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Who do you think will take the NFC West? Post your picks on our Discussion
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NFC
WEST
2000 Preview and Photo Links Below
| How Jim Sees It |
How Cyd Sees It |
1.
St. Louis Rams
What's to Like: Hard to argue with a team that went 17-2 and won the Super Bowl. ... The offense should be as potent as last year and rookie RB Trung Candidate makes the Rams even faster. ... Kevin Carter anchors defense that was stout when it mattered. ... Being a backup means Trent Green gets more helmetless sideline shots.
What's Not to Like: Was 1999 a mirage? After all, before last year the Rams had gone 10 years without a winning record. Will Kurt Warner wake up and realize grocery store clerks don't become Super Bowl MVP's? ... Losing two starters on offensive line will make Warner's life a little more painful.
What They'll Look Like by Season's End: Rams win the division but lose to Bucs in divisional round in a rematch of championship game.
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1.
St. Louis Rams
What's to Like: They won the Super Bowl last year with one of the most prolific offenses in League history. Their quarterbacking has depth, their running game has Pro Bowler Marshall Faulk and they have several go-to receivers.
What's Not to Like: I just don't believe that Kurt Warner is the answer for
the future. ... They had a coaching change that could shake things up.
... Their
schedule is harder than last season's..
What They'll Look Like by Season's End: 12-4
and will win
division but won't be back in the Super Bowl. |
2.
Atlanta Falcons
What's to Like: Chris Chandler and Jamal Anderson are back and so is the offense. ... Ashley Ambrose rejoins Ray Buchanan to give the Falcs two fine corners. ... Dan Reeves historically has followed a bad season with a good one wherever he's coached.
What's Not to Like: If Chandler or Anderson go down, forget it. ... Defensive line took some free-agent
hits and has been banged up all season..
What They'll Look Like by Season's End: Falcons right their ship
but just miss playoffs. |
2.
Carolina Panthers
What's to Like: An improved defense joins one of the League's best offenses
and the league's second best passer from last season. ... Reggie White
and Eric Swann bring veteran leadership to the defense.
... The Panthers have the
league's easiest schedule. ... Coach George Seifert has a winning
attitude and a winning formula.
What's Not to Like: The injury to WR Musin Muhammad could
hurt; the injury to Patrick Jeffers will hurt.
... Their defense has some new players but is untested as a unit.
What They'll Look Like by Season's End: 9-7 and a
playoff berth
for an ever-improving team, but injuries will keep them from
the Super Bowl.
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3.
Carolina Panthers
What's to Like: He's a racist homophobe but Reggie White will make the defensive line better, as will Eric Swann. ...
Tshimanga Biakabutuka is an often spectacular runner. ... George Seifert proved last year he can coach.
What's Not to Like: Hard to see Steve Beurlein duplicating his Pro Bowl year. ...
A top draft pick, safety Deon Grant, hurt himself in camp and is out for the year, not good for a shaky secondary. ...
Budding star WR Patrick Jeffers torn his knee ligament Aug. 10
and is out for the year ... Pass rush will be improved, but Panthers have to prove they can stop the run. ... Non-division sked is brutal (no team had a losing record a year ago).
What They'll Look Like by Season's End: Too
many crippling injuries mean
8-8 would be a success. |
3.
Atlanta Falcons
What's to Like: They will again start the season with a healthy Jamal
Anderson who, with stud QB Chris Chandler, carried the Falcons in 1998.
... Dan Reeves
is one of the best coaches in the game. ... Some good pickups in WR Shawn
Jefferson and CB Ashley Ambrose improve the lineup.
What's Not to Like: The Falcons are, again, one or two injuries away from
being out of contention. ... The toughest schedule in the division won't help.
What They'll Look Like by Season's End: 7-9
for a team that has simply lost the fire it had two years ago. |
4.
New Orleans Saints
What's to Like: Jeff Blake gives Saints first legit QB since the Bobby Hebert era. ... Jim Haslett brings much-needed passion to coaching staff after the
embarrassment of the Ditka regime. ... If Ricky Williams is healthy, watch out. ... Joe Horn gives team solid deep receiving threat
What's Not to Like: In first exhibition game Saints lost two starters for the year. ... defensive line must
gel. ... Legacy of losing will be hard to overcome.
What They'll Look Like by Season's End: Haslett has the Saints playing with passion, but team finished below .500. But watch out for them in 2001. |
4.
New Orleans Saints
What's to Like: Cracked-out coach Mike Ditka is gone after three poor
seasons. ... Some free agent signings of QB Jeff Blake and WRs Jake Reed and Andrew
Glover will help an offense that struggled last year.
What's Not to Like: There are lots of new players who haven't played
together, which could mean for a very rocky start. ... Ricky Williams disappointed last year and will have tons of pressure to perform in this his second year.
What They'll Look Like by Season's End: 5-11.
Doubling their wins from last season to
six would be a good start for a team that has lots of improving to do. |
5.
San Francisco 49ers
What's to Like: Bryant Young is still a force on the defensive line. ... The Castro on Pride Weekend. ... Bunch of draft picks gives hope for the future.
What's Not to Like: Talent is thin everywhere. ... Jerry Rice is just a shell of his former self. ... Hard to believe this team was a Super Bowl contender at the start of the '99 season.
What They'll Look Like by Season's End: Ladies and
gentlemen, presenting the worst team in football. |
5.
San Francisco 49ers
What's to Like: The Stadium is a 30 minute drive from the Castro.
... They no
longer have to share the Stadium with the Giants. Uhh. ...
.their receivers should be OK.
What's Not to Like: Yikes. This team is in big trouble. The loss of Steve
Young is the beginning of it. They also have a terrible defense, not much of a
running game, and Young's replacements went a collective 2-11 last
season.
What They'll Look Like by Season's End: 2-14.
Coach Steve Mariucci goes to coach Notre Dame as the
Niners fail to surpass last year's four wins. |
NFC WEST HOT PHOTO LINKS
Atlanta
Jamal
Anderson gets ready to get writer's cramp
(AP via Sportserver)
Even
Ray Buchanan's do-rag is color-coordinated
(AP via Sportserver)
Tim
Dwight shows some nice legs and arms
(AP via Sportserver)
Starting
QB Chris Chandler needs a shave and haircut, while backup Tony
Graziani is ready for action
(AP via Sportserver)
Carolina
Drop
the Chalupa! said RB Anthony Johnson just before being
snatched by Godzilla (Charlotte Observer)
Chuck
Smith: 101 Ways To Increase Your Breasts
Bring them together, and squeeze...while counting to 10 I think I can, I
think I can... (Charlotte Observer)
Tshimanga
Biakabutuka: Men Are From Mars (Charlotte Observer)
Backup
QB Jeff Lewis: Pretzel Logic
If I could just get my feet behind my head, roll back and... (Charlotte Observer)
Steve
Beuerlein: This time
he really did drop a load in his shorts! (Charlotte Observer)
New Orleans
RB
Chad Morton does his Ricky Williams impersonation (AP via
Sportserver)
Ricky
Williams does his Ricky Williams impersonation (AP via
Sportserver)
Ah,
to be Saints trainer Aaron Miller (AP via Sportserver)
Jake
Delhomme may be a backup QB, but he can start for us any time
(AP via Sportserver)
St. Louis
Kurt
Warner is a Mickey Mouse QB (AP via Sportserver) Torry
Holt is glad the Rams play indoors (AP via Sportserver) Isaac
Bruce, Super Bowl hero (AP via Sportserver)
San Francisco
Ray
Brown uses anti-snoring device (AP via Sportserver)
We
like to remember Jerry Rice in better times (AP via Sportserver)
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