Hello Good People.  I hope all of you football fans out there are hanging in, we are getting into the heart of the season now and it is getting pretty exciting (especially for yours truly as my New England Patriots are poised to run the table, look out Miami you are about to say bye bye to your perfect season, this is especially delicious as my good buddy Chris Lee is a huge Miami fan, nothing like kicking a man when he is down - Favre has beaten Marino’s passing records, some of them, now it is time to take the one last thing Miami has, the perfect season, go Pats go!).

Now, on to the NFC West.  Things I think are beginning to stablilize out there, at least that is the sense I am getting in reviewing what is happening with the teams.

First off, as always are the Cardinals and their QB injury report.  As you all likely know by now, Warner hurt his elbow last week and had to be replaced by Rattay - wow, did not see that coming or rather, did not want to see that coming at all.  By the sounds of the various news reports out there it looks like there is a slim chance Warner might be back this week, although I would emphasize the word slim chance.  That said, the Cardinals do have enough other weapons to keep it close this week against a resurgent Redskins team.   The Cards if you have noticed are middle of the pack in most of the major stat categories (Offence, passing, rushing, defence).   Of course so are the Redskins, with the exception of their defence which is ranked 3rd.   Of course those stats don’t mean much unless you compare who they have played, after considering that, they both appear to have had relatively equal schedules.  Long story short, this game is going to be decided by a 6 points or less, in favour of the Redskins.

Next up this week is the 49ers.  Not looking good in San Fran, although there is two pieces of sort of good news, first Smith may be back in the lineup, I said it was good news, not great news, it isn’t like they convinced Joe to come out of retirement, second it looks like there is a chance that Vernon Davis will be back to see at least limited action as well, at least that is what my sources have told me.  I don’t think the return of these two are going to make a difference in an otherwise lackluster season (deadlast in the league in total offence and passing and26th in rushing), but what this will do is help in the future giving both of these guys more development time.  I get the feeling that Vernon Davis is just going to bust out soon and turn into a monster at TE, his skills are just too good for that not to happen.

They face off against the 4-2 Giants and I think that this one has a good chance of getting ugly early.   I really don’t think little Manning’s confidence will get beat up by the 49ers and will likely increase a fair bit by the end of it, beating up on awful teams can sometimes do that and that is exactly what is going to happen this week in New York.  Also, watch out for the Giants pass rush to take full advantage of a bad offence and rack up some big time sacks.  Chance of a shutout?  Maybe.  Chance of a blow-out?  Highly likely.  If I had the Giants D in a fantasy league I would be starting them, along with their QB, RB, WRs, and TEs.  Okay, maybe it won’t be that bad, but San Fran is really going to have to pull something out of a hat to take this one or even keep it close … remember on any given Sunday …

Next, up St. Louis visits Seattle.   This should be a cake walk for Seattle, but they have lost two big veteran leaders so far this year.  Fullback Mack Strong had to retire, and I would have to say that must be pretty demoralizing for the team.  I have always thought of Fullbacks as being those quiet, unheralded yet gritty leaders on a football team and when a team loses one, it really shakes out across the board - they are like the catchers of baseball, not flashy, always steady, the rock on which an offence can rely, that, plus most teams only carry one maybe two fullbacks has a big effect too especially when you have to replace one mid way through a campaign.

The other leader they lost was DT Chuck Darby.  That is going to leave a bit of a whole in the line for sure, although, the kid they will likely be starting in his place has seen action in every game Seattle has played this year, so he isn’t completely green.  Probably good that he will get his first start against woeful St. Louis.

St. Louis might be getting a little better as some of their players beging returning from the injury ward.  Bulger should suit up, Bruce should also be back and there is an outside chance that Stephen Jackson will also return (I can’t believe he can even stand after partially tearing is groin three weeks ago - tough guy).  But that having been said, I would be willing to bet without any sort of offensive line those guys will be hurt again before too long.

My guess here is that it might be closer than people think, but not that close, Seattle by 2 touchdowns to take the outright lead in the NFC West.

Have fun on Sunday. 

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Last post (s) by Chad Boyd

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