The Sports JayJC: The Mock: NFC West

This was the weakest division in the NFC last season but ironically, the NFC champions came out of here. The 9-7 Cardinals snuck themselves into the playoffs and marched onto take on the Pittsburgh Steelers only to lose in the final minutes of Super Bowl XLIII. There isn't much anticipation out of this division to be honest. In fact, every team has their own factor in being the dark horse of the NFC. The only question is, who's going to fulfill that role?

Arizona

Kurt Warner and Larry Fitzgerald hope to lead on their troops to the top of the NFC West for the second straight season but there are a few changes to a adjust to this year. The Cardinals have the right pieces in place to be contenders but they just aren't THAT good. Last year, a lot of teams overlooked them and the Cardinals capitalized. This year, you can bet that team's will be on their heels when preparing for upcoming match-ups with the defending NFC champs.

Chris "Beanie" Wells could be the next
big thing in Arizona. Or he could be the
next big bust. Let's hope it's the first
possibility for the sake of the sport.

Kurt Warner is the head honcho of this offense and will be the decision maker of whether this offense excels or fails. The veteran in #13 will command the offense with no huddle plays and audibles as he looks to his colossal receivers in Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin. Fitzgerald is the top receiver in the league right now and he will be a force once again with Warner if the two of them can stay healthy and in sync. The running game is a whole different story this year as they will depend on Tim Hightower and Chris "Beanie" Wells. Edge is no longer a part of this team and Hightower will get the go ahead start. Beanie will get his share of hand offs and will be very effective on this offense as long as he can keep his body injury free. We may see a turning point in the season if Beanie ends up stealing the starting job. When it comes down to it, this offense is a pass first offense and will be spending a lot of time through the air. The offensive line will have a lot of responsibilities under their belts as they try to keep their star players behind center from getting hurt. Should be a fun offense to watch.

While all the attention is on Larry Fitzgerald,
what will Anquan do this season to let the
football nation know just how good he is?

This defense isn't going to be the reason that the Cardinals find themselves in the playoff race this year but they will have to do their part in order for this team to be successful. The front line isn't so hot and won't be giving opposing quarterbacks too much pressure. Karlos Dansby and Chike Okeafor will have a lot on their hands as their linebacker position will be challenged more than enough times. The linebackers won't get as much freedom as they would like because they will have to be on the edge while keeping an eye on the running game and the short range passing game of opposing offenses. The secondary isn't too shabby as it is loaded with talent. Roderick Hood, Adrian Wilson, Antrel Rolle, and D-R-C represent a very intimidating defense for passing games and they will make plays throughout the season. The run defense will be very weak and opposing teams will take a huge advantage on that vulnerable area.

D-R-C is the next big thing in cornerbacks
to play in the NFL. He has swagger that
you just can't go against. Any team would
love to have this guy on their roster.

The Cards got their advantages and have some flaws. This team will be in the NFC playoff conversations all throughout the season and will be in the playoff race until week 17. Arizona will face a fairly tough non divisional schedule and is definitely not going to go undefeated again St. Louis, San Francisco, and Seattle. Ten wins is very possible and the Cardinals are going to be very close to reaching that record as they repeat last year's regular season finish as they record nine wins.

San Francisco

The 49ers haven't been contenders since the Steve Young/Jeff Garcia and Jerry Rice/Terrell Owens combo. It's been a while. With a fresh new look and a different style coaching staff, the 49ers have prepared themselves to be in the playoff hunt once again. Could this be the season that San Francisco relives the glory days that they once used to have on a consistent basis. Eh, maybe a few more years will have to go by.

Shaun Hill isn't exactly the next Joe Montana and Josh Morgan isn't a reincarnation of Jerry Rice either. A guy that has never started at quarterback and a wide receiver that probably half the world's followers of the NFL doesn't even know about is not much to brag about. One upside that this offense has to show for is Frank Gore. The monster running back that once burst down the field in Miami for the Hurricanes has had success very early in his career and looks to continue with his dominance on the ground game. Joe Staley is a talent at the tackle position and Gore will likely follow behind his head man on the line when he looks for holes but other than this strong running game, their offense will have some rough times this season. Maybe Isaac Bruce will run routes and catch like he did back when he was in his 20's.

It's time for Josh Morgan to shine and get recognized.
Is Shaun Hill capable of exposing that?

So the offense isn't too hot, maybe the defense is really good. Think again. Isaac Sopoaga is a beast at the line and works alongside Manny Lawson who is on the opposite end of him on the line. So maybe they'll be a solid run defense and will apply some pressure to the quarterback. Takeo Spikes once ruled the league as one of the most feared linebackers. Nowadays, he just isn't the same after a grueling injury and it doesn't help that time isn't slowing down for him. They do have some future though as Patrick Willis will one day be a top linebacker in the league. He has a great attitude towards the game and will be a workhorse for this team. Don't let this guy out of your grasps, San Fran. Having Michael Smith and Nate Clements in their secondary should be a pretty good duo but this defense won't be getting too much attention this year. They will be giving up plenty of scoring opportunities.

Patrick Willis is a beast. Need I say anymore?

The 49ers are always looking to compete but it just it's just hard when you don't have the right guys. Their will be a day that San Francisco reaches the Super Bowl once again but I can't be too confident in saying that it will happen in the next decade. Then again, who would have thought Arizona would accomplish such feats. Four wins four the California Gold Miners.

Seattle

Matt's Hassel BACK and the Seahawks would love to be on top of the NFC like they were a few years back when they played in Super Bowl XL. They've got their man at quarterback but do they have the rest of the pieces to make something happen?

If Matt Hasselbeck can stay healthy, we might be seeing some fireworks in Seattle but you've got to believe that the departing of Shaun Alexander won't be an easy one to forget. Julius Jones is a good starting running back and having Edgerrin James as a backup is a blessing, but Julius just isn't a consistent back while Edge doesn't really have that "edge" anymore. They've got some bodies on the line with Sean Locklear and Rob Sims so Matt will be getting some protection but not all the time. One thing that should be on the rise for the Seahawks offense is the passing game. Not only is Matt looking for a healthy return, but he's got some new firepower to throw to. TJ Houshmanzedah is in town and Nate Burleson looks to be healthy this year. Add a Deion Branch in the slot and a fresh young talent in Deon Butler and you've got a group of excellent receivers. This could be the most high powered aerial attack in the league this year. Bold statement it is but I'm going with it.

TJ "Who's Your Momma" has spent the majority
of his career as Chad Johnson's sidekick. It's time
for the prestigious receiver to find his own team.

The offense will score but can the defense hold up it's opponents. Patrick Kearney has a huge load to cover on the defensive line but he'll have some back up as Lofa Tatupu holds up the middle of the field. Aaron Curry should be an immediate upgrade to the lacking presence in the defense last season and Deon Grant will hold up a solid secondary with Ken Lucas. Okay, so this defense isn't too hot. They've got young guys and a few well known veterans, but what team doesn't. Enough of this considerate talk. This defense is going to hurt and opposing fans will enjoy watching their offenses flow against these guys.

Lofa isn't as soft as his name makes him sound.
The guy is a monster. The Hawaiian Ray Lewis?

The Seahawks may not have the defense to lead them to a Super Bowl but their offense may be enough to run away with the division. The tough non divisional schedule will make things tough for the Seahawks but expect them to stay above .500 with nine wins.

St. Louis

Before saying anything else, I'd like to announce that I have been a Rams fan since my days as a young elementary school student. Life's tough as a Rams fan as I've been mocked and become the laughing stock of sports bars. With that being said, I announce the Rams as the favorites for this year's NFC championship. Okay, let's get real. This team is coming off a 2-14 record after once being known as the "Greatest Show on Turf". Something needs to be done.

The Rams have always been a team that could never avoid injuries to star players. It's happened to Super Bowl MVP Kurt Warner, Madden 2003's cover guy, Marshall Faulk, 708 time pro bowler Orlando Pace, Marc Bulger, Steven Jackson, and the list goes on. If for once this team could keep their offense healthy, they may be able to make something happen. With the departure of Orlando Pace and Torry Holt, the Rams quickly worked to rebuild a butchered offense by drafting offensive tackle Jason Smith with the second overall pick of the 2009 NFL draft. Great move! A great complement to former first round pick, Alex Barron. This offensive line could be one of the best in the NFL... In three to five years. Marc Bulger is still struggling with his pinky and will need to take care of it in order to be affective this year. He will have little to work with as his receiving corp will operate as one of the youngest group of receivers ever. Laurent Robinson, Donnie Avery, Derek Stanley, Keenan Burton, etc. (Recognize any of those names?) We may see a young talent come out of nowhere but like the 49ers, this team will be a run first offense. Steven Jackson is top five back in the league and is a horse that will be hard to bring down.

A healthy Steven Jackson will mean a great ground game
for 2009. If he is to ever go down, this team will find themselves
with a giant goose egg in the wins column. Make sure to stretch Steve!

The defense has veterans and a lot of young talent. Sound familiar? I say this for any team that has an okay defense. Leonard Little will hold up this defensive line as the veteran has a few years left where he will be able to display a strong presence on the line. Adam Carriker and Chris Long are former first round picks by the Rams as well as Jason Smith and Alex Barron and these two defensive linemen could be a part of one of the best defensive lines... In three to five years. Looks like the Rams may be running the show in Super Bowl XLIX. James Laurinaitis finds himself on the starting lineup as an undersized linebacker but the former Buckeye star could become a good one if he can hold up his playing time and make good use of it. Watch out for this guy to be a big time Ram in the near future. Three to five years? I'm just saying. Will Witherspoon and Chris Draft are decent linebackers that were once good on one team but hasn't really done much since coming to St. Louis. Maybe they can pick it up soon. Tye Hill is a 5'9" corner and OJ Atogwe is a 5'11" Safety so this secondary is a little under matched against tight ends and guys like Randy Moss or Terrell Owens. Can't say three to five years for these guys. They will be decent starters and excellent back ups at the positions they are in but the Rams staff may need to look for new guys to place in their secondary.

James Laurinaitis was a notorious linebacker
at Ohio State and was known all throughout
the State of Ohio.

In the NFL, young James is just another
guy trying to earn a spot on the team.
He's done a good job so far.

My bias says this team will be great in 2014 but for now, there will be painful games to watch and some moments of greatness. I would like for the Rams to make the playoffs but they just aren't ready for one of those appearances yet. Eight wins would be a generous of me. 7-9 would be something to look forward to as a Rams fan.

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

This division isn't so intimidating but they will be battling it out throughout the season for the divisional championship spot. Oh yeah, even San Francisco. Don't expect another Super Bowl appearance for the NFC West this season. Tough but it's the truth. Suck it up NFC West fans.