Tag: division

Pete Carroll on NFC West after Week 1: ‘The division came out roaring’

The NFC West was perfect after Week 1: “The division came out roaring,” Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said of the season openers.

The Seattle Seahawks weren’t the only team in the division to come out with a win in Week 1, every team in the NFC west emerged victorious in their season openers.

“The division came out roaring,” coach Pete Carroll said Monday. “There were a lot of points scored, a lot of big plays, and a lot of exceptional play. I had a chance to catch the highlights from the other teams while we were flying home last night, and it was just one big play after another.”

The Cardinals beat the Titans 38-13, the 49ers beat the Lions 41-33 and the Rams trounced the Bears 34-14.

“What do you expect, it’s arguably one of the toughest divisions in the league,” Carroll continued. “There’s no doubting it from the start. It’s going to have to make us better, that’s what this means. It was a pretty heralded opening.”

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NFC West Roundup: How the rest of the division fared in Week 17

NFC West roundup: The Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams defeated the San Francisco 49ers and Arizona Cardinals in Week 17.

The 2020 NFL regular season has concluded, and the final results are in. The Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams won their respective contests against the San Francisco 49ers and Arizona Cardinals and will face each other in the first round of the postseason, while the latter two teams turn their attention to the offseason. Let’s dive into the specifics of how both games went.

Seattle Seahawks 26, San Francisco 49ers 23

The Seahawks took a 6-0 lead in the first six minutes on Sunday but surrendered 16 unanswered points to the 49ers for nearly three full quarters of play due to the offense’s inability to find a rhythm and the defense staying on the field for too long as a result.

However, the Seahawks broke out offensively in the fourth quarter with two solid scoring drives ending in touchdown passes to Tyler Lockett to take a 19-16 lead. After that, Benson Mayowa strip-sacked CJ Beathard and Rasheem Green recovered the ball, which set up a rushing touchdown by Alex Collins. The 49ers would score a last-minute touchdown to cut the deficit to 26-23 but would fail to recover the ensuing onside kick.

The Seahawks swept the 49ers with this victory and will play the Los Angeles Rams in the wild card round of the postseason. San Francisco finishes the 2020 season at 6-10 at the bottom of the division and holds the 12th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.

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Saints beat the Panthers, sweep the NFC South for the first time in division history

The New Orleans Saints took care of business against the Carolina Panthers, sweeping the NFC South for the first time in division history.

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They’ve done it: the New Orleans Saints improved to 12-4 on the 2020 season with a win over the Carolina Panthers, who lost at home 33-7. Even without offensive superstars Michael Thomas (on injured reserve) and Alvin Kamara (on COVID-19 reserve), Drew Brees and his supporting cast racked up over 300 yards of offense, averaging nearly six yards per carry as a team.

The performance was powered by a big day from the Saints defense, which intercepted the Panthers quarterbacks five times while allowing just one conversion on third down. It was an impressive day all around after they knocked off some rust early on.

But here’s what’s most impressive: the Saints have now gone 6-0 against their NFC South rivals, sweeping the division for the first time since its founding way back in 2002. No other team has pulled that off: not the Panthers, not the Atlanta Falcons, and not the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Each team has come close before with 5-1 records against their divisional opponents:

  • Atlanta Falcons: 2010 and 2016
  • Carolina Panthers: 2003, 2013, and 2015
  • New Orleans Saints: 2011 and 2019
  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 2005 and 2007

But they’ve got bigger fish to fry. The Saints are advancing to the playoffs as NFC South champions, while the Buccaneers control the top wild-card seed. Carolina and Atlanta are faced with a long offseason of retooling and introspection before they’ll get a chance to compete again.

Here’s how the NFC South standings finalized for the 2020 season:

  1. 12-4 New Orleans Saints
  2. 11-5 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
  3. 5-11 Carolina Panthers
  4. 4-12 Atlanta Falcons

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NFC West Roundup: How the rest of the division fared in Week 15

The Los Angeles Rams lost to the New York Jets, the Arizona Cardinals beat the Eagles, and San Francisco lost to the Dallas Cowboys.

Week 15 was a positive one for the Seattle Seahawks, as they defeated the Washington Football Team and took sole possession of first place in the NFC West.

Their biggest rival at the moment, the Los Angeles Rams, suffered an unfathomable loss to the previously winless New York Jets.

The Arizona Cardinals won to keep themselves in the postseason hunt, while the San Francisco 49ers lost and are out of playoff contention.

Let’s dive into the specifics.

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Saints get no help from Vikings-Bucs, must make their own luck to clinch NFC South

Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but Kirk Cousins looked like a deer in the headlights with a division title on the line.

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Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but Kirk Cousins looked like a deer in the headlights with a division title on the line.

It just wasn’t a division win for his team this time. The Minnesota Vikings quarterback took six sacks and looked nearly as bad as his kicker (who missed three field-goal tries and an extra-point attempt) in Week 14’s 26-14 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Minnesota’s ugly afternoon eliminated a possible NFC South clinching scenario for the New Orleans Saints before their game with the Philadelphia Eagles.

If Minnesota had won, the Buccaneers would have fallen to 7-6 on the year so far — promising a best-case final record of 10-6, which would match a worst-possible final record for the Saints. But New Orleans won both of their games with Tampa Bay this year, giving them a crucial head-to-head tiebreaker. If both teams finished the year at 10-6, the Saints would win the division.

Instead, an 11-5 finish is in play for the Buccaneers, while the Saints could theoretically tumble to 10-6 (before their kickoff against the Eagles), keeping Tampa Bay’s division aspirations alive.

Sure, the Saints can still clinch their fourth consecutive NFC South championship on Sunday with a win at Philly, and they’re favored to do just that against rookie quarterback Jalen Hurts in his first start. New Orleans’ mathematically-worst record would be 11-5 after beating the Eagles, and again, they own the tiebreaker with the Bucs.

But it’s just another bit of added pressure to the shoulders of their own backup QB Taysom Hill. Let’s see how he and his teammates respond.

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Saints are a single Week 17 win away from the first-ever NFC South sweep

The New Orleans Saints can become the first team to sweep their opponents in the NFC South with a Week 17 win over the Carolina Panthers.

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Don’t look now, but the New Orleans Saints are in position to make history. Again. They’ve improved to 5-0 on the year so far after defeating the Atlanta Falcons in Week 13, clinching a playoff berth and taking a big step towards their fourth consecutive NFC South title.

That alone would break a record the Saints tie with the Carolina Panthers, having won three straight division championships from 2017 to 2019 (the Panthers did the same from 2013 to 2015). But if the Saints can beat those Panthers in their final NFC South game in Week 17, New Orleans will become the first team to sweep the entire division since its founding back in 2002.

It’s not for lack of trying; the Saints, Panthers, Atlanta Falcons, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers have each come close before, finishing 5-1 in the division multiple times:

  • Atlanta Falcons: 2010 and 2016
  • Carolina Panthers: 2003, 2013, and 2015
  • New Orleans Saints: 2011 and 2019
  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 2005 and 2007

And with the way things are shaping up in the NFC at large, the Saints will probably be giving the Panthers their best shot in the regular season finale. Right now, New Orleans has a one-game lead on the Green Bay Packers for the No. 1 playoff seed and the valuable first-round bye week that comes with it. A single loss would put them in a tie with Green Bay, which the Packers win off of a head-to-head victory over the Saints back in Week 3.

The Packers have an easier path to the playoffs than the Saints, too. While only one of the Saints’ final four opponents has a winning record, it’s the Super Bowl favorite Kansas City Chiefs. Green Bay’s most challenging matchup is against the Tennessee Titans, who just lost 41-35 to the Cleveland Browns.

So here’s your bottom line: the Saints will need every win they can get in December, including that season finale in Carolina (which won’t be easy, if Teddy Bridgewater and Christian McCaffrey are both healthy). They can’t count their laurels just yet, but a first-ever season sweep of the NFC South would make for some nice bragging rights to look back on.

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NFC West Roundup: How the rest of the division fared in Week 12

The Los Angeles Rams were defeated by the San Francisco 49ers while the Arizona Cardinals lost to the New England Patriots in Week 12.

The Seattle Seahawks have yet to play the Philadelphia Eagles, but the results of their division rivals’ contests have already turned out to be positive for them. Seattle’s two biggest rivals in the Arizona Cardinals and Los Angeles Rams both lost their respective games in brutal fashion in the last few seconds with the San Francisco 49ers prevailing over the latter.

The Seahawks hold first place in the NFC West for the time being and can edge ahead of the Rams if they defeat Philadelphia on MNF. In the meantime, let’s see how Seattle’s division rivals fared in Week 12.

New England Patriots 20 – Arizona Cardinals 17

The Cardinals started out promising with an interception on New England’s first offensive drive and a subsequent rushing touchdown by Kenyan Drake. They followed that up with a field goal to obtain a 10-0 lead near the end of the first quarter. The Patriots proceeded to score 17 unanswered points on a run that featured strong offensive play and an interception of Kyler Murray in the third quarter. Arizona answered with a touchdown to tie it up and an interception that provided a chance to take the lead back, but Cardinals kicker Zane Gonzalez missed a 45-yard field goal with under two minutes remaining, giving New England the opportunity to win the game.

The Patriots drove down the field to Arizona’s 32-yard line and spiked the ball with three seconds remaining, leaving Nick Folk to kick a 50-yard field goal, which he made. Gonzalez has struggled with clutch kicks this year and the Cardinals defense has had a penchant for costly penalties as of late. The Patriots defense limited Kyler Murray by zoning in on his rushing and forcing him to hand it off. Arizona dropped to 6-5 with the loss and will play the Rams next week. Speaking of which . . .

San Francisco 49ers 23 – Los Angeles Rams 20

This game was rife with turnovers, with four in the first quarter alone. The 49ers had a 7-3 lead at halftime and extended it to 17-3 with a pick-six by Javon Kinlaw and a 46-yard field goal by Robbie Gould deep into the third quarter. Like the Patriots, the Rams scored 17 unanswered points to take a 20-17 lead in the fourth quarter in a sequence that featured a field goal, a forced fumble by Aaron Donald returned for a touchdown by Troy Hill, and a 61-yard rush by Cam Akers that he followed up with a one-yard touchdown plunge. The 49ers would eventually tie up the score with a 44-yard FG and force the Rams to punt on the next drive.

With just over two minutes left, San Francisco drove into field goal range and set up a 47-yard kick for Gould, and an ensuing offsides penalty by Jalen Ramsey brought it five yards closer. Gould would make the 42-yarder as time expired, sealing the win, breaking a three-game losing streak, and giving the 49ers a shot of life to their season. Deebo Samuel had 11 receptions for 133 yards and the 49ers defense forced four consecutive Los Angeles punts to finish the contest. The Rams squandered a prime opportunity to keep first place in the NFC West (for now) and will face the Cardinals in Week 13, while San Francisco will play the Buffalo Bills on “Monday Night Football.”

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NFC West Roundup: How the rest of the division fared in Week 11

In Week 11, the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams won their games, the Arizona Cardinals lost theirs, and the 49ers had their bye.

The NFC West had an eventful Week 11, with the Seattle Seahawks defeating the Arizona Cardinals, the Los Angeles Rams beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the San Francisco 49ers having their bye week. The Rams and Seahawks sit atop the division with 7-3 records with the former holding the lead due to holding the head-to-head tiebreaker. The Cardinals are just behind at 6-4, and the 49ers are looking up at their rivals at 4-6. For specifics, let’s delve into the games themselves.

Seattle Seahawks 28 – Arizona Cardinals 21

The Cardinals failed to sweep the Seahawks this season, falling by a score of 28-21 in the Emerald City to drop behind Seattle in the NFC West standings. Arizona was the unfortunate recipient of a bounceback game from Russell Wilson and a surprisingly solid defensive effort from Ken Norton Jr.’s unit that resulted in their worst offensive performance of the season thus far. The Cardinals could never get their running game going, while Seattle had an efficient day with theirs. Their offensive line was undisciplined with penalties and couldn’t protect Kyler Murray consistently, while their defense couldn’t make the most critical plays. This may be because the Cardinals are dealing with significant injuries at the moment, but their margin for error has been reduced regardless. They have some ground to make up, but the division crown is still anyone’s at this point.

Los Angeles Rams 27 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24

The Rams eked out a win over Tampa Bay to grab the NFC West lead for the time being. Both teams fought for the lead throughout and had some big plays on both sides of the ball, but Los Angeles prevailed in the end. The Rams offense dominated the Bucs’ defense in the passing game, with Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods stuffing the stat sheet with 11 receptions for 145 yards and 12 receptions for 130 yards, respectively. Both Jared Goff and Tom Brady had two interceptions, but Goff had three touchdowns to Brady’s two. Former Tampa Bay kicker Matt Gay kicked the deciding field goal with under three minutes remaining. The Rams are now in the driver’s seat in the division race, but their lead is precarious with the Seahawks and Cardinals right behind them.

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NFC West Roundup: How the rest of the division fared in Week 10

The Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers suffered gruesome losses, while the Los Angeles Rams and Arizona Cardinals got important wins.

Week 10 was a mixed bag for the NFC West. The Rams and Cardinals obtained important victories, while the Seahawks and 49ers suffered dispiriting losses. The NFC West hierarchy changed, as Seattle fell from first to third place due to losing the head-to-head tiebreakers with Arizona and Los Angeles while the latter two jumped into the top two spots, respectively.

This is an extremely close race and will probably remain that way for the rest of the season. Let’s see how the rest of the division fared in Week 10.

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NFC West Roundup: How the rest of the division fared in Week 9

No NFC West team won in Week 9 – the Los Angeles Rams had their bye and the Seahawks, 49ers and Cardinals all lost their respective games.

While the Seattle Seahawks were handed a humbling loss by the surging Buffalo Bills, the rest of the NFC West did not do much better, as no team in the division won in Week 9. The Los Angeles Rams were on their bye week, while the San Francisco 49ers and Arizona Cardinals suffered grueling losses that kept Seattle on top of the NFC West for now. The battle for the division is still white-hot and the divisional games are only becoming more important. Let’s see how the 49ers and Cardinals fared in Week 9.

Green Bay Packers 34, San Francisco 49ers 17

This game was ill-advised by many observers following news of the 49ers’ COVID-19 situation. As has been well documented, San Francisco has also been dealing with injuries to numerous players, which is a major reason for their 4-5 record at the moment. These injuries played a significant role in San Francisco’s 34-17 loss to Green Bay.

The Packers set the tone early with a quick deep bomb touchdown to Davante Adams, whom the defense was unable to cover all game long. The 49ers would answer with a field goal after a touchdown was overturned on replay. Green Bay would subsequently score 27 unanswered points to build its lead to 34-3 and the 49ers would not score again until there were five minutes remaining in regulation.

Nick Mullens and his backup targets couldn’t make anything happen until it was too late, and the defense was unable to stop Aaron Rodgers from throwing for over 300 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions despite a solid performance from Fred Warner. San Francisco’s injuries may be too severe and numerous to overcome for the long haul, judging from recent play.

Miami Dolphins 34, Arizona Cardinals 31

This game was a shootout with the Cardinals and Dolphins trading blows throughout. Arizona held a 31-24 lead in the fourth quarter, but blew it in a similar fashion to Seattle in Week 7, keeping the Seahawks in first place for the NFC West race.

Kyler Murray turned in a great game, completing 21 of his 26 passes for 283 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for 106 yards and another TD. However, he was also strip-sacked by Emmanuel Ogbah early in the first quarter, leaving Shaq Lawson to recover and run the ball back for Miami’s first touchdown. Murray’s performance ultimately wasn’t enough as the Cardinals were unable to stop Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins offense in the fourth quarter, and the game ended when Zane Gonzalez missed a 49-yard field goal.

It is safe to say that the Dolphins have turned their season around, winning four straight after losing to the Seahawks. Arizona squandered a golden opportunity to take the division lead, but the Cardinals will have plenty more chances to do so, including a second showdown with the Seahawks in Week 11.

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