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Four Downs with Dang & Doc
2009 NFC West Preview
by Brian Davis and Paul Hopkins
2/9/2009
Dang and Doc close out their weekly previews of the divisions by looking at the NFC West. Last year the division produced the NFC’s Superbowl representative, but will this happen again? Are the 49ers on the right track under Mike Singletary? And what does the future hold for the new Head Coaches in Seattle and St Louis and their respective veteran Quarterbacks?
 The Cardinals will win this division by default in 2009. But unlike 2008, they will struggle in the playoffs.
 DANG FICTION ! – I think that we will see the dreaded Super Bowl hangover in Arizona next season. Following 2008’s unexpected run to the NFL’s big game and the rest of the NFC West written off in many people’s eyes, they will start the season as favourite’s to win the West and return to the playoffs. Not for me though, this “curse” seems to strike even the most hardened of Super Bowl teams. 9 out of the last 10 losers have failed to make the playoffs the following season. Given the fact that they were quite possibly the worst 9-7 team to appear in the playoffs, let alone a Super Bowl, (think back to those large losses to the Jets, Eagles, Patriots and Vikings) then for me they are a sitting duck this year. The complacency showed in those games will give their opponents this season, plenty of food for thought in how to beat them. It will be these weaknesses and two further improving teams within the division that prove to be their undoing in their attempt to go one better.
DOC FACT ! Firstly, fact on winning the division by default, which is probably a very harsh description Maybe everyone will have found them out now, who knows? But the Cardinals suffer from being in what is perceived as a weak division and last season they took everyone by surprise in the post-season. With doubts surfacing over Walter Jones’ long-term health I think it’s more than very likely the Cardinals will be back in the post-season come January. And I think teams will be more wise to them this year, and not under-estimate them, as I suspect many did back in January. Everyone now knows about the weapons they can unleash. The best WR tandem in the league, by a considerable distance; Two young running backs that are only going to get better together, a HoF caliber QB in Warner with apparently a much more focused Matt Leinart (a first round draft pick and former Heisman winner) behind him. I will be intrigued to see how they fare without Todd Haley’s passion and fire on the sidelines but don’t expect the offence to miss that much of a beat. Arguably they may be stronger this year than last, but yet as is often the way, paradoxically they won’t get as far this time around.
 The 49ers will put together a winning season under Mike Singletary.
 DANG FACT ! – Despite playing against the AFC South, there are plenty of winnable games in the schedule this year to go above .500. A 9-7 or even a 10-6 finish beckons for them.
There are a lot of factors that need to get better to make that happen.
Firstly – the pass-rush. It’s been sadly missing again in the first three pre-season games.
Secondly – Shaun Hill and Alex Smith have shown no signs so far of playing to the high levels they are both capable of. Thirdly The Offensive line must get tough, must get better, must protect its Quarterback at all costs.
Coach Mike Singletary and new Offensive Coordinator Jimmy Raye are looking to move towards a heavier run first offensive package, but to be able to do that, they still need a Quarterback who can win games. Shaun Hill has proved he can do so under Singletary’s tutelage, but he now has to repay the further faith shown in him by winning more games like we know he is capable of doing.
Patrick Willis and Takeo Spikes provide one of the most formidable pair of inside linebackers in the NFL, but the pass rushing roles of the likes of Lawson, Haralson, Justin Smith, McDonald, Balmer, Brooks, have to improve ten-fold to help out an average looking, but very young and potential laden secondary.
If I have faith in any coach to turn around the 49ers then it is Singletary. The players love him. They have the upmost respect for him. It’s not beyond the realms of possibility to suggest that Singletary can go from Hall-of-fame player to an all-time great coach.
DOC FICTION ! Despite his sometimes unorthodox approach to coaching Mike Singletary has, in my view been an inspired choice to take over the Forty-Niners. He has turned the attitude around and began adding the pieces of the puzzle the Niners need. Patrick Willis was not a Singletary selection but unquestionably he had a say in his drafting. And Willis is perfect for Singletary as he is virtually Singletary reincarnate on defence. Offensively it’s all about Frank Gore still and now he has Glen Coffee underneath him, he has someone who can really share the load and is a RB in his own image.
The big question still lies at QB for me. Whilst Shaun Hill has a more than respectable record as a starter 7-3 he still doesn’t give the impression of being the long-term answer. Alex Smith still lingers on but I’m not sure what can be gained from him now. It’s been too long for any real talent to shine through, despite the problems he had under the Nolan regime. The intriguing pick up was Nate Davis who shone at Ball State and has looked good in pre-season, looking commanding against the Cowboys second string D on Saturday night. And whilst I think he might be the answer eventually it’s not going to happen this year. And then there is the Michael Crabtree saga, which has been handled expertly by the Niners, with Crabtree looking completely out of touch with reality and what his true market value is.
Overall, it’s another year where the Niners will improve, but I just see them falling short of making it a winning season. That could very well come in 2010.
 The Rams or the Seahawks; Who will bounce back and who will suffer another season of struggle?
 DANG Seahawks. Jim Mora Jr. will have a large, immediate impact on the ‘Hawks as he inherits Mike Holmgren’s team. He should provide enough aggression and intensity to an improved defense to turn them around much quicker that the Rams. Take a look at the Hawks linebacking corps, you won’t see many better than Leroy Hill, Lofa Tatupu and Aaron Curry lining up together.
We need to also remember that Matt Hasselbeck was missing for the majority of last season and at one point were getting guys off the street to line up at Receiver. They have also added TJ Houshmandzadeh to their constantly banged up Receiver group. He will have a very successful and fruitful season against some of the weaker teams across the NFC. A healthy Nate Burleson and Deion Branch will be crucial to the impact of this Hawks side.
Steve Spagnuolo inherits a train wreck and certainly won’t be coaching a much more improved St Louis unit, lacking in Offensive playmakers, banking almost its whole season on Steven Jackson remaining not only fit and healthy but to produce insane numbers to keep them in games.
Spag’s will concentrate on toughening up his new Defense but it simply won’t be enough, I think we’ll be looking at two, maybe even three seasons before we see the Rams post a winning season, particularly with the rest of the West already ahead of them in their current status’.
DOC BOTH will struggle in 2009, although the degrees to which both will struggle depends very much on your perception of the teams. The Seahawks are only a few years removed from being in the Superbowl and until a year or two ago were considered locks for this division on a yearly basis. Now, well I am not too sure. Hasselbeck still is a solid QB but has seemingly hit the wall. The running game has been a bit of a problem I don’t believe Julius Jones in the answer but maybe Edgerrin James will have a bit of an Indian summer in the west. The rest of the offence has been struggling with injury.
The defence still has some very talented personnel I anticipate Aaron Curry will be contributing from day one. The Hawks could, in all honesty go either way this year but I still think that it will be another year where they will have to fight hard to get to .500. On the other hand, the Rams haven’t been particularly good for a few years now. Whilst Steve Spagnuolo has a bright future as a Head Coach he is going to need to spend much of his first year turning this franchise around so it is facing in the right direction. He still has some weapons Steve Jackson, Donny Avery etc but there are bigger problems circulating around the Rams which put them a good year or two back from getting back to competing.
 Is this the last seasons for Messrs Hasselbeck and Bulger in the West?
 DANG Hasselbeck – FICTION !. Bulger FACT !. Hasselbeck has looked good in the pre-season games and is showing no signs of the injuries which kept him out of a lot of last season. That’s huge news for the Hawks and a sign that if that continues, then you have to like the way things are coming slowly together in Seattle. Houshmandzadeh has snagged two of his four Touchdown throws and that combination will be key in the turnaround for the ‘Hawks.
Hasselbeck staying fit, will be largely reliant on the fitness and performance of the Offensive line. Sure, Walter Jones will be Hall of fame bound, but the 35 year old missed out on 4 games through injury whilst the rest of the line went through the 2008 season performing under-par.
He can still be one of the best around on his day, he’s only two season’s removed from a near 4000 yard 28TD passing season. A healthy Hasselbeck still has miles on the clock within the NFL.
Bulger on the other hand has been on the receiving end of an average of 41 sacks over the last 3 seasons. 2nd overall pick Jason Smith might help lower that figure, but he’ll be adjusting to a new position of Right Tackle for the Rams. Bulger’s contract in 2007 made it almost impossible for him to be cut after last season’s dismal season. If he fails to deliver this year then he’ll be much more easily releasable I’m pretty sure this will be Bulger’s last year as a starter, he might be a serviceable backup somewhere in 2010 but I see another season of woe and 40+ sacks once again.
DOC FICTION ! With both teams still in different phases of rebuilding, it is inevitable that people look at the QB’s and I think the end is nigh for a changing of the guard in these two franchises. Hasselbeck has been one of the most consistent QB’s in the NFL over the past few years but age is catching up with him, and injuries are beginning to blight him. If Walter Jones is not able to shake off the injury concerns he has at the moment then it is quite likely he will miss time this season again. With only Seneca Wallace behind him, I still think the Hawks might have been better served taking Mark Sanchez in the draft to give him a season or two to learn under Hass before taking over. At the moment, I see him having another two years under centre in Seattle. Over in St Louis, there are always rumours about Bulger these days but again I don’t see the Rams as having a viable replacement.
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