How the NFC West Turned into a Defensive-Minded Division

This off-season and over the last two years, three out of the four teams in the NFC West seam to have more of a defensive-minded team than an offensive-minded team.

The Cardinals are the only team that doesn’t seam to have a “defensive-minded approach”. I will break this down by showing the coaching changes (1), FA acquisitions (2) and first-round draft picks (3).

1. Head coaching changes (2007-09)

Last off-season, Seahawks head Coach Mike Holmgren informed the Seahawks front office that this would be his last season and that they should look for a new head coach.

So they targeted and hired former Atlanta Falcons head coach Jim Mora Jr as the secondary coach/assistant head coach and “head coach in waiting”. Jim Mora is a defensive minded aggressive head coach and that’s he started the defensive minded approach in the NFC West.

Next to follow was the San Francisco 49ers who fired HC Mike Nolan and replaced him

with interim head coach and DC Mike Singletary. This off-season, the 49ers named Singletary as the teams new head coach. Singletary was a part of the great Chicago Bears defense and will bring a defensive approach to the 49ers. Also, he fired OC Mike Martz.

Today, the St Louis Rams have hired Giants DC Steve Spagnuolo as their head coach. Spagnuolo took a Giants defense that was average and turned it into a great defense that beat the NE Patriots in Super Bowl 42. He’s a very aggressive and smart DC and rounds out the three out of the four teams in the NFC West that have gone to a defensive minded approach.

The Arizona Cardinals are the least defensive team in the NFC West, just look at their offense.

2 a) Free agent acquisitions 2007

Mostly the 49ers are the big spenders when it comes to free agency and the 07 off-season was no different. They signed CB Nate Clements, S Mike Lewis and a few WR’s. But they put the most into Clements.

The Seahawks also went big on the defensive side by acquiring DE Patrick Kerney and S Deon Grant and Brian Russell.

The Cardinals didn’t spend big like the Seahawks and 49ers but they sign S Terrance Holt and CB Roderick Hood.

The St Louis Rams also didn’t spend big but they signed LB Chris Draft and DE Carlos Hall.

2 b) Free agent acquisitions 2008

Yet again, the SF 49ers went out and signed a big money FA in DE Justin Smith. Other than that, they didn’t sign any other big FA.

The Seahawks didn’t sign a big time FA from other teams, but they did re-sign two of their own top defensive free agents, MLB Lofa Tatupu and CB Marcus Trufant.

The Cardinals top defensive FA that they signed was DE Travis LaBoy the St Louis Rams only signed DE Carlos Hall and that’s it.

3 a) First-round picks 2007

The SF 49ers drafted Ole Miss LB Patrick Willis who led the team in tackles in 2007/2008. The Seahawks didn’t have a first-round pick but in the second round, they drafted CB Josh Wilson.

The St Louis Rams drafted Nebraska DE Adam Carriker who had 21 tackles and two sacks. The Cardinals drafted DT Alan Branch in the second round; he has been a bust.

3 b) First-round picks 08

The 49ers traded their No. 10 pick to the NE Patriots the draft before but traded back into the draft at the 29^thoverall pick and drafted DT Kentwan Balmer, who had only seven tackles this past season.

The Seahawks drafted DE Lawrence Jackson with the 28th overall pick; he had 29 tackles and two sacks this past season.

The St Louis Rams drafted DE Chris Long with the second overall pick; he had 40 tackles and four sacks this past season. The Cardinals drafted CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie who had 42 tackles and four INT this past season.

So all in all, I’m not saying that all of this division is defense. I am saying is that three out of the four teams in this division have defensive-minded HC and go out and get big time defensive players.

Now the Rams and 49ers are a work in progress. The Cardinals have one of the best offenses in the NFL and there defense has stepped up in the playoffs big time.

The Seahawks just had the worst luck with injuries and had a very bad DC in John Marshall. Now they have a new coaching staff and the fourth overall pick and will return to the top of the NFC and the NFL.