Greetings from the sports desk located somewhere below the main deck of the Good Pirate Ship RedState. Although the calendar and the thermometer say summer is still here, the first sign of fall has arrived. By sign, I mean an actual sign in front of the nearby Starbucks proclaiming the return of pumpkin spice lattes. Oh, and the NFL regular season is almost here. Sammy the Shark and Karl the Kraken are ready and rarin’ to go ...
That should keep them busy until hockey training camp opens later in September.
As is the case just before the opening of every new season regardless of the sport, questions abound. Can the Philadelphia Eagles repeat as Super Bowl champions? Will the Kansas City Chiefs rebound from last year’s title game loss to claim another crown? How many times will shots of Chiefs’ tight end Travis Kelce’s fiancée slide themselves into every broadcast? (Answers: yes, but it’s no guarantee; same; and don’t ask.)
A slightly more in-depth look, starting with the NFC West (other five divisions forthcoming).
Western Division
- Arizona Cardinals — If the Cardinals have a theme song, it’s by the ‘70s prog rock/pop band Utopia, which once upon a time recorded a clever ditty titled “Forgotten But Not Gone.” Arizona shows up every year, but the Cardinals never show out. They are seldom a doormat, but even less frequently a contender. Since moving from St. Louis before the start of the 1988 season, the Cardinals have made six playoff appearances, reaching the Super Bowl once (they lost). The current team is not bereft of talent, but in a division with the Rams, 49ers, and Seahawks, they remain stuck in permanent wingman status (no pun intended — well, maybe a little).
- Los Angeles Rams — Can Los Carneros avenge their playoff loss last year in the Philadelphia snow? Definitely, health permitting. The offense is stout, with Davante Adams joining Puka Nacua to form a potent wide receiver duo, and Cam Akers is more than capable of supplying big yardage running the ball. The defense is strong, regularly making plays when needed to stifle the opposition. The question is at quarterback. Can Matthew Stafford pull another Stafford-ish year out of his balky 37-year-old back? If not, can the proven but brittle Jimmy Garoppolo or the unproven Stetson Bennett IV play well enough to win? Rams fans, yours truly included, hope not to have to find out.
- San Francisco 49ers — Last year, the 49ers went from the Team To Beat to the Team That’s Beat Up, as it racked up multiple injuries on both sides of the ball that utterly derailed the season. This year hasn’t started much better, as San Francisco is already woefully short of people for Babyface Brock Purdy to throw to. The 49ers still have George Kittle at tight end and Christian McCaffrey to run the ball, and the defense is good. San Francisco also enjoys a favorable schedule courtesy of last year’s transformation of the team bus into an ambulance. But will it be enough to rejoin the upper echelon of NFL franchises?
- Seattle Seahawks — The #1 wide receiver, Cooper Kupp, was let go by the Rams for being injury-prone and over the hill. The quarterback, Sam Darnold, has one great season under his belt, but ended last year wilting in the playoffs under the Rams’ pass rush. The defense’s leader is an aging DeMarcus Lawrence. Good luck; you’ll need it.
Next post will examine the NFC North.
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