Category: NFC West news

Rams hire offensive coordinator, new defensive coordinator

They replace Wade Phillips with Brandon Staley and will have an OC for the first time under Sean McVay.

The Los Angeles Rams chose not to renew the contract of defensive coordinator Wade Phillips. They have hired his replacement and they also made another addition to Sean McVay’s coaching staff.

They hired an offensive coordinator.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, former Washington Redskins offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell is their new offensive coordinator.

The Rams, since McVay took over as head coach, have not had an official offensive coordinator. He himself acted as the offensive coordinator and playcaller in addition to being head coach.

McVay and O’Connell both worked together in Washington.

As for Phillips’ replacement, it will be former Denver Broncos outside linebackers coach Brandon Staley, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Staley presumably will maintain the Rams’ 3-4 defensive scheme, as Fangio also runs a 3-4.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio.

Ep. 255

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Ep. 254

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Final NFC West standings: 49ers take division title

San Francisco beats the Seahawks in Week 17 to earn home-field throughout the playoffs.

The 2019 regular season is over. There are 12 teams in the playoffs and 20 teams whose seasons are done. For the NFC West, two move on to the postseason. Three finished with a winning record.

The last game of the 2019 regular came down to the wire and determined the NFC West champs. Here are the final division standings:

  1. San Francisco 49ers, 13-3
  2. Seattle Seahawks, 11-5
  3. Los Angeles Rams, 9-7
  4. Arizona Cardinals, 5-10-1

In Week 17, the Rams and Cardinals played and the 49ers and Seahawks faced off to determine who won the division.

The Rams scored over 30 points against the Cardinals for the sixth straight game and quarterback Jared Goff threw three touchdown passes in a 31-24 win over Arizona. The Cardinals turned the ball over five times. It was the Rams’ sixth straight win over the Cardinals.

The 49ers defeated the Seahawks 26-21 in prime time. They took a 19-7 lead into the fourth quarter and Seattle rallied. Seattle got within one yard of scoring the go-ahead touchdown on fourth and goal with under 10 seconds left but couldn’t get into the end zone.

The 49ers win the division and are the No. 1 seed in the NFC. They have a first-round bye and have home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

Seattle will play on the road in Philadelphia in the wild card round next week. They play Sunday afternoon at 4:40 p.m. Eastern.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio.

Ep. 253:

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Ep. 252:

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NFC West standings: Seahawks-49ers in Week 17 determine division champs

Whoever wins in Week 17 will win the NFC West. A look back at Week 16 and a look ahead at Week 17 for the entire division.

There is still one more game on the Week 16 schedule as of Monday morning but all four teams in the NFC West have already played. As we enter the final week of the regular season, there was another change at the top of the division. The San Francisco 49ers are now on top of the division after a win over the Los Angeles Rams and a loss by the Seattle Seahawks to the Arizona Cardinals.

Here is what the division now looks like.

  1. 49ers, 12-3
  2. Seahawks, 11-4
  3. Rams, 8-7
  4. Cardinals, 5-9-1

The division title comes down to just one game. The Seahawks and 49ers play in Week 17 to determine who wins the West. The game got moved to the Sunday night slot on national television. If Seattle wins, they win the division on a head-to-head tiebreaker, as they will have gone 2-0 against the 49ers. If San Francisco wins, they will be 13-3 and the Seahawks 11-5.

San Francisco will face the Seahawks on the road but the Seahawks are shorthanded. They went without four starters against the Cardinals in Week 16 and things got worse for them. Running backs Chris Carson and C.J. Prosise are out the rest of the season, joining Rashaad Penny. Left tackle Duane Brown needs knee surgery and is probably out the rest of the season, including the postseason.

So what happened in Week 16?

The 49ers got a game-winning 33-yard field goal from Robbie Gould as time expired for a 34-31 win over the Los Angeles Rams. L.A. lost after having a 21-10 lead and then taking a 28-24 lead in the fourth quarter. They were eliminated from the postseason.

The Seahawks were upset by the Arizona Cardinals at home. They lost 27-13 on Sunday. Kenyan Drake rushed for 166 yards and two touchdowns, the Cardinals didn’t turn the ball over and Russell Wilson was sacked five times. It was the fourth time in five years the Seahawks have lost to the Cardinals at CenturyLink Field.

We know the 49ers and Seahawks face one another in Week 17.

As for the Cardinals and the Rams, they also close out the season facing each other. The Rams host the Cardinals and will try to clinch a winning season, while the Cardinals hope to close the season out with three wins in a row. They might have to do that without rookie quarterback Kyler Murray, as he left the game on Sunday against the Seahawks with a hamstring injury in the third quarter.

If he can’t go, Brett Hundley will start. The Cardinals have not beaten the Rams since Sean McVay took over as coach and have scored fewer points in five games than the Rams average each game against them.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio.

Ep. 252:

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Ep. 251:

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NFC West standings: Seahawks take division lead, Rams nearly eliminated

The division winner likely will be decided by the Week 17 showdown between the 49ers and Seahawks. The Rams need to win out and help.

The NFC playoff picture changed on Sunday because of the NFC West. The Seattle Seahawks took the division lead in Week 15 and the Los Angeles Rams need a miracle to make it to the playoffs.

Here is what the standings are after Week 15:

  1. Seattle Seahawks, 11-3
  2. San Francisco 49ers, 11-3
  3. Los Angeles Rams, 8-6
  4. Arizona Cardinals, 4-9-1

The Seahawks and 49ers are in a virtual tie for the division lead but Seattle holds a head-to-head tiebreaker over them at the moment. The two teams will play each other in Week 17 in a game that likely will determine who wins the NFC West.

What happened in Week 15?

The Seahawks won another one-score game. This week, they beat the Carolina Panthers 30-24. Seattle played well offensively but gave up a lot of yards to the Panthers. Russell Wilson was 20-for-26 passing for 286 yards and two touchdowns, while running back Chris Carson rushed 133 yards and two touchdowns. The Panthers had over 400 yards of offense but quarterback Kyle Allen threw three interceptions.

The 49ers somehow lost to the lowly Atlanta Falcons 29-22. Atlanta played the 49ers almost completely evenly in every category. San Francisco outgained Atlanta 313-290 but Falcons QB Matt Ryan threw two touchdown passes and the 49ers had to settle on a field goal once in the red zone, while the Falcons scored three touchdowns in three trips.

The Rams were embarrassed. They were blown out by the Dallas Cowboys on the road 44-21. It wasn’t even that close, as Dallas built a 37-7 lead. Dallas rushed for 263 yards with both Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard gaining more than 100 yards each, while the Cowboys limited Todd Gurley to only 20 rushing yards. Dallas had 475 yards of offense. The Rams only had 289.

Now the Rams need a miracle to make the playoffs. They must win their final two games and the Minnesota Vikings must lose their final two games.

The Cardinals stopped a six-game losing streak by beating the Cleveland Browns 38-24 behind Kenyan Drake’s 137 rushing yards and four touchdowns. He was the first Cardinals player since 1993 to rush for four touchdowns in a game. They improved to 4-9-1.

What is next in Week 16? The Seahawks will host the Cardinals and the 49ers will host the Rams.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio.

Ep. 251:

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Ep. 250:

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NFC West standings: 49ers take over 1st place; Rams roll over Seahawks

The NFC West looks like it could end up with three playoff teams if things keep going the way they are going.

The San Francisco 49ers spent most of the season in first place in the division until last week. The Seattle Seahawks took the division lead after the 49ers lost to the Baltimore Ravens.

However, the Seahawks’ stint in first place didn’t last long. They lost to the Los Angeles Rams while the 49ers won a thriller over the New Orleans Saints. Here are what the standings now look like.

  1. San Francisco 49ers, 11-2
  2. Seattle Seahawks, 10-3
  3. Los Angeles Rams, 8-5
  4. Arizona Cardinals, 3-9-1

The Niners played in the game of the week in New Orleans. They came away with a 48-46 win, Jimmy Garoppolo threw four touchdown passes. Drew Brees had five. Brees threw the go-ahead touchdown pass with under two minutes to go in the game. But a 39-yard reception by tight end George Kittle with a 15-yard facemask penalty added to the end of it got the 49ers in field goal range. Robbie Gould connected on a 30-yard field goal as time expired.

The Niners now have individual tiebreakers in the NFC over the Saints and the Green Bay Packers, both of whom lead their respective divisions. San Francisco is in control of the No. 1 seed in the NFC.

The Seahawks lost 28-12 to the Los Angeles Rams. Seattle gave up 455 total yards and 162 on the ground, while the Rams sacked Russell Wilson five times and did not allow a touchdown.

Los Angeles now has won two in a row and are a game out of the sixth seed in the NFC. They also suddenly look like the team everyone expected them to be when the season began.

Meanwhile, the Cardinals lost their sixth game in a row, falling 23-17 to the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday afternoon. Kyler Murray had two touchdown passes but was intercepted three times and Steelers rookie receiver Diontae Johnson scored two touchdowns. Arizona is 3-9-1 and has locked up last place in the division.

What’s next for the division in Week 15?

The 49ers will host the 4-9 Atlanta Falcons. The Seahawks travel to take on the Carolina Panthers on the road. The Rams will play the Cowboys in Dallas and the Cardinals close out their home schedule against the Cleveland Browns.

The division has a chance to 4-0 next week.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio.

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NFC West standings: Seahawks take over division lead

The 49ers and Seahawks are both 10-2, while the Rams keep their playoff hopes alive with a big win over the Cardinals.

The NFC West lead has changed. After games in Week 13, the San Francisco 49ers no longer are in first place. After losing to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday and a win by the Seattle Seahawks on Monday night, Seattle now has a slight lead in the division.

Here is what the standings look like three-quarters of the way through the season.

  1. Seattle Seahawks, 10-2
  2. San Francisco 49ers, 10-2
  3. Los Angeles Rams, 7-5
  4. Arizona Cardinals, 3-8-1

The Seahawks and 49ers have the same record but the Seahawks hold the head-to-head tiebreaker having beaten the 49ers in their one game against each other. If the season were to end today, San Francisco would have to play on the road to open the postseason.

Seattle picked up a big 37-30 win on Monday night over the Minnesota Vikings. They piled up more than 200 rushing yards on the night and Russell Wilson threw two touchdown passes.

San Francisco played in what many called a Super Bowl preview on the road against the Baltimore Ravens. They held Lamar Jackson to only 105 passing yards but the second-year quarterback rushed for 101. Jackson led the Ravens on the final drive of the game and Justin Tucker hit a game-winning 49-yards field goal as time expired.

The Rams and Cardinals played each other for the first time this season. The Rams, coming off a 45-6 drubbing against the Ravens, bounced back and kept their playoff hopes alive. They improved to 7-5 by smashing the Cardinals 34-7. They had 549 yards of offense and quarterback Jared Goff, who had zero touchdown passes in November, threw for 424 yards and two scores.

In Week 14, the 49ers now have to go on the road again to take on the New Orleans Saints, who are the No. 1 seed in the NFC at 10-2.

The Seahawks will play the Rams in Los Angeles, while the Cardinals will play their second of three straight home games in December, hosting the Pittsburgh Steelers, who have won four of their last five games to improve to 7-5 and keep their postseason hopes alive.

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Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio.

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NFC West standings: 49ers still in control after big win

The 49ers now are 10-1 but the Seahawks are right on their tail at 9-2.

Week 12 in the NFL is in the books after a Monday night blowout. In the NFC West, nothing changed. The San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks each won. The Los Angeles Rams lost and the Cardinals were on their bye.

How do the standings look in the division after Week 12?

  1. San Francisco 49ers. 10-1
  2. Seattle Seahawks, 9-2
  3. Los Angeles Rams, 6-5
  4. Arizona Cardinals, 3-7-1

The 49ers began the stretch of their schedule against tough teams. Test No. 1 was no big deal. They completely dominated the Green Bay Packers in a 37-8 win. The defense was tremendous again, sacking Aaron Rodgers five times and limiting him to only 104 passing yards.

The Seahawks did what they apparently do best. They won a close game, beating the Philadelphia Eagles on the road 17-9. Rashaad Penny had a 58-yard touchdown run and 129 total rushing yards, and the Seattle defense took the ball away from the Eagles five times.

The Rams were embarrassed on Monday night. They could not do anything offensively and allowed the Baltimore Ravens to score touchdowns on their first six possessions in a 45-6 loss. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson threw five touchdown passes.

The Cardinals did not play, as they were on their bye.

What is up next for the division in Week 13?

The 49ers now have to take on the 9-2 Ravens on the road in what looks like a potential Super Bowl preview.

The Seahawks will play Monday night at home against the 8-3 Minnesota Vikings. Both teams would be the NFC wild card teams if the season ended today.

The Cardinals and the Rams will face one another for the first time this season and for the first of two December matchups. The Cardinals, despite four consecutive losses, feel like they are trending upward while the Rams seem to be in a rut.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio.

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NFC West standings: 49ers extend lead over idle Seahawks; Rams win

The 49ers are a full game up on the Seahawks and begin their toughest three-game stretch of the season.

The NFC West wrapped up Week 11 going 2-1 and nothing essentially changing in the standings. The San Francisco 49ers remain in first place and the Arizona Cardinals remain in last place.

Here is how the division looks after Week 11:

  1. San Francisco 49ers, 9-1
  2. Seattle Seahawks, 8-2
  3. Los Angeles Rams, 6-4
  4. Arizona Cardinals, 3-7-1

The 49ers extended their lead over the Seahawks to a full game with a 36-26 win over the Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals took a 16-0 first-half lead but 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo threw for 424 passing yards and four touchdowns, rallying his team to the win, scoring the game-winning touchdown with 31 seconds left in the game.

The Seahawks did not play. They had their bye week.

The Rams played the Chicago Bears in the Sunday night game and won 17-7, coming off their bye week. They ran the ball 34 times, with Todd Gurley getting 25 carries for 97 yards and a touchdown, while quarterback Jared Goff only attempted 18 passes. Meanwhile, the defense sacked Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky four times and Bears kicker Eddie Pineiro missed two field goals.

The Cardinals got two touchdown passes and a rushing touchdown from Kyler Murray in the loss to the 49ers.

Coming up in Week 12, the Cardinals are off. They have the bye week before they have three straight home games in December and three games in the division to finish off the season. We will see if there will be any changes made on the coaching staff.

The Seahawks will be on the road in Week 12. They face the 5-5 and very inconsistent Philadelphia Eagles. The 49ers and Rams will be on prime-time television. The 49ers will host the 8-2 Green Bay Packers on Sunday night, beginning a tough three-game stretch for them. The Rams play on Monday night and will host the 8-2 Baltimore Ravens.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio.

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NFC West standings: Seahawks take down 49ers, still in 2nd place

The division went 1-3 in Week 10.

The NFC West did not have a great week in Week 10. They did, though, have one great game on national television. The division went 1-3 on the weekend but the Monday night game between the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers was fantastic. The 49ers lost and no longer are undefeated.

Here is what the standings look like in the division now.

  1. San Francisco 49ers, 8-1
  2. Seattle Seahawks, 8-2
  3. Los Angeles Rams, 5-4
  4. Arizona Cardinals, 3-6-1

Seattle and San Francisco battled Monday night. It took all 10 minutes of overtime, but the Seahawks beat them 27-24 on a field goal as time expired in the extra period. Both teams had defensive touchdowns. Both Jimmy Garoppolo and Russell Wilson threw interceptions. Both had their No. 1 receiver get hurt in the game.

The Rams continued to underwhelm. They lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers 17-12 and now have more injuries to worry about. Center Brian Allen is out for the rest of the season and tackle Rob Havenstein and receiver Brandin Cooks are hurt.

The Cardinals lost 30-27 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, their third loss in a row. They scored at least 25 points for the fifth time in the last six games but the defense failed to stop the Bucs.

In Week 11, the Cardinals will travel to Santa Clara to take on the 49ers for the second time in three weeks. The Rams will host the equally disappointing Chicago Bears and play in the Sunday night game.

Seattle enters its bye week.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio.

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