Way back over the summer I began predicting how I thought the 2019-2020 NFL season would pan out. I literally went through week by week how each matchup would go. It was pretty tedious. It was pretty fun too!
Check out my predictions from a few months back here.
Now that the season is practically over, I thought I would be fun to see how accurate or in-accurate I was. You never know how a season will go year in and year out! I know I was way off on several teams. This should be interesting. I will use these posts I have written to hopefully be more accurate next season.
This post I will be talking about the NFC West Division.
| Final NFC West Standings | Real Record | My Pre-Season Prediction (Predicted Div. Placement) |
|---|---|---|
| 1. San Francisco 49ers | 13-3 | 7-9 (4) |
| 2. Seattle Seahawks | 11-5 | 10-6 (2) |
| 3. Los Angeles Rams | 9-7 | 10-6 (1) |
| 4. Arizona Cardinals | 5-10-1 | 9-7 (3) |
1. San Francisco 49ers
Real Finish: 13-3, Division Champions.
My Prediction: 7-9, Last in Division.
So the Niners very much surprised me this season. Totally blew away my expectations in every aspect. I will say I predicted a good improvement for this team, but I could never have predicted them making a Super Bowl appearance.
The defense in San Fran was absolutely ELITE. This team seems to have really drafted well. Former player John Lynch has proven to be a very good General Manager!
Not much else to say really. They had a phenomenal season and they seem very youthful, especially on defense, so I think this team will be highly competitive for the next 3-5 years.
2. Seattle Seahawks
Real Finish: 11-5, Second in Division.
My Prediction: 10-6, Second in Division.
The mini dynasty of the Seattle Seahawks continues on strongly. It seems that quarterback Russell Wilson can't lead a team to a losing season. It just can't happen and I will be surprised if it ever does.
This team produces every season. This organization doesn't have any flaws that I can really see. Year in and year out they've been pretty successful. Aside from a few years when Matt Hasslebeck was older and they were transitioning, the Seahawks have been a very consistent franchise. They run the ball and have good defense. Combine that with a high level QB, a team will be in good shape.
I fully expect the Seahawks to be thickly in the playoff hunt for the foreseeable future.
3. Los Angeles Rams
Real Finish: 9-7, Third in Division.
My Prediction: 10-6, Division Champions.
The Rams surely had a down year, especially considering they made it all the way to the Superbowl the previous season. But I believe a lot of the criticism is kinda fake news.
Despite the fact that they definitely declined, all in all it really wasn't as terrible a year as everyone else seems to think it was. They still finished with a winning record in possibly the toughest division in football.
I think if this team regroups they could definitely be in the mix. It's just a shame they played in a division with two playoff teams.
4. Arizona Cardinals
Real Finish: 5-10-1, Last in Division.
My Prediction: 9-7, Third in Division.
Welp I kinda drank the Kyler Murray Kool aid and thought that he could help catapult the Cardinals to a solid record in his rookie year.
But, I was pretty wrong. Rookie QB Kyler Murray was pretty average, but calling him average as an undersized rookie is still a decent compliment. He definitely showed he isn't a total bust (through one season), and seems like a guy you want to definitely build around.
But all in all Kyler was probably the most optimistic thing about this team. Otherwise it was a struggle.
I will say though, they played in an insanely tough division. So perhaps this team is better than they seem.I think Kyler is competitive enough that the challenges of this high level division will motivate him. As well as the fact that people think he's too small to play Quarterback.
This team has work to do, but intrigues me. This might be the toughest team to predict when it comes to their future. I will have to do my homework on Arizona. I feel like there is a 50/50 chance this team succeeds in the future. I just don't know with this team.
So that wraps up my thoughts on the NFL's NFC West Division for the 2019 season. What are your thoughts on this division's future?
Football season can't come fast enough.
Steem on!
