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When the LA Rams last played, they fell to the Green Bay Packers in the divisional round. Prior to that, they easily bested the 12-4 Seahawks in Seattle. When the Packers last played, they lost to the TB Buccaneers in the NFC Championship and when Tampa last played, a team that finished second in their own division behind the New Orleans Saints, they won it all.
The NFC is plenty loaded at the top.
Things got more loaded for the Rams when they swapped out Jared Goff for Matthew Stafford, but does that one move help improve LA from a 10-6 record to more of the 14-3 area that could secure them the all-important number one seed next season? Or will the reigning champion Bucs, who brought back all 22 starters and many key reserves, be even better than their own 11-5 record of a year ago?
Aaron Rodgers returns to Green Bay and the Packers have given us few reasons to doubt they’ll be competing for the Super Bowl again.
The Dallas Cowboys get Dak Prescott back and a healthy season by the offensive line would likely result in that offense being among the three most-potent in the league.
And the New Orleans Saints lost Drew Brees, but can Sean Payton continue to work the same magic that’s helped the team go 8-1 without the future Hall of Famer over the past two years?
Russell Wilson wasn’t ever leaving Seattle; the San Francisco 49ers, like LA, also gave up two future first round picks to upgrade at quarterback; the Arizona Cardinals added J.J. Watt and several other stars of yesteryear; the Chicago Bears and Washington Football Team both reached the playoffs without adequate quarterback play and the New York Giants were close to it because of an underrated defensive unit; the Philadelphia Eagles and Minnesota Vikings are more talented than most people might be thinking right now; the Atlanta Falcons might be an unlucky team that’s way too good to be drafting in the top-five this year, where an elite pass-catcher like Kyle Pitts could fall to them.
The NFC won’t be easy to win.
I want to throw out some poll questions today to gauge how the TST community views the Rams’ division and conference as the 2021 draft approaches.
Poll
Who is the best team in the NFC West today?
This poll is closed
-
89%
Rams
(939 votes) -
3%
Seahawks
(36 votes) -
5%
49ers
(61 votes) -
1%
Cardinals
(17 votes)
And next...
Poll
Who is the second best team in the NFC West today?
This poll is closed
-
8%
Rams
(74 votes) -
42%
Seahawks
(366 votes) -
35%
49ers
(307 votes) -
12%
Cardinals
(109 votes)
And finally...
Poll
Who is the worst team in the NFC West today?
This poll is closed
-
2%
Rams
(19 votes) -
13%
Seahawks
(117 votes) -
27%
49ers
(238 votes) -
56%
Cardinals
(477 votes)
For the conference?
Poll
Who is the best non-Rams team in the NFC today?
This poll is closed
-
26%
Packers
(226 votes) -
66%
Buccaneers
(568 votes) -
1%
Seahawks
(11 votes) -
0%
Cowboys
(4 votes) -
0%
Saints
(5 votes) -
0%
Vikings
(3 votes) -
2%
49ers
(22 votes) -
0%
Football Team
(4 votes) -
1%
Other
(11 votes)
Don’t get too mad at me for these choices, I fully acknowledge that the worst team might turn out to be a team that looks “good” to me today.
Poll
Who is the worst team in the NFC today?
This poll is closed
-
45%
Lions
(355 votes) -
23%
Eagles
(186 votes) -
8%
Giants
(65 votes) -
10%
Panthers
(78 votes) -
11%
Other
(92 votes)
Flip-flop...
Poll
Which NFC team will go from playoffs to basement?
This poll is closed
-
9%
Seahawks
(72 votes) -
42%
Bears
(316 votes) -
17%
Football Team
(134 votes) -
25%
Saints
(190 votes) -
0%
Packers
(5 votes) -
1%
Bucs
(11 votes) -
2%
Rams
(22 votes)
Flop-flip...
Poll
Which NFC team will go from basement to playoffs?
This poll is closed
-
56%
49ers
(415 votes) -
23%
Falcons
(170 votes) -
7%
Lions
(56 votes) -
12%
Eagles
(89 votes)
Six random teams...
Poll
Which of these teams will have the best record next season?
This poll is closed
-
46%
Cowboys
(329 votes) -
2%
Eagles
(18 votes) -
9%
Falcons
(69 votes) -
2%
Bears
(19 votes) -
23%
Cardinals
(164 votes) -
15%
Football Team
(111 votes)