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2014 NFC West Division Preview – NFL Handicapping Odds

Handicapping The NFC West

The Most Interesting Division in the World

The 2014 NFL season is just around the corner and the NFC West promised to be the toughest division in the game once again with the Hawks and the 49ers among the two or three betting favorites to win the Super Bowl and the Cards and the Rams making giant strides toward legitimacy the last couple of years.

The four teams in the NFC West went a combined 42-22 last season and could realistically be better this upcoming year.

Let’s break down the division and see who should emerge from this impressive group – could there be a surprise team that will knock off the Seahawks?

Seattle Seahawks

Seahawks Odds to win the 2015 Super Bowl XLIX: 6/1
Seahawks Odds to win the 2015 NFC Conference: 15/4
Seahawks Odds to Win the 2014 NFC West: +120
Seahawks Odds from Sportsbook.ag

It’s pretty hard not to love the Seattle Seahawks again in 2014 – from top to bottom they are stacked. They will return as the hunted this year with their patented top defense, their intense home field advantage and the X-factor Russell Wilson who is another year older and another year wiser – scary for the rest of the league.

The only perceived “weakness” of the Hawks was the offense – something that should be improved this year assuming that game changing receiver Percy Harvin is able to play the season. Marshawn Lynch “SHOULD” be back and the young guns behind him should provide some quality touches as well.

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Seattle will be tough to beat again this year – assuming they go at least 7-1 at home, a 5-3 record on the road should seal the West for them. I definitely like that to happen!

A tough first place schedule, a grueling road slate and a Super Bowl hangover loom but Coach Pete Carroll is among the best at getting the absolute most from his squad.

It could be a dynasty in the making in Seattle folks – like it or not!

San Francisco 49ers

49ers Odds to win the 2015 Super Bowl XLIX: 7/1
49ers Odds to win the 2015 NFC Conference: 4/1
49ers Odds to Win the 2014 NFC West: +140
49ers Odds from Sportsbook.ag

The San Francisco 49ers are definitely a threat to the Seahawks – three straight NFC Championship appearances and no reason to think that they won’t challenge for a fourth. The 49ers on paper look just as balanced and just as complete a team as the Seattle Seahawks heading into 2014.
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There are a couple of glaring question marks for the 49ers heading into the season however – namely the running game that saw Frank Gore slow down substantially as the season rolled along. San Francisco wasn’t as consistent running the ball as you’d like to see from an elite team. There is also the absence of a speed receiver.

The Niners have a ton of top tier possession guys – the addition of Stevie Johnson furthers adds to the impressive list of players that can catch the ball but won’t necessarily burn a defense with their speed. San Francisco has to hope their draft pays off or the passing game looks a tad one-dimensional.

It’s not that I don’t like the San Francisco 49ers to be one of the top dogs in the NFL again this season – I just like another team a little more.

The Niners are a great team but the few question marks have me shying away this year.

Arizona Cardinals

Cardinals Odds to win the 2015 Super Bowl XLIX: 40/1
Cardinals Odds to win the 2015 NFC Conference: 22/1
Cardinals Odds to Win the 2014 NFC West: +700
Cardinals Odds from Sportsbook.ag

The Arizona Cardinals were perhaps the biggest surprise of the 2013 season finishing 10-6 and just missing the playoffs – there are few teams with bigger “sleeper appeal” than the Cards. Coach Bruce Arians has made all the difference in the desert – his boys believe and they come to play every game!

The biggest question here is Carson Palmer – his lack of mobility is well documented and in a division with insanely quick and aggressive defenses, he could be running for his life. A second big question comes in the form of an unproven and perennially poor running game which does nothing to take the pressure off the quarterback.

Arizona’s defense will win some games by themselves this year but in a division full of completely well rounded teams the Cards look very much like a team in need of two or three more pieces in order to challenge for the crown.

The Cards aren’t far away but they are certainly aren’t there yet!

St. Louis Rams

Rams Odds to win the 2015 Super Bowl XLIX: 50/1
Rams Odds to win the 2015 NFC Conference: 28/1
Rams Odds to Win the 2014 NFC West: +800
Rams Odds from Sportsbook.ag

No team had a better draft than the Rams. They got perhaps the best NFL-ready talent in the draft – Greg Robinson who will be in charge of protecting Sam Bradford and then they added six pieces on an emerging defense. Jeff Fisher is building a nice team in St. Louis but they may be a couple years away from serious consideration.

First of all there is the Bradford factor. Do you trust him to lead his team to an NFC crown? Me neither? He is too brittle, too unsure of himself and he simply doesn’t have the weapons outside of Tavon Austin to keep defenses honest.

Defense will only go so far in the toughest division in football!

The 2014/15 NFL futures betting season is here in full force! If you like to bet on the NFL, you are in the best possible place for online betting.

CappersPicks.com has NFL odds up on a ton of futures, and you will also find NFL lines up for early games as well.

By DaveB

Dave B has been a Fantasy Football writer for us for 10 years. A couch potato wannabe, Dave’s insights have been read by 10’s of people for years. He hope’s for world peace + global relaxation. Enjoy and remember only smoke things that are completely natural.