Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks hope that they can rebound from an injury filled season in 2006 and become the dominant team they were two years ago. With Matt Hasselbeck and Shaun Alexander expected to return completely healthy, the offense should be much better this season. However, Hasselbeck will need some help from receivers Nate Burleson and Deion Branch who did not live up to expectations last season.

On defense, Patrick Kerney and Marcus Tubbs will be returning to training camp after having surgery in the off-season. Linebackers Lofa Tatupu and Julian Peterson are pro-bowl players that will keep this unit stout and dominant in 2007. Safeties Brian Russell and Deon Grant are the new additions to the Seahawk’s defensive backfield who should solidify those positions and give the Seahawks a better pass defense.

Prediction: The Seahawks will see some stiff competition from the 49ners, Rams, and maybe the Cardinals this season. The Hawks win the division again with about 12-13 wins.

San Francisco 49ers

The Niners were once the face of the division and the entire NFL in the 80s and 90s. The new millennium has not been too kind to the 49ers and they’ve become (along with the Cardinals) the doormat of the division. However, this team is slowly improving and making strides to be a dominant team once again. Quarterback Alex Smith continues to show promise and the 49ners hopes that he makes the next step this year. Frank Gore is now one the leagues best running backs, rushing for 1,695 yards and eight touchdowns. The 49ers brought in wide receivers Ashley Lelie and Darrell Jackson to improve the passing game. Tight end Vernon Davis missed half of last season due to a broken leg, but the team feels that he will be ready to make a huge contribution this season.

There will be five new starters on defense for the 49ners, including cornerback Nate Clemons from Buffalo who should immediately make the secondary better. He will join Walt Harris who made the pro bowl last year with 8 interceptions.

Arizona Cardinals

Every off-season, experts pick the Cardinals to take the next step and make a serious playoff run. By the end of each season, everyone tries to come up with excuses as to why Arizona fell flat on their faces. New head coach Ken Whisenhunt, formerly the Steelers offensive coordinator, may be the piece of the puzzle that the Cardinals need to finally turn the page. Matt Leinart will be in his second season as the starting quarterback and we should all see major improvement from him this year. His targets, Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald, are absolute studs that are as physical as ever. Edgerrin James had a disappointing 2006 season, mainly due to the horrific offensive line play. He’s still one of the best backs in the league and with better offensive line play, we should see James return to form. Whisenhunt brought in Russ Grimm, also from Pittsburgh, to coach the line and add some consistency and continuity to the unit. Leonard Davis is gone after the team decided not to pay him the huge contract he wanted. Tackle Levi Brown was drafted fifth overall in the 2007 NFL Draft to replace Davis.

Prediction: I won’t be one of those people to predict the Cardinals to be the team of the NFC West like others seem to do every year. I will say that they will be much better than 5-11 and make a decent push in the division. Seven or Eight wins is fair prediction in my opinion for a team that’s still growing.

St. Louis Rams

The Rams have one of the most dangerous and respected offensive trios in the league. Marc Bulger, Steven Jackson, and Torry Holt give the Rams the best opportunities to win games and stay competitive in the NFC West race. Although he will turn 35 in November, Isaac Bruce is still a reliable receiver to compliment Holt in the passing game. The Offensive line was the weak link of the offense, having issues with injuries last season and will need to improve to give this team a better shot at winning games.

Defensively, the biggest hole is the D-Line, who gave up well over 2,000 yards on the ground. Leonard Little is the best player on the line, but needs more help. To upgrade the front four, the Rams drafted Adam Carriker who will play in the middle. St. Louis is hoping that Carriker can become a premier run stuffer in the NFL.

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