The "NFC Worst" sprung into existence in 2010 when the

Seattle Seahawks became the first team in a full season to make the playoffs with a losing 7-9 record. The Carolina Panthers of 2014 have..." />Skip to main contentclockmenumore-arrownoyesField Gulls homepageHorizontal - WhiteField Gullsa Seattle Seahawks communityFollow Field Gulls online:Follow Field Gulls on TwitterFollow Field Gulls on FacebookLog in or sign upLog InSign UpSite searchSearchSearchField Gulls main menuFanpostsFanshotsSectionsSeahawksOddsAboutMastheadCommunity GuidelinesStubHubMoreAll 321 blogs on Horizontal - WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections VideosCoffee and CigarettesGame AnalysisThe Numbers GameCigar ThoughtsCan the NFC West produce three teams with a winning record in 2019?New Ethan Pocic Color Rush Jersey ,22commentsPDTShare this storyShare this on FacebookShare this on TwitterShareAll sharing optionsShareAll sharing options for:Can the NFC West produce three teams with a winning record in 2019?TwitterFacebookRedditPocketFlipboardEmailPhoto by Nhat V. Meyer/MediaNews Group/The Mercury News via Getty ImagesThe “NFC Worst” sprung into existence in 2010 when the Seattle Seahawks became the first team in a full season to make the playoffs with a losing 7-9 record. The Carolina Panthers of 2014 have since joined that list, with a slightly better 7-8-1 record that year. In the midst of the offseason activity whirlwind, especially considering the San Francisco 49ers’ nearly inevitable improvement, I began wondering what the NFC West’s chances are of being one of the stronger conferences this year. The NFC West has some bad history. Not only did they set that illustrious mark in 2010, but they are one of two teams who have only had three winning teams once. The other is the NFC North, who did it in 2012.For reference, here’s the breakdown of the other divisions. All of these marks are since 2002, when the massive NFL realignment created the four-team divisions with which we are now familiar. Years with three teams better than 8-8NFC North - onceNFC South – 4 timesNFC East – 3 timesNFC West - onceAFC North – 3 timesAFC South – twice, including last yearAFC East - 3 timesAFC West – 5 times! The one year the NFC West pulled it off was a very memorable 2013, which saw Seattle, SF, and Arizona above .500. Arizona drafted Tyrann Matthieu that year and a grand total of zero other NFL starters. This will also be the last mention of the Arizona Cardinals in this piece, as they promise to be every bit as entertaining as last season but pose no threat to the winning-record club.This year’s contendersLA Rams, 13-3 in 2018They would have to regress 5 games to disqualify themselves.Key Departures· Rodger Saffold · N’damukong Suh· John Sullivan· CJ Anderson· Todd Gurley’s knees· Sean McVay’s boyish charm and element of surpriseKey Additions· Clay Matthews· Eric Weddle· Darrell HendersonI see a significant step back likely in the cards for the Rams. Even with a high selection and some decent hype given to Henderson Shaquill Griffin Color Rush Jersey , it’s nearly impossible to see how their offensive line or run game will be at the same level as last year. They lost two starters off the line, and their best remaining lineman in Andrew Whitworth is another year old, and we’re not talking from 29 to 30; he’ll play at 37 years old this season. Two-time All-Pro Eric Weddle is a massive addition for them this year, but the others are not. For the most part LA focused on retaining the Super Bowl players they wanted to retain, but they’re still going to be a team to run against, and it will be difficult to maintain the 32.9 ppg they put up in 2018. At one point Brandin Cooks and Cooper Kupp were in concussion protocol at the same time towards the end of last year. Regression is almost inevitable, though for them to give up 5 games on last year doesn’t feel likely. Seahawks, 10-6 in 2018They would have to regress 2 games.Key Departures· Doug Baldwin· Earl Thomas· Frank Clark· Justin Coleman· J.R. Sweezy· Mike Davis· Shamar StephenKey Additions· Will Dissly’s return· Ezekiel Ansah· 11 draft picks - Only Minnesota had more· Mike Iupati· Al Woods· DK Metcalf, mostly because Seattle was able to swipe what could be a start-worthy rookie receiver without investing a top-10 pick.· Jason Myers, whom we all hope will be the greatest improvement over his replacement on this entire list.It’s hard to view more than the departures of Clark and Coleman as having a significant impact on this season. Baldwin had already passed the #1 torch to Tyler Lockett, and Thomas was present for a grand total of forty-something days last year. Who the next man up will be at DE and nickel corner is a big deal for the Hawks this year, but it would be difficult to defend that the likes of Davis, Stephen, and Sweezy are going to cost Seattle two games. SF 49ers Delano Hill Color Rush Jersey , 4-12 in 2018Need to improve 5 games to make winning recordThis is the precipice on which the NFC stands, so to speak. What are the Niners going to be capable of this season? Key Additions· The return of Jimmy Garoppolo· The subsequent return of Jerick McKinnon· Dee Ford· Nick Bosa drafted· Kwon Alexander· Wes Welker as Receivers coach???· Dontae Johnson· Tevin Coleman· Jason VerrettKey Departures· Pierre Garcon· Brock Coyle· Cassius MarshWill they be better than 4-12? I’d put big money on it. Will they be at least 2 games better (6-10)? Still, seems more likely than not. Could they see a full 5-game improvement, however? First, the positives. By volume, San Francisco made the most noise in the division this offseason. Their defensive line could rival the years when Aaron Donald still had the element of surprise and teams were scared of the Rams.Combine that with two improvements in the backfield in McKinnon and Coleman, to free up Garoppolo to do overrated Garoppolo things, and we’re looking at very significant improvements in three areas of San Francisco’s team. But, there are still glaring unknowns in the secondary, and they’ve got the hardest schedule in their division by opponents’ 2018 winning percentage. Last season left them 27th in the league in pass defense by DVOA, and as good as newcomer CB Jason Verrett is, he’s basically always hurt. Here’s the most likely scenario I see. If San Francisco makes it past 8-8, it’s going to be because defense is generally ahead of offense early in the season, and the 49ers get off to a hot start with their oppressive defensive line. They have a six-game stretch to close the season that we’ll call…unfortunate.Green BayAt BaltimoreAt New OrleansAtlantaLA RamsAt SeattleSure Earl Thomas Color Rush Jersey , it would look even more menacing without Green Bay, but I left them in there because it’s still Aaron Rodgers at the helm and it’s safe to assume at some point he will throw the ball. Atlanta also had a losing record, but was in the same injury-plagued position as SF, and, is still better. I have no empirical evidence for this, except they were in the Super Bowl two seasons ago, and that Matt Ryan > Jimmy Garoppolo. Surrounding those games are four division leaders or runners-up, all with dynamic QBs. Call it a cop-out if you want, but I firmly believe that the 49ers are a winning team…just not this year. In addition to the final stretch of this season, they have two road games that would normally be favorable (@Cin, @Was), were they not 10AM starts on the East Coast as the 2nd road game in a row in both instances. But hey, it’s the NFL right? Crazier things have happened. Either way, at the moment the NFC West looks like they are far from the danger of Monday morning office jokes J.R. Sweezy Color Rush Jersey , and closer to being one of the stronger conferences while we all await the upcoming ascension of Kyler Murray. RENTON, Wash. (AP)Holdout safety Earl Thomas reiterated Thursday he wants to be traded if the Seattle Seahawks aren’t willing to offer him a contract extension.Thomas explained the reasoning behind his ongoing holdout in a long post on The Players’ Tribune . Thomas has skipped Seattle’s entire offseason program and missed the first week of training camp.Thomas said his holdout is entirely based around securing his long-term future with his current contract set to expire at the conclusion of the 2018 season.”One of the reasons I’ve always played so hard is because I want my actions on the field to be able to speak for me,” Thomas wrote. ”But I can’t do that right now – and I’m in a situation where I feel like I really have to say something. Not just on behalf of myself, but also for the other players around the league who are currently in the same position as me, or who will be in the future.”Thomas is a three-time first-team All-Pro and was the anchor for the Seattle defense that appeared in consecutive Super Bowls, winning the first. Aside from a broken leg suffered late in the 2016 season, Thomas has been a durable starter from the time he arrived in the league. Thomas has missed just seven regular-season games in his career.Thomas said he was shaken by the injuries suffered by Richard Sherman and Kam Chancellor – two other members of Seattle’s ”Legion of Boom” secondary – in a Thursday night game last season. Sherman ruptured his Achilles tendon, ending his season, and Chancellor suffered a neck injury. Sherman was released by Seattle in the offseason and signed with San Francisco. Chancellor – while not officially retired – is not expected to play again because of the neck injury.”That Thursday night game really cemented in my mind the truth – which is that your entire life can change on one play. And when it does, no matter what you’ve accomplished in the past . you can still get cut without even so much as a negotiation,” Thomas wrote.Thomas said he’s become frustrated with the insinuation that his holdout means he doesn’t want to play in Seattle anymore.”That’s just not true, man. I love Seattle. But I’d hoped I wouldn’t even have to say that. I’d hoped that the way I’ve played for this team over the last eight years would tell you all you need to know,” Thomas wrote.—