NFL Predictions: Why Seattle Seahawks Still Pose Threat to 49ers in NFC West

Despite starting off the season 2-3 and not looking too impressive on the offensive side of the ball, the Seattle Seahawks are a young and developing team that can still challenge for the NFC West title.

Coming off of a fairly impressive win against the New York Giants (at Metlife Stadium to be even more impressive), the Seahawks are apparently ready to burst back onto the NFL scene and challenge the San Francisco 49ers (4-1) for the NFC West Title. 

With Tavaris Jackson becoming more comfortable leading the offense, the offensive line developing as an offensive unit and a pretty solid defense, the Seahawks are starting to build momentum for the rest of the season and will make things in the NFC West very interesting.

Here is a list of why there should be optimism in Seattle despite what many consider to be a rocky start

Seattle Offensive Line Coming Together

Heading into the 2011 season, the Seahawks' biggest question may have been what their offensive line was going to look like and how well such a young offensive line would work.

After supposedly answering some questions by signing former Pro Bowler Robert Gallery and hiring a great offensive line coach in Tom Cable, the season began on a rough note with Robert Gallery being sidelined with an injury, thus making the offensive line even more inexperienced and youthful.

Adding to this injury was the loss of Russell Okung, the seahawks' first draft pick in the 2010 NFL draft, who went down during the first series in the Seahawks' season opener. After this point, many thought that the Seahawks would be doomed to one of the worst offensive line performances in franchise history, and at first, it seemed as though this would indeed happen.

However, after getting Okung back from injury and developing more with each other and learning the blocking schemes of Tom Cable, the Seahawks have been able to provide better protection for Jackson as well as open up some more holes for their running-game. 

During the first few games in the season, the Seahawks had allowed 15 sacks, but after an impressive performance against the Atlanta Falcons where they did not allow any sacks, it seems as though the Seahawks' offensive line is starting to find their identity before they hit a crucial stretch in the season. 

Although the Seahawks are still very young on the offensive side of the ball, impressive performances from the offensive line against the Atlanta Falcons and the NY Giants are signs that this unit is ready to perform at a level expected of an NFL team. 

Qwest Field Hosts 6 of Remaining 11 Games

There is no doubt that Qwest Field is one of the toughest places to play in the NFL. With a stadium built as to deflect sound back down onto the field combined with a rabid fan base that is hungry to cause false starts, the Seahawks always have an upper hand when it comes to playing at their home stadium.

And, for most of the rest of the 2011 NFL season, the Seahawks will be playing their games at Qwest Field, including big matchups against Baltimore, Philadelphia, St. Louis and the San Francisco 49ers.

No matchup will be more important (most likely) than the San Francisco 49ers matchup that will come towards the end of the season. Already having lost to the 49ers, if the Seahawks are going to contend for anything toward the end of the year, they will have to utilize the Qwest Field home advantage and secure some key wins, especially over the resurgent 49ers. 

49ers Still a Developing Team

Though the San Francisco 49ers are one of the most impressive and surprising teams in this NFL season so far, there is still a lot of football to play, and just like in past years, the 49ers won't be able to keep the momentum going throughout the entire season.

Right now, the 49ers record stands at an impressive 4-1 after coming off of a big win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers where they convincingly won 48-3. 

However, can this season be deja vu for the 49ers? 

In 2009, the Niners starter off equally as impressive, starting off 3-1 and looking as though they were finally back from the depth of the NFC West. After their Week 4 victory over St. Louis, the 49ers proceeded to lose seven of their next 12 games and finished 8-8 for the entire year. 

Production from Frank Gore has been expected, but the play of Alex Smith has been fairly impressive thus far, but he has only thrown for 965 yards and led the Niners to the 29th overall passing attack, averaging just 183 yards in the air per game.

Just as in 2009, watch for teams to adapt to the play-calling of Jim Harbaugh and figure out how to put the pressure on Alex Smith and the 49ers to develop more of a dual-threat attack that will ultimately lead to more mistakes. 

Alex Smith Is Still Not There

At one time being the most touted draft choice and number one overall pick, many are still debating as to whether Alex Smith is a bust or not. 

Though he has had flashes of greatness and has played fairly well so far this season, the 49ers quarterback still shows signs of struggles and has a general lack of confidence that is needed in order to win a division title, even a division as weak as the NFC West.

So far this year, Smith has completed 83 of 126 passes (65.9 percent) for 965 yards and seven TD. While those are not bad numbers by any regards, he is not at the level that the 49ers will have to be in order to weave through a very tough remaining schedule. 

With games against the Ravens, Lions, and Steelers still remaining, and not to mention a big matchup where they will go on the road to Qwest field, Alex Smith must assert himself if the 49ers are to have any chance in the division or else the under-the-radar Seahawks will come to surprise the nation yet again.

The Seahawks Know What It's Like to Be an Underdog

The Seahawks love flying under the radar, and that is exactly what they are doing once again this year.

As was seen last year, the Seahawks have all of the potential talent in place to win any game, it is just whether or not they will actually use their talent to the best of their ability in those games. 

Fortunately for the Seahawks, many teams are disregarding a pretty talented roster, and this will come to help the Seahawks have a surprise factor against teams that are not prepared for just how potent their offense could be.

Adding that to a Running-back in Marshawn Lynch who is trying to prove that he can still be a productive back and a quarterback in Tavaris Jackson looking to prove his worth, and the Seahawks are a team worth reckoning with this year in the NFC West.