This year the stingy defense and the explosive offense of the San Francisco 49ers will have to play better than ever to win the NFC West conference.
The Seattle Seahawks, Arizona Cardinals and the St. Louis Rams will all be contenders for the NFC west, which could be the most competitive division in the NFL this year.
The Seattle Seahawks really came along as a great team towards the end of the 2012 season, led by Russell Wilson. The Seahawks ended their surprising season with an 11-5 finish, finishing second in the NFC West behind the 49ers.
In his rookie year Wilson threw for 3,116 yards and 26 touchdowns, and halfback Marshawn Lynch ran 1,590 yards in 2012.
Last year, the Seahawks went 1-1 against the 49ers, losing their first meeting in San Francisco 13-6, and crushing the 49ers 42-13 in Seattle the second time around.
This year in the 2013 draft the Seahawks picked up talented running back Christine Michael from Texas A&M; University in the second round. Their third round pick was defense tackle Jordan Hill, who should be a big help to the Seahawks interior defensive line this season.
The Arizona Cardinals should also be a contender for the division title after a 3-1 finish in the preseason.
Though the Cardinals finished 2012 with a miserable 5-11 record, they have a new addition in Carson Palmer, a veteran quarterback in the NFL.
In the first round of the 2012 NFL draft, the Cardinals selected wide receiver Michael Floyd from Notre Dame. Floyd had 45 receptions and 562 yards last season. The Cardinals’ pick is expected to continue taking pressure off of star wideout Larry Fitzgerald. As a tandem, they should be able to create issues for secondaries. With an already impressive receiving corps, and an improvement at quarterback, the Cardinals look to improve their twenty-eighth overall rating in passing yards from last year.
The 49ers can’t afford to let the St. Louis Rams sneak up on them either.
2012 marked the sixth straight losing season for St. Louis, after finishing 7-8-1.
The team lost its star running back in Steven Jackson, but made up for it by taking wide receiver Tavon Austin from West Virgina in the first round of the NFL draft this year. In addition to Austin, the team also picked up talented running back Zac Stacy from Vanderbilt.
Sam Bradford threw for 3,702 yards and 21 touchdowns last year. Sam Bradford will have tight end Jared Cook be a favorite when they get down to the redzone to score.
So for all you 49er fans, be prepared for some stiff competition in the NFC West this season. It should be one heck of a race to the top.
