Mike's Hard Takes

1. Rams 12-5*
2. Cardinals 10-7*
3. Seahawks 9-8
4. 49ers 9-8

Division Overview:

• What I see as the NFC’s deepest division should see a litany of playoff teams. I see the Rams in the upper echelon of the NFL, while after the Rams, I see three teams that could all make a run to the divisional round, but could also have a losing record. 

Rams

• Losses:Texans, @ Eagles, Buccaneers, @ Panthers, @ Cardinals
• This is 100% dependent on Matthew Stafford’s back, but seeing how he’s seemingly toughed out some crazy injury every year of his career, I don’t see why he can’t do that again this year. I love the roster, the offense should be elite, and with the loaded up defensive line that they have on defense, once the Rams get a lead, it could be tough for opponents to come from behind.

Cardinals

• Losses: @ 49ers, Titans, @ Seahawks, Jaguars, @ Texans, @ Bengals, @ Rams
• Listen, maybe I’m biased off of seeing Kyler Murray play back in high school. And I will die on the hill of “If Kyler was 6’2, he’d be the best QB in football”, so I will preface knowing this might be a blind spot for me. That being said, I love this offense, McBride, Murray and what should be an improved receiving core should be able to put up points. The defense can’t be worse than last season, and the Cardinals invested heavy on that side of the ball this year with both the draft and free agency. I see them battling down to the wire for the second place spot in this division.

Seahawks

• Losses: 49ers, @ Cardinals, @ Jaguars, Texans, @ Commanders, @ Rams, @ Falcons, Rams
• Seattle has one of the widest ranges of outcomes in the NFL this season. I could 100% envision a 12 win team here, however I could also see a 7 win team – it’s all going to come down to how Sam Darnold and the reinvented receiving core work out. Watch out for Tory Horton and Damian Martinez as two under the radar rookies to make impacts this year. On the other side of the ball, I see one of the NFL’s best defenses this season.

49ers

• Losses: @ Rams, @ Buccaneers, @ Texans, Rams, @ Cardinals, Titans, Bears, Seahawks
• Talk about wide variances in outcomes. I trust in Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch to have success, but so much about this offseason is giving “gap year” vibes. If McCaffrey is healthy I believe this offense has a high floor, but with such a banged up receiving core, and the bad vibes coming from Aiyuk this offseason just leaves too big of a question mark for me. The defense should be feisty, the return of defensive coordinator Robert Salah should add a spark, and Fred Warner and Nick Bosa should continue to be elite, but with rumors of starting FIVE rookies on defense this season, I feel as though their ceiling is capped. I expect a team that feasts on bad teams and loses to good teams this season.

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