SEATTLE – To find a trio of .500 teams leading a division after two weeks is nothing new.
To find .500 teams competing for a division title in December? Well, that’s a different story.
Unless, of course, those teams are from the NFC West.
The Seattle Seahawks begin the most important part of their schedule today, when they open play in the NFL’s most forlorn division. It took Seattle’s Week 17 win over a watered-down Atlanta team last season to keep an 8-8 team from winning the NFC West, and if the first two weeks of the 2005 season are any indication, this year eight wins might be enough.
“It doesn’t matter whether or not they call it the greatest division,” said Seahawks defensive end Bryce Fisher, who played for the rival St. Louis Rams last season. “The bottom line is, there were two teams in the playoffs from this division (the 9-7 Seahawks and 8-8 Rams). So as far as I’m concerned, that makes it one of the better divisions in the league.”
First blood has already been drawn, with the NFC West’s other three teams already having squared off with each other at least once. But the Seahawks (1-1) will see their first division opponent of the season today.
“These games all count double because at the end of the year, all tie-breakers are determined by division games first,” Fisher said. “So it’s important that we get this win and get started in our division.”
Although two games are not enough to provide hard conclusions, the early play by NFC West teams have given indications of what may come to pass. An early look at the division:
Seahawks
Record: 1-1.
Results: lost at Jacksonville, beat Atlanta.
Quick take: Getting a split against two tough opponents could work to their advantage. The schedule gets easier heading into the Oct. 30 bye, as the Seahawks have a shot at a 5-2 record.
What’s gone right: The rebuilt defense has held its own, for the most part. And the balanced offense continues to look unstoppable when it’s hitting its stride.
What’s gone wrong: Big leads are never safe with this unit. Consistency remains a concern on both sides of the ball, as the high-octane offense goes through stretches where it appears to be running out of gas.
What the future looks like: If last season was any indication, injuries could be the most important factor in this team’s success. The Seahawks would be particularly devastated if they lost quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, running back Shaun Alexander or any starter along the defensive line.
St. Louis Rams
Record: 1-1.
Results: lost at San Francisco, won at Arizona.
Quick take: Looking more like the team that finished 4-6 down the stretch last year than the one being picked to win the NFC West this year.
What’s gone right: The Rams continue to develop receivers, with Kevin Curtis and Shaun McDonald (remember them, Seahawks fans?) making further strides. The Rams’ run defense has been solid, led by interior linemen Ryan Pickett and Jimmy Kennedy. St. Louis also has two NFC West road games out of the way, leaving four of the final six at home.
What’s gone wrong: The loss to San Francisco exposed a lot of scars. Especially alarming in that game was the Rams’ special teams, which showed some improvement last Sunday. St. Louis has also struggled to protect Marc Bulger.
What the future looks like: The Rams are probably still the team to beat in the NFC West, especially when considering their 2004 success against the Seahawks. But they have enough question marks that 6-10 is just as likely.
San Francisco 49ers
Record: 1-1
Results: Beat St. Louis, lost at Philadelphia.
Quick take: They looked like the 49ers of 1994 in the opener and the 49ers of 2004 last Sunday.
What’s gone right: It took only one week to do something they never did in 2004: win a game in regulation. The nameless receivers have also been better than expected.
What’s gone wrong: Last Sunday’s loss to Philadelphia provided too many flashbacks to last year’s 2-14 campaign. The running game struggled, the defense looked overmatched and quarterback Tim Rattay was turnover-prone.
What the future looks like: It’s not so bright that Mike Nolan needs to wear shades. Nolan and prized quarterback Alex Smith might get this franchise on track sometime, but not anytime soon. The bad news for Seahawks fans is that Seattle plays San Francisco twice in the final seven weeks, during which time the 49ers might start coming together.
Arizona Cardinals
Record: 0-2.
Results: lost at NY Giants, lost to St. Louis.
Quick take: “This is the year” motto could morph into a familiar one: “Maybe next year.”
What’s gone right: The offseason. Additions of Kurt Warner, Chike Okeafor, Antrel Rolle and J.J. Arrington had everyone excited. Young receivers Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin have also continued to emerge into one of the top tandems in the league.
What’s gone wrong: The regular season. Turnovers cost the Cardinals in the opener, and mental mistakes cost them in the loss to St. Louis last week.
What the future looks like: There is still reason for optimism in Arizona, in part because of the mediocrity of the NFC West. But this team is a far cry from the possible Super Bowl contender the Cardinals were expected to be.
While the Cardinals take solace in knowing that they’re still just one game out of first place, the Seahawks would like nothing more than to keep them at the bottom of the division by beating Arizona today. Seattle’s first two games were important, but NFC West games take on an entirely different intensity level.
“It picks up,” Seahawks defensive end Grant Wistrom said. “You’re facing these guys twice a year. They know you, and you know them, so the intensity is there. It’s a game we’ve got to win.”
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