Niners Nation
The 49ers were 1-5 in the NFC West in 2024. If the have their sights on the playoffs in 2025, they can’t afford to blow double-digit divisional leads.
We’re less than two days removed from the Super Bowl. We’re in the window where players and coaches take time off. Rosters will be reconstructed during the coming months.
We could see stars come and go in the NFC West, but will there be any sweeping changes that make one team that much different from last season? Unlikely. Each quarterback and head coach will return. Deebo Samuel and D.K. Metcalf might be on their way out, but the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks will still have their WR1 if those players depart.
We have half a year to speculate. Today, let’s keep in NFC West-centric.
This past year was a season to forget for the 49ers in more ways than one. They finished 1-5 in the NFC West, a division they’ve owned in recent years and the primary reason they have a bye week come playoff time.
Getting swept by two teams is unacceptable — especially when you held double-digit leads in two of those losses. But variance is king in football; sometimes, the ball does not bounce your way.
The NFC West was ultra-competitive in 2024. The division was still up for grabs in the final month of the season. The Arizona Cardinals were over .500 at that point. The Los Angeles Rams and Seahawks both finished over .500. What will change in 2025?
I’d expect the Cardinals to regress closer to the bottom of the conference. They went 6-3 at home and had the lowest ceiling of any offense in the conference. Plus, their defense was the beneficiary of good fortune. Marvin Harrison Jr. will be better, but I’m not sure how much better Murray can play for it to reflect in the win column than last season.
Mike MacDonald figured out his defense as the season went along. Seattle boasted one of the better defenses down the stretch. They were the inverse of the Cardinals. Seattle was 7-1 on the road but lost four straight at home at one point. In 2025, in Year 2 under MacDonald, I think Seattle will play closer to an above-average level as a borderline contender.
Betting against the Rams always feels like fool’s gold. Sean McVay remains one of if not the best coaches in the NFL. But the Rams overachieved in 2024. They had one of the worst point differentials in the NFL. Cooper Kupp is likely on his way out, and there’s no guarantee Puka Nucua remains healthy all season. The Rams could have another franchise-altering draft. Assuming they don’t, Los Angeles is my pick to take the biggest step back. Their defensive line masked numerous issues in the secondary.
This leaves us to the team hosting the Super Bowl. A last place schedule for a team that was the favorite to make the Super Bowl 365 days ago. Regressing...
