2023 NFC West Prediction

By: Garret Kryzanowski

In today's blog I will be discussing and predicting the winner of the NFC West. This is one of the deepest and most complex divisions in football. They have at least one team from their division in the NFC Championship game four of the last five years with two teams in the 2021 NFC Championship. And then there are the Arizona Cardinals.

For a division full of talent the Cardinals are the worst in it. Historically they don't fare well in this division and 2023 will be no different. Especially with Kyler Murray missing the first part of the season recovering from an injury. They will finish last this season, with the Rams not far behind. Besides Stafford and Kupp the Rams are lacking weapons due to mortgaging their short term future for a Super Bowl victory in 2021. Leaving two teams left to fight for top spot, the San Francisco 49ers and the Seattle Seahawks.

The San Francisco 49ers are looking to repeat as division champions after winning it last season and they have a legitimate shot. With a lot of talent returning they have a chance to potentially win it all. With one of the best defenses in the NFL the 49ers are a scary team to play. Having Nick Bosa and Arik Armstead anchoring a terrifying defensive line and Fred Warner at linebacker they will be a force to be reckoned with. They are also stacked on offense with one of, if not, the best running back in the NFL in Christian McCaffrey. At receiver they have a dynamic duo in Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk. Lastly they have, in my opinion, the third best tight end in the league in George Kittle. But what about quarterback?

The answer? Mr. Irrelevant, Brock Purdy. Now Purdy hasn't lost a game as an NFL starter where he played the whole game. The only outlier is last year's NFC Championship game where Purdy left with an elbow injury. Purdy will be healthy for the start of the season and with the supporting cast he has around him Purdy should be able to continue the magic of last season. WIll it be enough? Maybe.

This year the 49ers main competition in the division is the Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks are coming over a season where people believed they overachieved as they won nine games and made the playoffs. This season is different, the expectations are high and they should be. On defense they have brought back former All Pro linebacker Bobby Wagner to play alongside Jordyn Brooks. In the secondary they have Quandre Diggs and Riq Woolen who round out an underrated defense. On offense they have improved tremendously this off season. Adding Jaxon Smith-Njigba to a stacked receiving core of Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf. At running back they have second-year man Kenneth Walker III and rookie Zach Charbonnet who will create a "Thunder and Lightning" combo. This is a lot of weapons for any quarterback, but with Geno Smith at quarterback this is scary.

Last year the entire world doubted Geno Smith and he responded with 4,282 passing yards and 30 touchdown passes. This year the world is on notice and I believe his statistics will only improve. 5000 yards and 40 touchdowns are more than a possibility for Smith.

For me this division comes down to the quarterbacks. Who will be better? Purdy or Smith? For Purdy I love his play and the team around him. He is young and easy to cheer for, however, I do believe the mistakes will be more prominent this year. With that being said the 49era should win ten to eleven games this season. That won't be enough for the 49ers to win the division as I think the Seahawks led by Smith will win eleven games and possibly win the division on a tiebreaker.

It will be close but Geno Smith is better then Brock Purdy and that will be the deciding factor this season.

The Seattle Seahawks will be the 2023 NFC West champions.