First I hope that each of you, my
fellow NFL fans have enjoyed a very Merry
Christmas, spent with family and friends.
I apologise for missing a week here due to unforeseen hospital visits
more than the demands of the season, but I am back today to give you your
update of what is what in the NFC West.
Congratulations to the Arizona Cardinals, they are your 2015
NFC West champions. With one regular season game remaining the Cardinals could
yet clinch the number one overall seed but have at least guaranteed themselves
a first round bye. They have looked to
be the most complete team in the league for most of the season ranking in the
top 5 on both offence and defence, and when Chris Johnson went down injured and rookie David Johnson took over the starting running back role, you could
easily argue that the Cardinals got even stronger, as Carson Palmer has put together a season that has earned him a place
in the MVP conversation. However, this
team has lost the Honey Badger for
the rest of the year, how big a loss will this prove to be on the defensive
side of the ball? He gave the Cardinals
the sort of defensive x factor that Troy
Polymalu gave the Steelers in
his prime, making plays in the secondary, stuffing the run and crashing the
line of scrimmage for QB pressures and sacks, the Cardinals have cover of
course but against the top teams in the league will they rue his injury in the
dying moments of the Eagles game.
Also congratulations to the Seattle Seahawks who have clinched
themselves a playoff spot. This team which
had the high profile Jimmy Graham
signing in Free Agency of course has sparked again at the end of the year,
rather reminiscently of last season, and ironically after Graham was lost for
the year. Russell Wilson has put the
team on his shoulders and legs and who would have thought that Doug Baldwin would ever be in the same
ballpark as Jerry Rice when it comes
to receiving records, but by going on a run of 5 games where he has claimed 13
touchdowns Baldwin has done something that only the G.O.A.T. has previously
managed, oh and a fit Marshawn Lynch
might be back in week 17 and ready to bring Beast Mode back for the
playoffs. The defence may not the all-conquering
outfit of a few seasons ago but it still has Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas, Kam Chancellor, Michael Bennett, Cliff
Avril, put bluntly the Seahawks were the team that the rest of the NFC
hoped wouldn’t make the playoffs, but Pete
Carrol has got them there and now there are some who would make them
favourites to appear in San Francisco
come early February. Ignore the recent Rams blip, the Rams have always managed
to play Seattle well, it hasn’t said much for the Rams otherwise meanwhile the
Seahawks are two-time Super Bowl
finalists. They may be on the road but
write off the Seahawks at your peril.
Next week the NFC North will be decided when Green Bay play the Vikings for
the 3 seed the loser will likely have the 5 seed, the 3 seed will be at home to
Seattle while the 5 seed on the road to Washington,
would you almost prefer to lose the division ?
Back to those (for now) St Louis Rams, Coach Fisher at times has let the strain show with some very
questionable decisions and comments, but the Rams have recovered from their
annual mid-season slump and are pushing 7-9 or 8-8 yet again with a game with
the 49ers to come, how they manage
to get so close to .500 each year is almost mythical. Their defence which when healthy is a rival
for any in the league has been decimated by injury, but Aaron Donald the second year lineman may be on the verge of the
unthinkable and be a serious contender to Justin
James Watt as the Defensive Player of
the Year. On offence Tavon Austin has finally arrived as the
Rams for the first time since he was drafted actually looked like they had some
clue how to use him, he is closing in on a 1000 yard from line of scrimmage
season before you add in his return game threat, and then there is Todd Gurley. Every time Gurley looks good the Rams do too,
stop Gurley and you probably stop the Rams, but Gurley is a rookie of course recovering
from an ACL and what we have seen this year which may yet earn him Offensive Rookie of the Year, is
probably a fraction of what he will be in the coming years. Will those years be in St Louis or Los Angeles of course? And what will
the Rams do at QB, is Case Keenum
the answer? While Fisher is in charge
maybe, Fisher is happy with 100-200 yards passing as long as Gurley is running
the game, but once again we don’t know if the Rams have the QB or Receivers to
have than backup Plan B.
Which takes me to San Francisco 49ers, all year long it was supposed to be a
historical dumpster fire type season, and yes they will finish bottom of the
West with a chance of one of the higher draft picks next April, but against the
expectations this hasn’t been that bad a season. I would argue that there is even a positive
feel since Blaine Gabbert took over
QB responsibilities from Colin
Kaepernick, Gabbert has looked far superior to his Jaguars form and played
most of his games with basically one receiver, and practice squad running backs
and tight ends, yet still managed to look good, Kaepernick for his games this
year had the starters around him before they got hurt or traded and may well
have been the worst QB in the league, despite rhetoric to the opposite, expect
Kaepernick to be wearing a different uniform next year. Also the Niners defence has not been that
bad, led by the returning Navarro Bowman
who should be in consideration for comeback player of the year, possibly with
Gabbert, Bowman has returned to his old form and the Niners have pushed most
opponents all the way, not many have thrashed them. Time spent on the field in that there was far
too much of it has cost the Niners defence which does not have the depth it once
did, but again when Gabbert took over and the offence suddenly kept drives
alive for longer, the defensive starters had more rest and came out and played
better. There is a long way to go of
course, and Coach Jim Tomsula may yet not get a second season but there things
to encourage Niners faithful for the coming years.
Whoever you support, enjoy the
playoffs and of course Happy New Year!
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