As the 2024 Presidential Election reaches its final stretch, the push for the White House is not the only race on the mind of Los Angeles Rams fans. The race for the NFC West is one of the most exciting and contentious division battles this season. The first half of the season sees three teams sharing 4-4 records at the top of the table. The Rams, the only division team to take their bye week, sit at 3-4.
Injuries and inconsistency define 2024’s NFC West contest, with all teams missing key players at various points throughout the year. As the records show, no team has been able to pull ahead of its competition.
NFC West Division Race Tightens Up
This is great news for a Rams team that started the year off slowly.
Here’s a brief overview of every team’s journey and how the Rams can find a path to the division title.
The Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals lead the division through their 2-0 record in division matchups. Their biggest win of the season came in Week 5 when they squeezed passed the San Francisco 49ers in 24-23 fashion.
Their last two wins have also come down to the wire. In Weeks 7 and 8, the Cardinals defeated the Los Angeles Chargers and the Miami Dolphins, respectively. Their combined margin of victory is three points, with both wins coming down to game-winning field goals from kicker Chad Ryland.
While Arizona has lucked out with injuries compared to their division rivals, they have missed their first-round defensive lineman Darius Robinson all season. Robinson injured his calf in practice in August, landing him on IR. He was activated on Oct. 28 and looks to add some depth to a unit that has dealt with its fair share of injuries.
For the team’s success, the Cardinals’ other first-rounder, wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. must play a bigger part going forward. He stood out against Miami, catching six passes for 111 yards and a touchdown. Quarterback Kyler Murray’s connection with Harrison could be the difference between a division title or another rebuilding season.
Before their Week 12 bye, Arizona faces the Bears and the Jets. These games could go either way, with all three squads having significant flaws and inconsistencies. Arizona could go 1-1 with a loss to Chicago, keeping their .500 record through the bye.
The San Francisco 49ers
Despite some of the worst injury luck in the league this season, the 49ers are still alive.
2023 NFL Offensive Player of the Year Christian McCaffrey has yet to see the field after being diagnosed with Achilles tendonitis in both legs. While his practice window may open as early as this week, that is not the only injury head coach Kyle Shanahan needs to worry about. After a trade saga lasting all offseason, receiver Brandon Aiyuk tore both his ACL and MCL in Week 7, ending his season.
The team also saw injuries to wide receivers Deebo Samuel and Jauan Jennings, offensive tackle Trent Williams and tight end George Kittle at various periods.
Shanahan’s system has still survived despite the injuries, with their “next man up” approach keeping the season alive.
The 49ers have their bye in Week 9 but they face significant challenges going forward. After playing an injury-riddled Buccaneers squad, San Francisco must face the Seahawks, Packers, Bills, and Bears in the following four weeks. All matches against teams in the top half of the league.
The 49ers are also 1-2 in the division with losses against the Rams and Cardinals, so winning out in the rest of the in-division matches is key.
With a week of rest and CMC’s return on the horizon, Shanahan’s team is getting the juice it needs to make a push in the season’s latter half.
The Seattle Seahawks
Seattle is the most confusing team in the NFC West.
After closing the book on Pete Carroll’s 13-year tenure with the team, the Seahawks hired Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald. The team’s personnel and structure promised a high-powered offense and well-built defense.
Seattle’s defensive struggles are largely against the run. The team ranks 29th in rush defense, allowing nine touchdowns and 148.4 yards per game. Their pass defense is around the league average, ranking 15th with 12 touchdowns allowed and giving up 210.1 yards a game.
Seattle is losing battles in the trenches, particularly on defense. On Buffalo Bills’ running back James Cook’s second touchdown on Sunday, the Bills’ offensive line simply pushes the Seahawks defense aside, allowing Cook to expose a wide-open rushing lane to the end zone.
The team’s saving grace is their passing offense, quarterbacked by Geno Smith. Smith leads the league with 2197 passing yards. Unfortunately, while the team has been effective in gaining yards, Smith has only thrown eight touchdown passes and has also given up seven interceptions.
Seattle’s first step to salvaging the season comes against a red-hot Rams team in Week 9.
The Los Angeles Rams
Last but certainly not least in the NFC West standings are the Los Angeles Rams.
The Rams started the season on a poor note, losing wide receivers Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua to injury and going 1-4 before their Week 5 bye. However, since then head coach Sean McVay’s team is 2-0 with a big win against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 8.
With Kupp and Nacua back on the field and trade rumors surrounding Kupp and quarterback Matthew Stafford muted, the Rams are all in for a playoff push.
Going forward, expect the Rams to dial in offensively as Kupp and Nacua reenter the picture. With their presence on the field, McVay and Stafford can spread the ball to other receiving options like wide receiver Demarcus Robinson, whose ability as an outside receiving threat grew in Week 8. Of course, running back Kyren Williams is also more of a threat, as opposing teams cannot stack the box with the dynamic receiving duo on the field.
On the defensive side, the front seven continue to grow. Rookie edge rusher Jared Verse is a shoo-in for a Defensive Rookie of the Year nod and his Florida State teammate Braden Fiske was a great addition to the draft class.
Of course, the team is still missing Aaron Donald. Despite that, the two rookies along with defensive end Kobie Turner and edge rusher Byron Young, the pass rush has applied a lot of pressure. They just need to finish some of their tackles.
Los Angeles is 1-1 in the division and this week’s contest against Seattle is a must-win matchup. The Rams also have some “softer” games coming up against the Dolphins, Saints, and Patriots. However, anything can happen in the NFL.
Main Photo Courtesy of Kirby Lee – Imagn Images
