A look back at the "new" NFC West

[Brain Daddy]

In 2002, the Houston Texans became the 32nd team in the National Football League. With that new team came a division realignment, with each division having 4 teams instead of 5. Gone from the NFC West were the Panthers, Saints, and Falcons, who formed the NFC South (I've always thought it ironic that the majority of the old NFCW now makes up most of the NFCS). Joining the 49ers and Rams in the divison were the Seattle Seahawks, who returned to the division in which they originally played, and the Arizona Cardinals, who were moved from the NFC East to a more geographically sensible division. There have been 5 seasons since the realignment, and I thought it would be interesting to take a look back and see how the "new" NFC West has shaped up.

Seattle Seahawks
Regular season record: 48-32
Playoff record: 3-4
Division titles: 3
record vs. Rams: 6-4 (2 sweeps)*
record vs. 49ers: 6-4 (3 sweeps)
record vs. Cardinals: 7-3 (2 sweeps)
record vs. division: 19-11 (.633)

St. Louis Rams
Regular season record: 41-39
Playoff record: 1-2
Division titles: 1
record vs. Seahawks: 4-6 (1 sweep)*
record vs. 49ers: 5-5 (1 sweep)
record vs. Cardinals: 7-3 (2 sweeps)
record vs. division: 16-14 (.533)

San Francisco 49ers
Regular season record: 30-50
Playoff record: 1-1
Division titles: 1
record vs. Seahawks: 4-6 (2 sweeps)
record vs. Rams: 5-5 (1 sweep)
record vs. Cardinals: 5-5 (2 sweeps)
record vs. division: 14-16 (.467)

Arizona Cardinals
Regular season record: 25-55
Playoff record: N/A
Division titles: lol
record vs. Seahawks: 3-7
record vs. Rams: 3-7
record vs. 49ers: 5-5 (2 sweeps)
record vs. division: 11-19 (.367)

I was a little surprised that despite 3 straight division wins, the Seahawks don't have that many more wins than the Rams. It'll be interesting to see how the next 5 years shapes up and what the division will look like after 10 years.

*I only counted regular season games, so this does not include the Rams victory over the Seahawks in the 2004 Wild Card game.

[daredevil2-5]

Them Cardinals are movin on up, watch out now!

[Blue Bird]

Them Cardinals are movin on up, watch out now!

Man, I just had deja vu. Twice. :francis:

[Dinuba49erfan]

so how did that work when there were 31 teams?
One division had 6 teams?

[daredevil2-5]

so how did that work when there were 31 teams?
One division had 6 teams?
Yeah, think it was the old AFC Central w/ the Steelers, Titans, Browns, Ravens, Bengals, and Jaguars. The old NFC West was horribly regionalized as well. The only true west coast team was the 49ers. The Falcons, Saints and Panthers were all apart of that division.

[Ness]

Man, seeing this makes me think that we desperately need to get back in the playoffs.

[Brain Daddy]

Man, I just had deja vu. Twice. :francis:
It's deja vu all over again

Man, what would the world have done without Yogi Berra? :unsure:
Man, seeing this makes me think that we desperately need to get back in the playoffs.
Agreed. We've got some catching up to do.

[Blue Bird]

It's deja vu all over again

Man, what would the world have done without Yogi Berra? :unsure:

Agreed. We've got some catching up to do.

Oh I know the saying. I was just puttin' my own twist on it... if that's okay with you. :pards:

[Brain Daddy]

Oh I know the saying. I was just puttin' my own twist on it... if that's okay with you. :pards:
Actually... no, it's not :nonono:

:laugh:

[Optimus Moo]

Yeah, think it was the old AFC Central w/ the Steelers, Titans, Browns, Ravens, Bengals, and Jaguars. The old NFC West was horribly regionalized as well. The only true west coast team was the 49ers. The Falcons, Saints and Panthers were all apart of that division.

Well the Rams USED to be truly in the West, but then they moved and made it worse. Then people were trying to start up the stupid "49ers to Cleveland" rumor when the Browns were temporarily put out of commission, and if that would have happened, it would have been a joke of a title for the NFC West.

Anyways, one place they dropped the ball on realignment was the AFC North. Why Baltimore? Indianapolis would have made MUCH more sense. Three states, four rivals, it was perfect. But noooo... they had to put the Ravens up here. No one likes the Ravens. No one cares. The only reason they did it was probably due to the "rivalry" between Cleveland and Baltimore, but seriously, Indianapolis would have been so much better in a multitude of ways.

[Blue Bird]

Actually... no, it's not :nonono:

:laugh:

Well then it's a good thing I don't care, huh? :shades:

[UCBLaxPlayer]

in addition to that they wanted to keep the Miami rivalry's going with teams like the Bills. the AFC East just plays each other close in just about every game. IMO the NFL did an excellent job in realignment keeping rivalries.

i must agree

[NinerRider]

Imagine if Dallas and St. Louis swept spots and we had to play the Cowgirls twice a year. That would've been great.

The NFL was of course trying to preserve the long rivalries of the NFC East, but sometimes new rivalries can be just as good.

But like a few other people have said already, the NFL pretty much got it right with the division realignment.

[badass316]

Seahawks should start to creep down on their division record as the cardinals and 9ers begin to emerge. I think the rams will either take the #1 spot or stay at second since they still have a good young nucleus in Bulger and the Predator.