NFL – 2010 Preview NFC West
NFC West 2010
San Francisco
Linebacker Patrick Willis excels with superior speed
It is time for the 49ers offense to step it up and match the consistently good play of the defense. In order for that to happen, conservative head coach Mike Singletary must allow offensive coordinator, Jimmy Raye, to be at least selectively aggressive. After all that was Mike’s trademark in his defensive playing days.
Draft-wise the Niners did well on the offensive line. Grabbing Rutgers’ Anthony Davis and Idaho’s Mike Iupati should put a smile on running back Frank Gore’s face (four consecutive 1,000-yard seasons but A LOT of pounding). Still things really depend on improved play from quarterback Alex Smith, the former No. 1 pick who has had plenty of opportunity to prove himself.
One of the better units of the team is their kicking game. Punter Andy Lee led the NFC with a 47.6-yard gross average and made his second Pro Bowl. Veteran Joe Nedney’s 86.8 percent field goal accuracy as a 49er is the best mark in franchise history that has had some solid performers in that position through the years.
Speedy linebacker Patrick Willis spearheads the defense
Seven years removed from even making the playoffs, San Francisco really needs to step it up this year for a franchise that has had some tremendous success.
WEEK DATE OPPONENT TIME (ET)
1 Sun, Sep 12 at Seattle 4:15 PM
2 Mon, Sep 20 New Orleans 8:30 PM
3 Sun, Sep 26 at Kansas City 1:00 PM
4 Sun, Oct 3 at Atlanta 1:00 PM
5 Sun, Oct 10 Philadelphia 8:20 PM
6 Sun, Oct 17 Oakland 4:05 PM
7 Sun, Oct 24 at Carolina 1:00 PM
8 Sun, Oct 31 Denver 1:00 PM
9 BYE
10 Sun, Nov 14 St. Louis 4:15 PM
11 Sun, Nov 21 Tampa Bay 4:05 PM
12 Mon, Nov 29 at Arizona 8:30 PM
13 Sun, Dec 5 at Green Bay 1:00 PM
14 Sun, Dec 12 Seattle 4:05 PM
15 Thu, Dec 16 at San Diego 8:20 PM
16 Sun, Dec 26 at St. Louis 1:00 PM
17 Sun, Jan 2 Arizona 4:15 PM
Arizona
QB Matt Leinart is running the show now that the great Kurt Warner has retired
With his retirement, the Kurt Warner Era yields to a time when Matt Leinart will have a shot at making this his team. Though he has the starting spot, coach Ken Whisenhunt did acquire veteran Derek Anderson in the off season.
Despite the loss of Anquan Boldin to Baltimore Leinart still has a lovely set of choices to toss to one of the NFL’s best receivers in Larry Fitzgerald as well as Early Doucet and Steve Breaston.
The offensive line has been bolstered by the shrewd acquisition of nine-time Pro Bowl guard Alan Faneca just three days after the draft and up and coming running back Beanie Wells will take lots of pressure off Leinart.
Defensively, despite losing their top tackler and key linebacker, Karlos Dansby, they did well in the draft at a number of positions like nose tackle with Tennessee’s Dan Williams and second-round draft pick Daryl Washington from TCU. Both figure to get lots of playing time.
WEEK DATE OPPONENT TIME (ET)
1 Sun, Sep 12 at St. Louis 4:15 PM
2 Sun, Sep 19 at Atlanta 1:00 PM
3 Sun, Sep 26 Oakland 4:15 PM
4 Sun, Oct 3 at San Diego 4:15 PM
5 Sun, Oct 10 New Orleans 4:05 PM
6 BYE
7 Sun, Oct 24 at Seattle 4:05 PM
8 Sun, Oct 31 Tampa Bay 4:15 PM
9 Sun, Nov 7 at Minnesota 1:00 PM
10 Sun, Nov 14 Seattle 4:15 PM
11 Sun, Nov 21 at Kansas City 1:00 PM
12 Mon, Nov 29 San Francisco 8:30 PM
13 Sun, Dec 5 St. Louis 4:15 PM
14 Sun, Dec 12 Denver 4:15 PM
15 Sun, Dec 19 at Carolina 1:00 PM
16 Sat, Dec 25 Dallas 7:30 PM
17 Sun, Jan 2 at San Francisco 4:15 PM
Seattle
Pete Carroll is looking for success in the NFL
The 5 and 11 Seahawks are heading in the right direction with Pete Carroll and a good draft, but getting back to the Super Bowl is not in their foreseeable future. Only five starters remain from the Super Bowl XL team, and the new coach and his new GM plan on rebuilding the franchise with young players who can compete immediately
To that end, first pick, Russell Okung, OT, 6-5, 307 out of Oklahoma State and safety Earl Thomas, of Texas should start right away.
Carroll has a strong linebacking corps to work with, but the defense has gaping holes.
Like division competitors San Francisco, the team’s strength could be in the kicking game. Kicker Olindo Mare and punter Jon Ryan were considered by many to be the team’s two MVPs in 2009. Mare hit his last 21 field goals (24-of-26 overall) and Ryan averaged a lofty 46.2 yards per punt.
Carroll, who won two national titles and took USC to a record seven straight BCS bowl games in nine years in the college game, is more interested in proving he is a better NFL coach than the one who got fired after one season with the Jets and three with the Patriots in the 1990s. That will take time.
WEEK DATE OPPONENT TIME (ET)
1 Sun, Sep 12 San Francisco 4:15 PM
2 Sun, Sep 19 at Denver 4:05 PM
3 Sun, Sep 26 San Diego 4:15 PM
4 Sun, Oct 3 at St. Louis 1:00 PM
5 BYE
6 Sun, Oct 17 at Chicago 1:00 PM
7 Sun, Oct 24 Arizona 4:05 PM
8 Sun, Oct 31 at Oakland 4:15 PM
9 Sun, Nov 7 NY Giants 4:05 PM
10 Sun, Nov 14 at Arizona 4:15 PM
11 Sun, Nov 21 at New Orleans 4:05 PM
12 Sun, Nov 28 Kansas City 4:05 PM
13 Sun, Dec 5 Carolina 4:15 PM
14 Sun, Dec 12 at San Francisco 4:05 PM
15 Sun, Dec 19 Atlanta 4:05 PM
16 Sun, Dec 26 at Tampa Bay 1:00 PM
17 Sun, Jan 2 St. Louis 4:15 PM
St. Louis
Steven Jackson is underrated being in St. Louis
Like Detroit, the Rams are looking for some new inspiration in drafting a franchise quarterback, but like the Lions, don’t expect an instant reversal of a 1-15 team coming from the arm of a rookie quarterback no matter how much money Sam Bradford is getting. A rookie quarterback with a surgically repaired shoulder and a sophomore coach under shaky ownership, patience is the key for St. Louis fans.
Three years in the division cellar and going from 3-13 to 2-14 to 1-15 last year, the Rams have some positives to count on and one is running back Steven Jackson. The punishing running back had a Pro Bowl year, rushing for 1,416 yards — second in the NFL while adding 322 yards on 51 receptions. If the man can get some help from the receiving corps, he should rush for 1,000 yards for the 6th straight season and keep his team in a few more games.
WEEK DATE OPPONENT TIME (ET)
1 Sun, Sep 12 Arizona 4:15 PM
2 Sun, Sep 19 at Oakland 4:05 PM
3 Sun, Sep 26 Washington 4:05 PM
4 Sun, Oct 3 Seattle 1:00 PM
5 Sun, Oct 10 at Detroit 1:00 PM
6 Sun, Oct 17 San Diego 1:00 PM
7 Sun, Oct 24 at Tampa Bay 1:00 PM
8 Sun, Oct 31 Carolina 1:00 PM
9 BYE
10 Sun, Nov 14 at San Francisco 4:15 PM
11 Sun, Nov 21 Atlanta 4:05 PM
12 Sun, Nov 28 at Denver 4:15 PM
13 Sun, Dec 5 at Arizona 4:15 PM
14 Sun, Dec 12 at New Orleans 4:05 PM
15 Sun, Dec 19 Kansas City 1:00 PM
16 Sun, Dec 26 San Francisco 1:00 PM
17 Sun, Jan 2 at Seattle 4:15 PM
