NFC West Betting Preview – 3 Best Bets And A New Champion
The NFC West has been the very best division in the league in recent years. This high standard of play has been seen in the 49ers 2020 Super Bowl appearance and the Rams Super Bowl victory last season. This year it looks like the Rams could have their division title taken from them.
NFC West Division Odds
San Francisco 49ers
2021 Record: 10-7
Division Odds: 7/4
Over/Under This Season: 10.5
Key Players: QB Trey Lance | TE George Kittle | DE Nick Bosa
New Face At QB
The 49ers go into the 2022 season with an interesting quarterback situation. Longtime starter Jimmy Garoppolo has been replaced in the starting lineup by young second year QB Trey Lance. Garoppolo is a solid player but he has never had the ability to win games by himself.
Lance is an incredible athlete and will change the way the 49ers offence functions this year. We can expect to see a lot more quarterback runs to take advantage of the young QB’s athleticism.
Dynamic Receiving Group
The 49ers decided to extend wide receiver Deebo Samuel this offseason when it looked at one point like he would be traded. Samuel seems to be happy now and will be a weapon in the 49ers passing game for the season ahead.
Samuel is joined by another talented young player in Brandon Aiyuk who is the #2 receiver on the team. Aiyuk is also a dynamic threat who can do damage with the ball in his hands. The pair form one of the better duos in the league.
George Kittle is the starting tight end for the team. Not only is Kittle a threat in the passing game but he is the best blocking tight end in the league and will open up plenty of holes in the running game.
Talent At Running Back
The 49ers have a talented group of running backs with a lot of depth. Elijah Mitchell is the projected starter but you can expect backup Jeff Wilson to get plenty of carries too.
O-Line Issues
The offensive line is home to the best lineman in the league in Trent Williams. Williams is one of the most dominant forces in the league and will give Lance time in the pocket.
Aside from Williams though this O-Line looks shaky with the other four starters all ranking below league average. This is easily the worst position group on the team.
Dominant Defensive Front
The defensive line has been a real strength for the 49ers over the last decade and this season should be no different. DE Nick Bosa is the star of the unit and he can make the lives of opposing quarterbacks miserable with his outstanding pass rushing abilities.
At linebacker Fred Warner is one of the best in the NFL. He has the ability to cover tight ends in the passing game while also being a sure tackler against the run.
Safety Hazard?
The secondary is an interesting area of the 49ers defence. At the cornerback spot they are strong with two quality starters in Charvarius Ward and Emmanuel Moseley who should be able to match up well against all but the very best receivers in the league.
On the other hand, the two safeties look weak. This could leave the team vulnerable against deep passes.
Expectations
There is a lot of elite talent on this roster which makes the 49ers capable of beating any team on their day. The addition of Trey Lance as the team’s starting QB is a real wildcard. Lance could bring the team to new heights. The offensive line is a question mark but I trust Head Coach Kyle Shanahan to scheme around this and make the most of Lance’s athletic abilities.
Prediction: 49ers Over 10.5 Wins
Arizona Cardinals
2021 Record: 11-6
Division Odds: 10/3
Over/Under This Season: 8.5
Key Players: QB Kyler Murray | DE J.J. Watt | WR DeAndre Hopkins
Electric Murray
The Cardinals have a talented QB in Kyler Murray who is electric when at his best.The young quarterback can make defenders look silly when in the open field.
Injuries have been an issue for Murray in his NFL career so far. The team will need him to stay healthy if they are to have any chance of securing a playoff spot in this tough division.
Cards In La La Land
The Cardinals made a massive move in the offseason when they traded for wide receiver Marquise ‘Hollywood’ Brown. The young receiver is one of the fastest players in the league and already has great chemistry with former college teammate Kyler Murray.
Brown will stretch the field for this offence and when star receiver DeAndre Hopkins returns they will form one of the best receiving duos in the NFL. Tight end Zach Ertz and WR Rondale Moore should also rack up plenty of yards and TDs this season.
Conner Offers Dynamic Threat
James Conner is the lead running back for Arizona. Conner is a top player at his position who can produce for the team in the running and passing game.
Weak O-Line
The offensive line doesn’t look particularly strong on paper and it could cause issues when the Cardinals want to throw the ball down the field. Like previous seasons, Murray will have to rely on his speed and elusiveness to buy time to throw the ball. This will put Murray at greater risk of injury.
Watt Can Still Wreak Havoc
The Cardinals have a very talented edge rushing duo with multiple time Defensive Player of The Year J.J. Watt and DE Markus Golden. Watt is not at his peak anymore but he is still one of the best in the league at his position and can put a lot of pressure on the quarterback.
The linebacker core could be an area of weakness for the Cardinals this season. If these linebackers don’t improve from their performances last year then the team could struggle against both the run and the short passing game.
Coverage Issues
The secondary also does not look particularly strong for the Cardinals. Safety Budda Baker has played at an elite level before but apart from Baker the rest of the defensive backs look like they will struggle in coverage.
Expectations
Arizona are primed to take a step back this season after last year’s playoff appearance. The offence is talented particularly in the passing game but a weak offensive line and a subpar defence will likely hold this team back in 2022.
Prediction: Cardinals Under 8.5 Wins
Los Angeles Rams
2021 Record: 12-5
Division Odds: 5/4
Over/Under This Season: 10.5
Key Players: DT Aaron Donald | QB Matthew Stafford | CB Jalen Ramsey
Elite Quarterback Play
The Rams come into this season as the defending Super Bowl champions and the addition of star QB Matthew Stafford last offseason was what took them to championship status.
Stafford was brilliant last season and can make all the throws required of him in this offence. There is some cause for concern however as Stafford has a concerning elbow injury which might affect his performance.
Talented Receiving Group
At receiver the Rams have Super Bowl MVP Cooper Kupp. The wide receiver was a critical part of their championship team as he led the league in receiving yards and TDs.
In free agency the team added talented receiver Allen Robinson who is a reliable #2 option for Stafford. This is one of the better receiving groups in the league and they will produce plenty of points and yards.
Strong Runners
Cam Akers is projected to be the starting running back for the Rams this season. Akers is a quality back who can help the offence in the running and passing game. Backup RB Darrell Henderson is also a good back who can provide an impact from the bench.
No Weak Links Along O-Line
This is easily a top ten offensive line in the NFL.There are no weak links across the line while right tackle Rob Havenstein and center Brian Allen are among the best at their positions.
Best Player In The League On The D-Line?
The defensive line is home to one of the all-time great players in DT Aaron Donald. The superstar defensive lineman is a dominant force with three Defensive Player of the Year awards to his name. Pass rusher Leonard Floyd can also create a lot of pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
The addition of veteran linebacker Bobby Wagner in free agency will be a massive boost for a group that has been a weakness for the team in recent seasons.
Lack Of Depth At Cornerback
Jalen Ramsey leads this secondary and he is one of the best cornerbacks in the league. One of the few areas of weakness on this team is the rest of the cornerback group who all rank as below average players at their position. When the Rams come up against quality wide receivers they might struggle to defend them.
Expectations
This Rams roster is incredibly talented with elite players dotted across the roster. There are some causes for concern such as QB Stafford’s elbow injury and a weak cornerback group that can be exploited. This team could suffer a bit of a post Super Bowl slump but this roster is still similar to the one that brought them a Super Bowl last season.
Prediction: Rams Over 10.5 Wins
Seattle Seahawks
2021 Record: 7-10
Division Odds: 16/1
Over/Under This Season: 5.5
Key Players: QB Geno Smith | WR D.K. Metcalf | WR Tyler Lockett
Sinking Ship
The departure of Russell Wilson, one of the very best quarterbacks in the league, tells you all you need to know about the direction this franchise is going in. There has been a quarterback battle during the preseason between newly acquired Drew Lock and Geno Smith.
Veteran Smith looks to have won the battle and is projected to be the starter for the season ahead. Both Smith and Lock are a massive drop in quality from Wilson.
Receivers Offer Rare Bright Spot
The wide receiver group is one of the few bright spots on this roster. WR D.K. Metcalf is an incredible athlete and can overpower defenders.
The #2 WR Tyler Lockett is a different type of receiver to Metcalf. Lockett uses his precise route running to find weak spots in coverage and get open. At TE Noah Fant is a talented young player who can add another solid option in the passing game.
Penny Can Produce At RB
Rashaad Penny is projected to start at running back for the Seahawks. Penny ended last season very strongly so the team will hope that he can carry that form into this season.
NFL’s Worst O-Line?
This offensive line is terrible. All of the players either graded as below average at the position or are unproven at the NFL level.
Lack Of Talent In Defensive Front
The defensive line is another weakness on the Seahawks roster. All of the starters on the D-Line graded as below average at their position last year. Jordyn Brooks, who hasn’t impressed in his NFL career so far, is projected to start at linebacker.
Solid Secondary
Cornerback is a rare bright spot on this team. Apart from the wide receiver group it is the only thing to be optimistic about going into the 2022 season. Cornerback Sidney Jones returns after a solid season last year while CB Artie Burns was a nice free agent signing that can hold up well in coverage.
At the free safety spot Quandre Diggs has the range required to cover deep down the field. The other starting safety Jamal Adams was acquired via an expensive trade a couple years ago but has been a liability in coverage for Seattle.
Expectations
This is the worst Seahawks team in over a decade with little talent on the roster. Seattle will struggle to win games this season so expect this team to be picking near the top of next year’s draft.
Prediction: Seahawks Under 5.5 Wins
NFC West Best Bets
49ers To Win The NFC West @ 7/4
The addition of talented young quarterback Trey Lance for the 49ers has the potential to bring their offence to new heights. Lance’s athleticism combined with Head Coach Kyle Shanahan’s innovative play calling will be a lethal pairing which defences in the NFL will struggle to cope with.
QB Jimmy Garoppolo has been solid in recent seasons but he is one dimensional and can only really operate from the pocket. Last year this team was a dropped interception away from beating the Rams and going to the Super Bowl themselves. Lance can take them over the top this year.
NFC West Straight Forecast: 1st 49ers, 2nd Rams
The reasoning for picking the 49ers to win the division here was explained above. In short, new starting QB Lance will bring them to new heights.
The only other team who pose any sort of threat to the 49ers and Rams are the Cardinals. Arizona look like they will take a step back this season due to a weak offensive line, a QB prone to injury and a below average defence. Due to this, the 49ers and Rams finishing first and second in that order at odds of 3/1 looks like great value for bettors.
Seahawks To Have Worst Regular Season Record @ 13/2
This is a terrible Seahawks roster. Elite QB Russell Wilson forced his way out of this team in the offseason as he didn’t want to go down with a sinking ship. It’s time for a rebuild in Seattle and that has started over the offseason.
The QB tandem of Geno Smith and Drew Lock is uninspiring at best and they are playing behind one of the worst O-Lines in football. This team should have one of the worst records in the league and 13/2 looks like great odds for them being at the very bottom of the pack.
Remember to always gamble responsibly.
