NFC West Has a New Look in 2009

The NFC West is a division in transition.

Only the Arizona Cardinals, which made a surprising run the Super Bowl, enter the 2009 season with the same head coach as last year.

Jim Mora takes over for Mike Holgrem in Seattle as was predetermined, Mike Singletary had the interim tag removed after replacing Mike Nolan in October, and St. Louis decided against keeping their interim coach, Jim Haslett, and brought in former New York Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo to replace Scott Linehan.

It should be an easy ride for the defending NFC champions, right?

The Cardinals (9-7) went 6-0 within in the division last season and return its core mostly intact, but a closer look at the 49ers and Seahawks shows the Cardinals have to improve or they will have trouble retaining their divisional crown.

The 49ers (7-9) played a different, and better, brand of football under Singletary, going 5-4 after a 2-5 start under Nolan.

It hardly makes San Francisco world beaters, but once a quarterback is decided upon—Shaun Hill is the bet here over Alex Smith—he’ll mostly be handing off to Frank Gore now that Mike Martz is gone as offensive coordinator.

With the addition of first-round draft pick Michael Crabtree, who can learn a few things from Isaac Bruce, at wide receiver the offense can be multi-faceted, but expect Singletary to keep the ball on the ground much more in 2009.

The defense has playmakers all over the field, and should become a cohesive unit with their head coach’s background, but the unit will only improve if it eliminates the propensity to give up the big play.

Seattle had one of those seasons that only can be described as a throw away year.

That’s because they were so injured at the quarterback and wide receiver positions that the only option was to throw the ball away on many plays.

Seattle (4-12) was down to its seventh-string wide receiver as its No. 1 starter at one point.

It hindered any kind of chemistry and fluidity an offense needs to be successful and crippled Holmgren’s final season in the Emerald City.

Expect the perennial division winner to return as a contender under Mora.

The signing of former Cincinnati All-Pro T.J. Houshmandzadeh as a direct result of last year’s woes at wide receiver and the passing game.

Veteran quarterback Matt Hasselbeck will fall in love with his new target and it will open up some running lanes for Julius Jones, who is looking to rebound after a lackluster first season with Seattle.

The defense has too much talent to have a repeat of 2008 when it allowed the third most yards per game and 24.5 points a game. It’s not a unit that will break the top 10, but a jump to the middle of the pack would be a big leap.

St. Louis, 2-14, didn’t win a divisional game last year and will need a total makeover to push the for the NFC West title.

There are some playmakers for sure, but the decision to cut wide receiver Torry Holt, offensive tackle Orlando Pace and leading tackler Pisa Tinoisamoa has the Rams are far from approaching the 2009 season with “win-now approach.”

The Cardinals are going to be the team to beat, but it is a new position for the franchise.

Arizona started the 2008 season 7-3, clinched the division title, went in the tank and turned it back on time for the postseason.

Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt has already made an effort to make sure the team isn’t complacent after its Super Bowl run.

Heck, all he has to do is remind them of its 2-4 end to the regular season to remind them of how unfocused team in the NFL doesn’t have a chance.

With talent like Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, Darnell Dockett, Carlos Dansby, Adrian Wilson and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie on both sides of the ball, Arizona will be the favorite in the NFC West in 2009.

Just don’t expect the Cardinals to have the title wrapped up by mid-November as they did on the way to the franchise’s first division championship since 1975.