2015 NFL Week 9: NFC West Standings, Roundup

Well, Rams fans I am sorry I have missed this article over the last couple of weeks. I will try to do better.

The NFC West went 3-1 during Week 8 of the NFL season. The San Francisco 49ers losing to the St. Louis Rams accounts for the lone loss within the division. Let's jump right into the division recap.

Arizona Cardinals

Last Week: Last week the Cardinals got out of the gates slowly against the Cleveland Browns, but managed to pour it on late to win by double digits. The Cardinals continue to lead the way within the NFC West as they improved their record to 6-2.

Major Storylines: The Cardinals managed to win the game in spite of losing the turnover battle 4-2. One big reason for that was Carson Palmer who threw for 374 yards and 4 touchdowns, Palmer has already thrown for over 2,300 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2015. He is the key to the Cardinals and whether or not they are a true contender.

Up Next: The Cardinals will rest and relax as they have a bye in Week 9.

San Francisco 49ers

Last Week: The 49ers had a glimmer of hope on their first possession against the Rams, driving down the field and quickly settling for a field goal. It was pretty much all downhill after that, as big play after big play went the Rams way and the 49ers fell 27-6.

Major Storylines: The big story in the 49ers camp is the benching of quarterback Colin Kaepernick for Blaine Gabbert. Yes, that Blaine Gabbert, he of the career 5-22 overall record. Oh, and the team also traded Vernon Davis to the Denver Broncos for three bottle caps and a box of Cracker Jacks. The size of the Cracker Jack's is conditional and will be delivered in 2017.

Up Next: The 49ers will be back home playing host to the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons are sitting at 6-2, but if they want to stay in the NFC South division race they can't afford to lose any more games.

Seattle Seahawks

Last Week: The Seahawks pulled of a squeaker against the Tony Romo-less Dallas Cowboys. The Seahawks managed to win 13-12, getting just enough out of their offense to take down the anemic Cowboys.

Major Storylines: The biggest storyline is the injury to Ricardo Lockette, sure Lockette isn't a household name but that was some scary hit he took. Lockette required neck surgery to stabilize some of the ligaments in his neck.

Up Next: The Seahawks will have a bye in Week 9. Their post bye schedule is probably about as difficult as their pre-bye schedule, so they need to get their act together if they hope to contend.

St. Louis Rams

Last Week: The Rams shook off another fairly slow start from the offense to crush their longtime rivals the 49ers. The offense still struggled to generate much in the passing game or on third down, but Todd Gurley and Tavon Austin were dynamite yet again.

Major Storylines: Todd Gurley continues to impress, gashing the 49ers for over 100 yards and setting the NFL record for most rushing yards in a players first four starts of the Super Bowl era. He also became the first rookie to rush for over 125 yards in four consecutive games. Even though he only touched the ball 6 times for 9 yards in his first NFL game, his 575 yards through his first five games trail only Adrian Peterson and Eric Dickerson.

Up Next: The Rams will hit the road to take on the Minnesota Vikings. This game features two teams with playoff aspirations, teams which will likely be battling each other for a wild card spot. It also features one of the all time great running backs, and the Rams sensational rookie running back.

Let's take a look at the current NFC West standings after the first eight weeks of the 2015 season:

As you can see the Cardinals are still leading the pack and will be taking their bye week to rest up and make sure they can stay out in front. The Rams are in good position thanks to their 3-0 division record, and the "easing" of the remainder of the schedule compared to the first five weeks. The Seahawks still haven't shown me any reason to believe they are legit contenders in the West, not in 2015 anyway. The 49ers are apparently going all in for the first overall pick of the 2016 NFL draft.

Thanks for reading and as always, Go Rams!!!