West Assured: We're No Longer the Pushover Division

When all the guys come over and load up NFL Madden, order the pizza and tell the girlfriends we'll call them back, that ever so popular topic is bound to come up. NFL divisions, which is the best and which is the worst.

Often times the toughest division is debatable, but the weakest and easiest is most likely unanimous.

You guessed it, the NFC West.

Now grant it, without a doubt the NFC West has been the weakest division in football. The 49ers haven't been to the playoffs or had a winning season since 2002. The Seahawks won the division twice with a 9-7 record. The Rams have consistently been in the bottom half of the league. And the Cardinals have been equivalent to the nerdy kid who gets hit in the face with the dodge ball.

In the last five years, the four teams record is a combined 130-190. By far the worst in the league.

But fret not, a turnaround is imminent.

If you look at the last five Super Bowls, only the NFC West and NFC East have two different representatives (Cards and Seahawks, Giants and Eagles).

It seems as if this division can get to the big dance if they can qualify for the tea party.

Even though the wins haven't been high, the division has always been competitive. Many times it takes the last couple weeks to determine who the winner will be.

Competition brings out the best in athletes, doesn't it?

Speaking of the best, there are a bunch of players who are ready to prove their worth as top ten picks. Players like Levi Brown, Alex Smith, Chris Long, Antrel Rolle, Matt Leinart and Vernon Davis still have chances to show they aren't busts.

The newest top ten picks, Aaron Curry, Michael Crabtree, and Jason Smith are sure to help bring the NFC West out of the football ditch.

The division is actually loaded with great players. Many of the problems this division has faced has not been the lack of talent, but various reasons such as coaching, injuries, game plans, and lack of focus.

Think of how the All NFC West team would look. You could have Kurt Warner, Frank Gore, Larry Fitzgerald, Steven Jackson, Anquan Boldin and John Carlson putting up the points, while Patrick Willis, Lofa Tatupu, Marcus Trufant, Karlos Dansby, Leonard Little, and Adrian Wilson patrol the defensive side.

All these players need is a little motivation and some good coaching, they've got the skills.

Enter new coaching staffs. Mike Singletary bypassed the assistant section to become possibly the most passionate coach in the league. Ken Whisenhunt has quickly shown what good coaching does and Steve Spagunolo has brought his hard-nosed NY Giant ways to Saint Louis.

And let's not forget what Jim Mora did in his first season with the Atlanta Falcons (taking the 5-11 Falcons to the NFC Championship Game).

My intuition tells me that this is a division poised for a huge improvement. All four teams look to be heading in the right direction, and you may not be able to say that about any other group.

I'm not going to guarantee that this will be the best division in the 2009-2010 season, but I'd bet my Michael Crabtree jersey that it won't be the worst.