This is another division where I didn’t cover myself in glory. By my own admission it was the one that I struggled with most, but my call of Seattle and Arizona as a wildcard. The Seahawks were appalling, and the 49ers finished strongly to take second but were way short of the playoffs.

Graham did well though, calling the Cards as divisional winners and 49ers as runners up but missing the playoffs. Nice work.

What will happen this year?

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Seattle Seahawks

Jim Mora stepped up as head coach at the beginning of last season, and things started going wrong almost immediately. They were unable to make a long-term deal with linebacker Leroy Hill and he and many others – such as Bobby Engrams and Julian Peterson – were lost to free agency or to other clubs. A promising pre-season and a shutout against the Rams in week one set a high mood, but that was to be the only week the ‘Hawks would have a winning record in the season. The eventually limped home to 5-11 on a 4 game losing streak. There were some bright spots, such as tight-end and fantasy football hero John Carlson, but overall it was a season to forget.

Mora was fired shortly after the season end and Pete Carroll has been given another shot at the NFL. There were other changes in the front office and as is the way with a new head coach there were many changes to the rest of the coaching staff. With the 6th and 14th picks in the NFL Draft Russell Okung and Earl Thomas come in to address obvious needs, LenDale White and Kevin Dickerson came in from the Titans.

This is a team that is better set than last season, when there were questions in a number of areas, but there remains a big question mark over Pete Carroll’s NFL credentials. He does have a winning record, but is considered by many to be better suited for the college game in terms of his style and man-management abilities. If he can control the team, earn their respect and get them playing for him then this team could again take the division. That’s a big IF at the moment though.

San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers finished the season much better than they ended it. After restructuring his contract and then losing the starting role to Shaun Hill, Alex Smith regained the position halfway through the season and got better as he went. Shaun Hill has now left for the Lions and the talk coming out of the Niners camp that Smith more of a leader than ever and the offense is excited to have him. For the first time in a while, the 49ers will have the same offensive coach for more than a single season and that will only server them well. The line has been improved with first round picks Anthony Davis and Mike Iupati. Ted Ginn Jr also joined from the Dolphins and will be looking to kick on a promising career that had stalled. Add in Vernon Davis’ growing maturity and production and Frank Gore and you have a unit to be wary of.

Defensively this was a great unit, as you would expect from a Mike Singletary team, and only the Ravens, Cowboys and Jets allowed fewer points. Taylor Mays, one of Pete Carroll’s Trojans and once described as being faster than Chris Johnson, comes in to bolster the secondary. This unit otherwise has seen little change.

There’s definitely a feeling of optimism around San Francisco, and with doubts about the Cardinals and the Rams.. well, the Rams being the Rams they are strong contenders in an admittedly weak division.

We’ll be watching closely as they are the designated home-team for the NFL International Series game in London this year. They’ll take on the Broncos at Wembley Stadium (where Ted Ginn Jr could become the first player to score two TDs at Wembley) in late October.

Arizona Cardinals

The big question in Arizona is can Matt Leinart step up and lead the team. Kurt Warner retired this off-season and I don’t think there’s a single fan in the world who would wish him anything but the best. Leinart was taken with the 10th overall pick of the 2006 Draft, after Vince Young and one pick ahead of Jay Cutler. His maturity has been questioned at times, but it could be that he’ll have learned from the time on the sidelines… it could well pay off in an Aaron Rodgers style way. However he plays, he’ll be doing so without Anquan Boldin as a target. Big Boldin is now plying his trade in Baltimore.

Kerry Rhodes will attempt to help a secondary that was incapable of stopping the ball towards the end of last year. The draft gave them defensive end Dan Williams, who has improved the line straight away but this unit really struggled in the post-season last year, giving up 45 points in successive games and going out. They’ll have to improve on that against the top quarterbacks to do well this season.

I said this last year, but I think it’s more appropriate this… I see them struggling this season and I can’t see them in the post-season at all.

St. Louis Rams

The only way is up for the Rams. Let’s be honest about that.

Everyone saw them taking Sam Bradford in the draft and sure enough they did. He goes straight in as starter and it’ll be great to see him in action, as long as he’s not getting sacked left right and centre. Steven Jackson remains an outright stud out of the backfield and his production in the last few years has been nothing short of stunning but this team has had problems all over the place.

Coach Spagnuolo has said he was pleased with the effort shown last season and I can’t say that I ever saw the Rams quit in what must have been difficult times. Beyond that though… I’m going to watch the pre-season develop but I can’t look to anyone else to come in 4th here.

Predictions (made 27th May 2010)

# Team
1 San Francisco 49ers
2 Arizona Cardinals
3 Seattle Seahawks
4 St. Louis Rams

Thumbnail Credit: Alfred Benway