NFL Power Rankings: 49ers Do Little to Bolster NFC West's Status

How bad was the 2010 version of the NFC West? Well, no team had so much as an even .500 record, but the last place team was 5-11. Now, the records of all teams were certainly aided by games against each other, but that's quite a competitive division.

This year, the division isn't quite that competitive. The season is halfway over and the 49ers already have seven wins. The rest of the division is not so good. There is a very reasonable chance that the Rams, Cardinals and Seahawks won't get to the win total that the 49ers are at now.

San Francisco has only played one divisional game, which they won. They are a legitimately good team. The rest of the division, however, is abysmal. 

Take a look at the standings beyond the 49ers.

Seattle Seahawks	2-6
Arizona Cardinals	2-6
St. Louis Rams	1-7

Sadly, it's not even as bad as it looks. How can five wins between three teams that have played eight games a piece be worse?

Two of those five wins came against a fellow NFC West opponent. The Seahawks beat the Cardinals, while the Cardinals beat the Rams. 

Strangely, the Rams and Seahawks each scored a win against a good team.

Looking forward, the records will get a little better, but only by mandate.

Again, eliminating games against the 49ers, the Cardinals have two divisional games left, while the Seahawks and Rams each have three.

The Rams and Cardinals each have two games against the 49ers, while the Seahawks have one. 

It's very hard to see a single one of those three teams doing anything better than 6-10. Frankly, even that may be pushing it. 

Because the 49ers will be well above .500 this year, the division will look a little better. It will not be historically bad, anyway. But the rest of the division is just as bad as it was in 2010.

Michael Dixon's Week 10 NFL Power Rankings

1. Green Bay Packers	8-0
2. San Francisco 49ers	7-1
3. Baltimore Ravens	6-2
4. New York Giants	6-2
5. Detroit Lions	6-2
6. New Orleans Saints	6-3
7. Pittsburgh Steelers	6-3
8. New England Patriots	5-3
9. Cincinnati Bengals	6-2
10. Houston Texans	6-3
11. Chicago Bears	5-3
12. New York Jets	5-3
13. Atlanta Falcons	5-3
14. Buffalo Bills	5-3
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers	4-4
16. Dallas Cowboys	4-4
17. Oakland Raiders	4-4
18. San Diego Chargers	4-4
19. Philadelphia Eagles	3-5
20. Kansas City Chiefs	4-4
21. Tennessee Titans	4-4
22. Cleveland Browns	3-5
23. Denver Broncos	3-5
24. Carolina Panthers	2-6
25. Washington Redskins	3-5
26. Minnesota Vikings	2-6
27. Jacksonville Jaguars	2-6
28. Seattle Seahawks	2-6
29. Arizona Cardinals	2-6
30. St. Louis Rams	1-7
31. Miami Dolphins	1-7
32. Indianapolis Colts	0-9