Pro Football Rumors
It only took 10 wins to earn the NFC West title a year ago. Two of the division’s four teams have already reached that total 14 weeks into 2025. The 10-3 Rams are in first place and on track to win the division for the second straight season, but the Seahawks share the same record. Meanwhile, the 49ers (9-4) are right on their tails. At 3-10, the Cardinals are the only non-contender in the division, leaving the other three clubs to battle for the title over the next four weeks.
The Rams rank second in the NFL in point differential, trailing only the Seahawks in that category. However, the Rams got the better of the Seahawks in their first matchup of the season in Week 11. Playing at home, the Rams took advantage of four Sam Darnold interceptions to eke out a 21-19 win. Those two will meet again in Seattle in Week 16. The Seahawks also lost their previous meeting with the 49ers, who took a 17-13 decision on the road in Week 1. Seattle will seek revenge in San Francisco in Week 18, potentially with the division at stake. Having already split their season series, the Rams and 49ers are done with each other unless a rubber match occurs during the playoffs.
Despite Darnold’s disastrous showing against the Rams last month, the 28-year-old has been terrific for the second season in a row. Between his one-off with the Vikings and his first 13 games as a Seahawk, Darnold has gone 24-6 as a starter since 2024. He’s in the MVP running this year, but Stafford is the favorite in his age-37 season.
Both Stafford and Darnold have benefited from immensely talented receivers. The Rams have a stellar one-two punch in Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. Nacua leads the NFL in catches (93), and Adams is atop the league in receiving touchdowns (14). Meanwhile, the Seahawks’ Jaxon Smith-Njigba is easily pacing the league in yards (1,428). He has a shot to break Calvin Johnson‘s single-season record of 1,964.
While their offenses have gotten most of the headlines, the Rams and Seahawks have also prevented scoring at an elite clip. The Seahawks have given up 17.4 points per game to the Rams’ 17.5. Only the Texans (16.0) have done a better job keeping points off the board than those two clubs. Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula and Seahawks DC Aden Durde could soon draw head coaching interest as a result of their work this year.
The Rams’ Sean McVay and the Seahawks’ Mike Macdonald will likely earn Coach of the Year consideration. The same should be true for the 49ers’ Kyle Shanahan, who has kept his team in the hunt despite an absurd number of notable injuries.
The 49ers survived an extended period without starting signal-caller Brock Purdy and tight end George Kittle, who have returned from the shelf in recent weeks. They’ve also had to get by for most of the year without their two best defensive players,...
