Arizona Cardinals: NFC West Shapes Out As Predicted in Week One
By Scott Allen
Sep 7, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Carlos Hyde (28) scores a touchdown while being tackled by Dallas Cowboys outside linebacker Bruce Carter (54) in the second quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
The Arizona Cardinals have yet still to play this weekend, as they are set for Monday Night Football tomorrow night against the San Diego Chargers. The rest of the NFC West though has finished play for week one and it has played out pretty much the way we expected.
The Seattle Seahawks started the weekend with a win on Thursday night over the Green Bay Packers 36-16. Hawks running back Marshawn Lynch was a beast. He carried the ball 20 times for 110 yards and two touchdowns. The Packers didn’t throw the ball Richard Sherman’s way and that was that. Domination.
The San Francisco 49ers, at least for this week, should put doubters at bay. Many felt, especially with the way the off-season and preseason went for them, that the Niners would be on their way down. I’ve been on the fence with that and even picked them to finish 10-6 and out of the playoffs. Today they looked like a playoff team in the 28-17 victory over the Dallas Cowboys. Of course, they dealt with that bad Cowboys defense and the Cowboys turned the ball over four times in the first half.
Then there are the St. Louis Rams. The Rams, who of course lost quarterback Sam Bradford a couple of weeks ago for the season, replaced Shaun Hill at halftime. The reason was officially given as a thigh injury. Whatever the reason, it didn’t matter. Second-year quarterback Austin Davis couldn’t do much and threw an interception returned for a touchdown and the Rams were blown out at home 34-6.
So now it is left to the Cards to keep pace with the Hawks and Niners. Just like most people expected.