The upcoming 2020 NFL season will be like one we have never seen. With the global pandemic COVID-19 shutting down most of the country, many feared that the NFL season may be in doubt. Due to COVID, there has been very little preparation for the upcoming season. With shortened OTA's and Mini camps, limited spring training, and no preseason games, rookie players and coaches have little to no time to get acclimated to the league. It is going to be extremely hard to have realistic expectations for many teams and players. However, I shall do my best to give you the ultimate 2020 NFL Division predictions. NFC West Edition!
NFC West
Seattle Seahawks (14-2)
I have been banging on the table for a few years now that the Seattle Seahawks are due for a huge season, and I really do think that 2020 could be their year. The Seahawks had an extremely underrated offseason that many have not cared to talk about. They finally invested in the help Russel Wilson has needed for years. First they added former Pro Bowler Greg Olsen to become Wilson’s safety net and big red zone target. Playing alongside Olsen is up and coming Tight End Will Dissly. The Seahawks will be running a lot of plays out of the twin tight end formation this season. They also went on to add a versatile receiving option in Phillip Dorsett. In New England Dorsett was used in a magnitude of ways in the offense and I expect to see him do many similar things in Seattle. The stars of the receiving core will remain the same from last season. Tyler Lockett will see the largest portion of targets on this offense. He can line up one on one on the outside or play out of the slot if needed. Lockett forces himself to find ways to get himself open and involved in the offense. In recent years Lockett has become quite underrated in the league, but once and for all this should change this season. The other star receiver on the squad is second year man DK Metcalf. Metcalf’s combination of size and speed is no joke, he is a rare athlete. If DK has taken the next step to elevate his game play the NFL should be scared. DK could easily become one of the league's best receivers.
For years the offensive line has been the biggest fear for many Seahawks fans. However the organization addressed those needs too. They drafted a new lineman Damien Lewis who will be a big help in both the pass protection and in grinding in the ground game. Carrying the rock for the Seahawks will be bruiser Chris Carson. Carson has rushed for over 1000 yards the past two seasons and it would be logical to expect Carson to do it again this season. For the most part Carson should see a lot of volume in this offense. The Seahawks added Carlos Hyde to serve as the insurance policy for Chris Carson. Hyde could bring a nice change of pace to the offense as a third down passing option. Should Carson go down again, Hyde is a good and reliable option who can be thrown in at any time and produce some good numbers. This offense is going to be scary this season and the NFL best beware.
For years Seattle has been known for their intense and intimidating defense that they carried into every game. However, in recent years this defense has not been playing up to their “Legion of Boom” standard. In order to revive the defense they traded away two future first round picks to add All Pro Safety Jamal Adams. With Adams patrolling the secondary the Seahawks “Legion of Boom” is slowly coming back to life. Adams can do so many things on a defense in both coverage and blitz packages. He is a perfect fit for what the Seahawks are trying to build. The Linebacking core is by far the best in the NFL. They are led by All Pro, captain and tackling machine Bobby Wagner. Wagner has been one of the most consistent players in the NFL over his career. Because of his consistency on the field Wagner is widely known as the NFL’s top linebacker. Alongside Wagner is KJ Wright and Bruce Irvin, two linebackers who fit and play their roles perfectly in Seattle. On the defensive line the lone standout is big man Jarran Reed. He is glue that holds the line together. He is very effective in both pass rushing and run stuffing. This is a defensive unit that has the talent and leadership to fling themselves back into the discussion of one of the best defensive units in the NFL.
This is a squad that Pete Carol is really high on this season. I’d be willing to say that this is the best team he has had since the 2014 season. I have high expectations from this team. They are definitely Super Bowl contenders.
San Francisco 49ers (12-4)
San Francisco definitely surprised many around the league last season as a team that made it to the Super Bowl. They were a loaded team with immense young talent all over the roster. General Manager John Lynch and Head Coach Kyle Shanahan deserve a lot of credit for building up the organization and placing the 49ers back on the map. With the pieces that are in place the 49ers should be Super Bowl contenders for years to come.
Leading the offense is Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. He has been nothing but spectacular under Kyle Shanahan in his short tenure in San Fran. Garoppolo is an efficient Quarterback who most of the time makes the right play and does whatever is needed for the team to win. If he needs to win a shootout he’ll do it. If he needs to hand the ball off 40 times he’ll do it too with no complaints. He is the perfect Quarterback to lead a franchise. His primary receiver will be second year man Deebo Samuel. He adds a lot of explosive dynamic to the offense and forces defenses to stay on their toes. The other starters will include Kendrick Bourne, Dante Pettis and rookie Brandon Aiyuk. The committee approach will be unique to watch. They are all reliable and athletic playmakers who are great in the open field. Starting at Tight End is probably one of my favorite players to watch, George Kittle. Kittle is a "do it all" monster. He loves doing the dirty work in blocking, but he also loves scorching secondaries across the league. He is one of the most unguardable players in the NFL. They added long time Football Teamer (Redskin) Tight End Jordan Reed to be another athletic receiving option for Garoppolo. Shanahan will have a whole lot of fun with this elite group of guys. One of the more valuable moves that they made on offense was addressing the left tackle situation. Joe Staley called it a career and within that same seek they made a huge trade adding one of the best in the game in Trent Williams. Williams will be a great help in the run game, however his skills are second to no one in the passing game. At Half Back for the 49ers it will be a three headed horse committee approach with Raheem Mostert, Telvin Coleman and Jerrick McKinnon. They all have different and unique skill sets and Shanahan will utilize them in many ways.
On defense the 49ers are a team no one wants to mess with. On paper this team is an elite unit. Every level of the defense is stacked with talent and leadership. On the defensive line they are highlighted by Arik Armstead, Solomon Thomas and Nick Bosa. This defensive line tore up offensive lines across the league last season. They were great in defending the run game and even better in rushing the quarterback. Nick Bosa will be entering his second season and after his astounding rookie campaign the league is expecting a huge step forward in his gameplay and game knowledge. I think people will be talking about Nick Bosa being one of the best pass rushers in the league after this season. In the secondary for the 49ers they are led by star Cornerback Richard Sherman. Sherman is still regarded as one of the best corners in the league despite being at the age of 32. Sherman has been a great leader for this relatively young team. He plays the game like a pro, and as he has matured he has also learned to act like a pro off the field. At the safety position the 49ers will be starting Jaquiski Tartt and Jimmie Ward. They are two solid players that are still making a name for themselves in the league. They play well in the 49ers defensive scheme. Playing in the middle of the field are Linebackers Fred Warner and Kwon Alexander. Fred Warner popped onto the scene last year, he was making great and smart plays every Sunday. Warner quickly gained high praise from his fellow peers and fans across the league. Lining up next to him is Kwon Alexander. Alexander has always been a solid and very talented player. However he is not the most reliable. If Alexander can stay healthy for the majority of the season, the 49ers defense will be just perfect this season.
I totally expect another deep playoff run from the 49ers, however returning to the Super Bowl might be harder than many can imagine.
L.A. Rams (9-7)
The Rams this season seem like a team that could be extremely hot one week and be so cold the next. This season for the Rams will be one hell of a roller coaster. The Rams are a well coached team under offensive wizard Sean McVay, he has set a great new culture in L.A. focused on winning.
Jared Goff will be entering this season with a little bit of a chip on his shoulder. After losing in the Super Bowl two seasons ago Goff has been criticized for his recent poor play. Goff has shown that he has the ability to ball out and be a real franchise Quarterback. This season Goff will need to play his best football ever if the Rams want any success come playoff time. I believe Goff will total similar numbers from last season, hopefully with a few more touchdowns. The Rams are down some significant talent specifically in the skilled positions. They cut ties with Running Back Todd Gurley and shipped Wide Receiver Brandin Cooks to the Texans. Instead, Goff will be surrounded by Cooper Kupp, Josh Reynolds and possibly his favorite target Robert Woods. They are three decent and dependable players that can ball out any given Sunday. They also have great chemistry with Goff, they should have an advantage over many other teams. At Tight End the starter will be Tyler Higbee and playing alongside him will be Gerald Everett. The duo of Tight End’s are also players who have extremely good chemistry with QB Jared Goff. If this Rams team can play all on the same page, then the Rams should steamroll a lot of teams in September and October. With no Todd Gurley in the mix, the Rams will be using a committee of Running Backs with the likes of Malcolm Brown, Darrell Henderson and rookie Cam Akers. All three of these backs have different talents and abilities when the ball is in their hands. I expect McVay to use them interchangeably depending on the flow of the game and whoever the hot hand is on that particular week.
The defense for the Rams is one that I would consider to be in rebuild mode. They have a lot of younger and unproven players on the roster. Projecting a team that has as many question marks on a defense is not easy. What is easy though is to tell you who will definitely be in for a great season. Former Defensive Player of the Year, Aaron Donald, will be leading this young defense throughout the season. Donald has been the best lineman in the NFL for the past three seasons. Now entering year seven, Donald will be extremely productive even if the stats don’t show it at times. Just his presence can elevate his teammates play while intimidating his opponents. If Donald can post somewhere between 11-15 sacks this season, then I’d be willing to bet he wins Defensive Player of the Year. He is the most unstoppable lineman in the league. The other star on this roster is starting Cornerback Jalen Ramsey. Ramsey too just this week signed his name on to stay for an extra five years earring up to $105 million. There aren't many Cornerbacks who can make that type of money, but Ramsey deserves every cent. Ramsey’s ability to take out a primary receiving option for most of the game is key to keeping this defense relevant. Surrounded by younger talent, Ramsey’s skills will be on full display this season.
The Rams are a tricky team to navigate at the moment. I can’t tell if they want to compete or just continue to rebuild and gain more talent. With Donald and Ramsey both playing in their primes, it would be discourteous for the team to tank. With that said, I’m projecting a middle of the road type of season.
Arizona Cardinals (7-9)
If the Cardinals were not playing in the hardest division in football there is a real chance that they would be a playoff contender. Head Coach Kliff Kingsburry is starting to build a really nice culture and system out in Arizona. It won't be too long now till Arizona is back in the playoff hunt.
Kyler Murray played like a vet who had been in the league for years last season. In his first game it was obvious that Kyler could ball out. He has a unique talent for placing the football right in the perfect spot. Kyler also abused his ability of escaping the pocket and extending plays to give his receiver chances to get open. I totally expect Murray to build off from last season. He will be ready to play come September. This offseason the Cardinals went all in on surrounding Murray with elite talent, starting with All Pro Wide Receiver DeAndre Hopkins. Hopkins could be the perfect present that Murray had been wishing for. Hopkins can run any route and be effective anywhere on the field. When the ball is in his hands, great things happen. Alongside Hopkins is future Hall Of Famer and Cardinal legend Larry Fitzgerald. On a relatively young roster, Fitzgerald has taken up the role of being a great mentor and a player that all men can look up to. At the age of 37 Fitzgerald’s production on the field might not be what it once was, but putting up 800 yards a season ain’t that bad. The player who could really help elevate this offense is second year man Christian Kirk. Kirk has the down the field explosiveness capabilities that makes this offense so scary. He needed to grow after last season and from what people in camp have been saying, it sounds like Kirk really took the next step. At Running Back the starter will be Kenyan Drake. Drake who joined the squad last season played very well while splitting carries with David Johnson. Now that Johnson’s out of the mix, Drake should see a major increase in volume this season. The offense has some nice pieces put together, but with limited time for training they might be a little behind the curve this season.
On defense the Cardinals will be led by one of the best pass rushers in the league Chandler Jones. Jones put up 19 sacks last season, he was nearly unstoppable in every game. His energy and production on the field is what gets his fellow teammates hyped up. He is the perfect tone setter for this team. Filling in at the linebackers spots they have De’Vondre Campbell, Jordan Hicks and top ten pick Isaiah Simmons.They are three very athletic linebackers that can move well and make plays all over the field. I cannot wait to see how the Cardinals attempt to use the Swiss army knife in Simmons. He is the definition of a “do it all player”. He can play almost every position on defense. In the secondary they will be led by Team Captain Patrick Peterson. Peterson has been relatively quiet in recent years with injuries and what not, but he still has elite cover skills to take away some of the best receivers in the game. Playing alongside Peterson at the other Cornerback spot is veteran Dre Kirkpatrick. At Safety they will be starting star Budda Baker and Jalen Thompson. Baker has quietly been producing great numbers over the past few years, this is why he inked a four year extension worth up to $60 million. The defense collectively has some nice pieces put together, this is not a unity you would want to sleep on.
Albeit the Cardinals have nice talent all over the roster, the chemistry and inexperience of many will be the reason why they will fall short of hopeful expectations. This is a team that can and will produce in years to come. If they can continue to develop the young talent on the roster, then the Cardinals very soon will be at the top of this division.
Комментарии