2008 NFC West Predictions

2008 NFC West preview from MadduxSports.com. After studying the NFL teams get signed up for our NFL Sports Picks for the top handicappers on the internet.

2008 NFC West Division Preview
By Adam Barone

1. Seattle Seahawks (8-8): Letting Shaun Alexander go puts the Hawks solely in the hands of Matt Hasselbeck and his big, shiny, bald dome. The loss of D.J. Hackett and the fact that Hasselbeck hasn’t found a way to stop aging could slow down the passing attack, but not much. Julius Jones and T.J. Duckett could prove to be a step down for this offense.

2. St. Louis Rams (7-9): The Rams don’t actually suck, they were just pretending last year so they could get a higher draft pick for this season. They had a quality draft that included the addition of Chris Long, which should open things up on every level for the defense. St. Louis plans to get Stephen Jackson the ball even more this year, which could be the best idea since Hooters.

3. Arizona Cardinals (7-9): The Cards managed an 8-8 record a season ago, but that was in a division with the underachieving Rams who accounted for two of those wins. Don’t expect that to happen this season. Edge and Kurt Warner are getting old and there’s just not much talent on defense.

4. San Francisco 49ers (6-10): New offensive coordinator Mike Martz has his work cut out for him. Alex Smith has all but proven his worthlessness, and Vernon Davis, though supremely talented, seems to be following him down that road. The offense will be centered around Frank Gore, but look for someone on the roster to make their mark in the passing game under Martz. The defense allowed over 22 points per game in 2007, but added Justin Smith, though not much else.

We have broken down each NFC West team in-depth. Read the individual NFL previews of the Cardinals, 49ers, Seahawks, and Rams from Maddux Sports.