The NFC West is sneakily one of the more successful divisions of the past decade. Three of the past five NFC Super Bowl representatives have come out of the NFC West, with the Los Angeles Rams winning Super Bowl LVI. The NFC West Division winner has also won at least one playoff game in 16 of the last 18 seasons. Below, we preview the NFC West and explore the odds for each team to win the division. Also, we share our NFC West predictions and expert picks.
NFC West 2023: Team Odds And Preview
San Francisco 49ers
The question “What if” will always exist when referencing the San Francisco 49ers’ 2022 season.
If quarterback Brock Purdy does not get hurt on their first offensive drive of the NFC Championship, do the 49ers defeat the Eagles to advance to the Super Bowl? We’ll never know.
However, the 49ers have the firepower to return to the NFC Championship, as they boast one of the most talented rosters in the league. Purdy should be ready for the start of the season and will get a lot of help at the skill positions, thanks to Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, and George Kittle.
Despite losing defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans to the Houston Texans, the 49ers should have a top-5 defense thanks to edge rusher Nick Bosa and linebacker Fred Warner.
Barring a catastrophic injury, the division still runs through San Francisco.
| San Francisco 49ers | Odds | Play |
|---|---|---|
| Over 10.5 wins | -150 |  |
| Under 10.5 wins | +120 | |
Seattle Seahawks
One of the surprises of 2022 was the Seattle Seahawks, who snuck into the playoffs at 9-8.
After trading Russell Wilson in the offseason, the Seahawks turned to journeyman Geno Smith at quarterback. Smith exposed in 2022, setting career-highs in passing yards (4,282) and touchdowns (30) while leading the league in completion percentage (69.8).
Smith is back under center and has a new weapon at receiver in rookie Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who adds to a receiving corps featuring DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett.
If Seattle’s rookie class from last year continues to improve and Smith remains steady at QB, Seattle will find themselves in the playoffs for the second-straight season.
| Seattle Seahawks | Odds | Play |
|---|---|---|
| Over 8.5 wins | -150 | |
| Under 8.5 wins | +120 | |
Los Angeles Rams
If 2021 was a dream for the Rams, 2022 was a nightmare.
After winning the Super Bowl in their home stadium in 2021, the Rams took a step back in 2022, finishing 5-12. Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp, and Aaron Donald missed significant time in 2022, leading to the team’s downfall.
The Rams are in an interesting place. They went all-in to win a Super Bowl, and it worked. Now, they must rebuild as key pieces like Odell Beckham Jr., Von Miller, and Jalen Ramsey are all gone.
The Stafford-to-Kupp connection is still elite, and Donald remains unguardable when on the field.
If the Rams can stay healthy, they have the talent to compete for a Wild Card spot.
| Los Angeles Rams | Odds | Play |
|---|---|---|
| Over 6.5 wins | +110 | |
| Under 6.5 wins | -140 | |
Arizona Cardinals
It’s difficult to tank in the NFL. However, the Arizona Cardinals may implement the tanking strategy if they get off to a rough start.
Kyler Murray is still recovering from a torn ACL and will most likely miss the entire first month of the season. Colt McCoy is expected to start at quarterback. However, new head coach Jonathan Gannon will be patient with their franchise quarterback and not rush Murray back.
There are not a lot of blue-chippers on this roster. On the bright side, the Cardinals stockpiled picks for future drafts, including an extra first-round pick from the Houston Texans in 2024.
If the Cardinals start 0-4 in September, the “Tank for Caleb Williams” discussion will heat up.
| Arizona Cardinals | Odds | Play |
|---|---|---|
| Over 4.5 wins | -110 | |
| Under 4.5 wins | -120 | |
NFC West 2023: Expert Picks and Predictions
The 49ers (-175) are the favorite to win the NFC West, a division they’ve won twice in the last four seasons. Seattle (+200) is the better value play if you’re looking for something with a higher payout. Seattle has studs on both sides of the ball, so it would not be surprising if they competed for the division crown all season.
View the odds below via BetOnline.
| To Win AFC West | Odds | Play |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco 49ers | -175 | |
| Seattle Seahawks | +200 | |
| Los Angeles Rams | +1000 | |
| Arizona Cardinals | +2200 | |
San Francisco 49ers Over 10.5 Wins (-150)
Because the 49ers’ odds to win the NFC West are very low, the better play might be to take the over on 10.5 wins (-150). Consider this: San Francisco started three quarterbacks — Trey Lance, Jimmy Garoppolo, and Brock Purdy — in 2022 and finished the season with 13-4. Purdy was the last pick of the 2022 Draft and proceeded to go 5-0 as the starter to close out the regular season. With a full season of McCaffrey and an elite defense, the 49ers should win at least 11 games.
Arizona Cardinals Under 4.5 Wins (-120)
Who knows how long Murray will be out at quarterback? The best-case scenario is Murray returns sometime in October. However, that may be too late to salvage. Sharp Football Analysis has the Cardinals with the 11th hardest schedule in the NFL, with six of their first eight games against 2022 playoff teams. With youth on the field and on the sideline, the Cardinals will struggle to win four games this year.
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