NFC West: Previewing Where the 49ers Stand Within Division

The NFC West figures to be yet another provocative division in the NFL this season. With two teams — the Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks — likely playoff bound, how do the San Francisco 49ers stack up against these divisional foes?

The NFC West remains one of the upper-tier divisions in the NFL entering 2016.

This division not only features two teams, the Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals, who made the playoffs last season. But it’s very likely the same two will be back in the postseason again when Week 17 comes to a close.

Tack on a stout Los Angeles Rams defense, and the NFC West looks to be very intriguing.

So where do the San Francisco 49ers fall into all of this? Last year, the Niners’ 5-11 mark put them in last place. The only divisional game San Francisco won was a meaningless Week 17 bout over the Rams. And that came in overtime.

Still, no team — or division, for that matter — is perfect. And each franchise has its own set of major questions as the 2016 commences.

Let’s break down the 49ers’ own division and delve into what’s on the table for each franchise looking to make its mark this season.

The Arizona Cardinals

Head coach Bruce Arians’ squad is in win-now mode. And with aging veterans like quarterback Carson Palmer and wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, it’s easy to see why the Cardinals went “all in” this offseason.

Perhaps not quite as dominant as Seattle’s defense, Arizona’s own crop of defenders still makes this side of the ball quite formidable.

The Cardinals did, after all, finish 2015 with the league’s seventh best defense (313 points allowed).

And while safety Deone Bucannon and running back David Johnson are both up-and-coming players to watch, everyone knows this team’s fate hinges on Palmer.

Nov 9, 2014; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer reacts as he is taken off the field on a cart after suffering an injury in the second half against the St. Louis Rams at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Cardinals defeated the Rams 31-14. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

Injuries aside — and that’s a big thing to push aside — it’s just too hard to get beyond Palmer competing in the postseason. The aging quarterback is just 1-3 in playoff games and owns a career 66.9 passer rating in postseason play.

The Cardinals will be there, in all likelihood, but Palmer will need to get over the hump in order to make the trip deep into January meaningful.

The Seattle Seahawks

Unlike Palmer, Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson does have a strong history in postseason play.

With a Super Bowl under his belt, the Seahawks are still not immune to some serious questions on the table entering this season.

Chief among these is an offensive line, which was ranked dead last by Pro Football Focus heading into 2016. It’s a revamped and reshuffled group, and none of the prospects for success here look promising.

Still, Wilson is elusive. And his ability to extend plays and beat defenses with his arm — not just his legs — still make Seattle’s offense a threat.

And with running back Thomas Rawls picking up where retired RB Marshawn Lynch left off, the Seahawks offense is still potent.

Especially if tight end Jimmy Graham gets more involved this season.

Seattle’s pass rush might not be as formidable as it was in years prior, but that doesn’t mean it’s nonexistent either. And the Seahawks secondary can still make up for any shortcomings up front.

Dec 27, 2015; Seattle, WA, USA; St. Louis Rams head coach Jeff Fisher reacts during an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks at CenturyLink Field. The Rams defeated the Seahawks 23-17. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /

The Los Angeles Rams

It’s hard to get behind any team led by head coach Jeff Fisher. He hasn’t had a winning season since 2008 and will be feeling the pressure after the franchise’s move to Los Angeles.

The Rams aren’t in win-now mode anyway. Case Keenum beat out first-overall draft pick Jared Goff for the starting quarterback gig. And L.A.’s offense actually finished dead last in total yards last season (4,761).

If the Rams are going to get anything going on offense, it will have to fall upon the shoulders of running back Todd Gurley.

Other teams will know this too though. So expect the Rams to live and die by the run.

But Los Angeles does have a slight edge with its defense, especially along the defensive line. Defensive tackle Aaron Donald, coming off an 11-sack campaign and All-Pro selection, is a player to watch here.

If defensive end Robert Quinn bounces back from his injury-riddled eight-game 2015 campaign, the Rams might have more than enough prowess up front.

Don’t expect too much out of Los Angeles though. Eight wins for this team would be a stretch.

The San Francisco 49ers

Alas, we get to the red and gold.

San Francisco brought up the rear in 2015, and signs are pointing to the same this season. Especially considering the Niners boast the toughest schedule in the NFL this year.

New head coach Chip Kelly has more than a few concerns on offense. The team settled on quarterback Blaine Gabbert as its starter. And while Kelly might be able to maximize Gabbert’s abilities, the lack of depth at wide receiver is a serious problem.

Like the Rams, the 49ers will have to revolve their offense around No. 1 tailback Carlos Hyde.

Hyde should benefit from a revamped offensive line though — a unit ranked 27th by PFF last year.

This probably won’t be enough though. San Francisco lacks talent at the skill positions, and even Kelly’s ingenuity on offense won’t turn the Niners into a top offensive group.

The 49ers do have some nice pieces on the defensive side of the ball though. Linebacker NaVorro Bowman should be even better than his All-Pro 2015 campaign, after having another full year to recover from his gruesome 2014 knee injury.

Dec 20, 2015; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers inside linebacker NaVorro Bowman (53) celebrates after the 49ers recovered an onside kick during the fourth quarter at Levi’s Stadium. The Cincinnati Bengals defeated the San Francisco 49ers 24-14. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports /

And fans can be excited about up-and-coming defensive linemen DeForest Buckner and Arik Armstead.

Will the Niners young secondary rise to the occasion? Or will this group’s inexperience reveal itself frequently and often.

In all likelihood, the 49ers are going to be a last-place team again in 2016. But it’s entirely possible this group is vastly improved over the product seen a year ago.

More from Niner Noise

San Francisco is going through a rebuild, while Los Angeles is trying to get over the almost-a-.500-team hump.

Arizona and Seattle’s windows are still open, although we’ll see if the X-factors affecting both teams lead the Cardinals or the Seahawks in one direction or the other.

And who knows what conversations we’ll be having come January.

Next: Predicting Each 49ers Game in 2016

All statistics, records and accolades courtesy of ESPN.com, Pro-Football-Reference.com and Sports-Reference.com unless otherwise indicated.