT Tony McDaniel, MLB Bobby Wagner, OLB Bruce
Irvin, CB Byron Maxwell
Impact Rookies = None
Good News = Every vital part of their Super Bowl team
is back this year.
Bad News = At first glance, it appears they whiffed
on the draft for the first time in years.
Outlook = We’ll keep the write up short and explain
why we think the Seahawks will be a wild card team this year. We don’t think
there’s a huge talent difference between the Seahawks and 49ers, so minor
things like the schedule can make a difference. Last year, Seattle rode a
second place schedule to a division title. This year, we think playing a first
place schedule is the difference between them having home-field advantage and
being forced to take their act on the road in January.
Prediction = 12-4
2013 Record = 12-4, Second in NFC West, Lost NFC
Championship Game
2014 Schedule = @ Cowboys, Bears, @ Cardinals,
Eagles, Chiefs, @ Rams, @ Broncos, BYE, Rams, @ Saints, @ Giants, Redskins,
Seahawks, @ Raiders, @ Seahawks, Chargers, Cardinals
Blue Chippers = MLB Patrick Willis
High Quality Players = FB Bruce Miller, WR Michael
Crabtree, TE Vernon Davis, LT Joe Staley, LG Mike Iupati, MLB Navarro Bowman,
OLB Aldon Smith
Solid Contributors = QB Colin Kaepernick, HB Frank
Gore, WR Anquan Boldin, WR Stevie Johnson, RG Alex Boone, RT Anthony Davis, DE
Ray McDonald, DE Justin Smith, OLB Ahmad Brooks, CB Tramaine Brock
Impact Rookies = S Jimmie Ward (1-30, Northern
Illinois), HB Carlos Hyde (2-57, Ohio State), C Marcus Martin (3-70, USC)
Good News = Of all the teams that were playoff
participants last season, no one improved themselves more through the draft
than the 49ers.
Bad News = Their defensive players keep getting
arrested.
Outlook = We’re really banking on Jim Harbaugh’s
ability to develop younger players in forecasting the 49ers to capture the NFC
West, as on paper there are some red flags. Aldon Smith won’t be available
until November, and they shouldn’t plan on getting anything out of Bowman after
his devastating leg injury in last year’s NFC Championship Game. The secondary
was a weakness in 2013, and they are primarily relying on internal developments
to improve it. It would be reasonable to expect Eric Reid to make a leap to
“High Quality” status by the end of the season.
Offensively,
the 49ers haven’t been this deep since the Steve Young era. Colin Kaepernick
has played at a high level whenever he’s had Michael Crabtree healthy, so that
should take the offense to new heights. Stevie Johnson adds an extra playmaker
to take the top off the defense, which will open underneath routes for Crabtree
and Anquan Boldin. Vernon Davis is still around to provide an elite red zone
threat. Frank Gore keeps on trucking, but if he finally breaks down rookie
Carlos Hyde should be able to fill his shoes. The offensive line is still among
the league’s best, with rookie Marcus Martin potentially filling the center
spot by the end of the year.
Prediction = We
have the 49ers winning the Super Bowl this year, so sorry for the jinx San
Francisco. 13-3
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