2005 NFC West Preview

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

COACH: Mike Holmgren 2004 RECORD: 9-7, first place in the NFC West 2005 KEY NON-DIVISIONAL GAMES: at Jacksonville, Houston, Dallas, at Philadelphia, at Tennessee, Indianapolis, and at Green Bay

PLAYERS TO WATCH

QB: Matt Hasselbeck, Seneca Wallace, and David Greene RB: Shaun Alexander, Mack Strong, and Maurice Morris WR: Darrell Jackson, Bobby Engram, Jerome Pathon, and Joe Jurevicius TE: Itula Mili and Jerramy Stevens OL: C Chris Spencer, G Steve Hutchinson, and T Walter Jones DL: RDE Grant Wistrom LDE Bryce Fisher, and LDE Otis Leverette LB: OLB Jamie Sharper, ILB Lofa Tatupu, and OLB DD Lewis CB: Andre Dyson, Marcus Trufant, and Kelly Herndon S: SS Michael Boulware, FS Ken Hamlin, and SS Marquand Manuel K: Josh Brown P: Leo Araguz KR: Maurice Morris and Bobby Engram

After losing at home to St. Louis in the first round of the NFC Playoffs, Seattle drafted QB David Greene out of Georgia to push incumbent Matt Hasselbeck. Hasselbeck will be throwing to WR Darrell Jackson, WR Bobby Engram, TE Itula Mili, ex-New Orleans Saint WR Jerome Pathon, WR Joe Jurevicius (jettisoned from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers), and TE Jerramy Stevens. Still, the Seahawk offense will only go as far as Pro Bowl RB Shaun Alexander can take it. Alexander does have some strong support, however, in the form of RB Mack Strong and RB Maurice Morris. Meanwhile, 6-foot-5, 308-pound Pro Bowl T Walter Jones anchors the Seattle offensive line. The Seahawks loaded up on linebackers in the off-season, drafting ILB Lofa Tatupu out of USC and signing OLB Jamie Sharper away from the Houston Texans to play alongside OLB DD Lewis. On the defensive line for Seattle, DE Grant Wistrom is a Pro Bowl caliber player. The Seahawk secondary looks stellar with ex-Tennessee Titan Pro Bowl CB Andre Dyson, All-Pro SS Michael Boulware, Pro Bowl CB Marcus Trufant, FS Ken Hamlin, ex-Denver Bronco CB Kelly Herndon, and SS Jamaal Brimmer (undrafted free agent out of UNLV).

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ST. LOUIS RAMS

COACH: Mike Martz 2004 RECORD: 8-8, second place in the NFC West 2005 KEY NON-DIVISIONAL GAMES: Tennessee, at Indianapolis, Jacksonville, at Houston, at Minnesota, Philadelphia, and at Dallas

PLAYERS TO WATCH

QB: Marc Bulger, Jamie Martin, and Jeff Smoker RB: Marshall Faulk, Steven Jackson, Arlen Harris, and Joey Goodspead WR: Isaac Bruce, Torry Holt, Brandon Middleton, Kevin Curtis, Shaun McDonald, and Dane Looker TE: Roland Williams OL: C Andy McCollum, RG Adam Timmerman, LG Rex Tucker, RG Richie Incognito, LT Orlando Pace, and RT Alex Barron DL: DE Leonard Little, DE Anthony Hargrave, DT Jimmy Kennedy, DT Ryan Pickett, and DT Damione Lewis LB: WLB Dexter Coakley, MLB Chris Claiborne, MLB Robert Thomas, WLB Pisa Tinoisamoa, SLB Brandon Chillar, and WLB Drew Wahlroos CB: LCB Jerametrius Butler, RCB Travis Fisher, LCB Ron Bartell, LCB Corey Ivy, RCB Kevin Garrett, and RCB Terry Fair S: SS Adam Archuleta, FS Michael Stone, FS OJ Atogwe, and FS Jerome Carter K: Jeff Wilkins P: Reggie Hodges KR: Shaun McDonald and Arlen Harris

St. Louis has high hopes that RB Steven Jackson will help them get back to the playoffs (where they won at Seattle in the first round and lost at Atlanta in the 2004 NFC Divisional Playoffs) in 2005. In fact, the Rams are so high on Jackson that there is a chance Pro Bowl RB Marshall Faulk will become a third down back for the first time in his Hall of Fame career. RB Arlen Harris and RB Joey Goodspeed provide good depth for the Rams. Making the transition easier for Jackson is the play of (All-Pro) WR Isaac Bruce, (All-Pro) WR Torry Holt, and TE Roland Williams. The presence of quality receivers like this, along with Pro Bowl QB Marc Bulger should spread the field for Jackson. St. Louis drafted RT Alex Barron out of Florida St. and RG Richie Incognito out of Nebraska to beef up an already stout offensive line led by Pro Bowl LT Orlando Pace, RG Adam Timmerman, LG Rex Tucker, and C Andy McCollum. The strength of the Ram defense is at linebacker. In the off-season, St. Louis coaxed ex-Dallas Cowboy WLB Dexter Coakley and ex-Minnesota Viking MLB Chris Claiborne into joining the Rams linebacking unit of MLB Robert Thomas, WLB Pisa Tinoisamoa, SLB Brandon Chillar, and WLB Drew Wahlroos. The St. Louis defensive line is led by DE Leonard Little, DT Jimmy Kennedy, DT Ryan Pickett, and DT Damione Lewis. The Rams drafted LCB Ron Bartell out of Howard University to battle with LCB Jerametrius Butler and RCB Travis Fisher. Other members of the St. Louis secondary include Pro Bowl SS Adam Archuleta, FS Michael Stone, LCB Corey Ivy, RCB Kevin Garrett, RCB Terry Fair, FS OJ Atogwe (drafted out of Stanford), and FS Jerome Carter (drafted out of Florida St.).

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ARIZONA CARDINALS

COACH: Dennis Green 2004 RECORD: 6-10, third place in the NFC West 2005 KEY NON-DIVISIONAL GAMES: Carolina, Tennessee, at Dallas, at Detroit, Jacksonville, at Houston, Philadelphia, and at Indianapolis

PLAYERS TO WATCH

QB: Kurt Warner, Josh McCown, Timmy Chang, and John Navarre RB: Marcel Shipp, Damien Anderson, Troy Hambrick, Obafemi Ayanbadejo, and JJ Arrington WR: Anquan Boldin, Larry Fitzgerald, Bryant Johnson, and Carlyle Holiday OL: C Alex Stepanovich, C Nick Leckey, G Reggie Wells, G Jeremy Bridges, G Elton Brown, T Leonard Davis, T Fred Wakefield, T Ian Allen, and T Adam Haayer DL: DE Bertrand Berry, DE Peppi Zellner, DE Chike Okeafor, DT Darnell Dockett, DT Russell Davis, and DT Kenny King LB: Karlos Dansby, James Darling, Orlando Huff, and Darryl Blackstock CB: Robert Tate, David Macklin, Rhett Nelson, Antrel Rolle, and Eric Green S: Robert Griffith, Adrian Wilson, Ifeanyi Ohalete, and Quentin Harris K: Neil Rackers and Matt Fordyce P: Scott Player

Pro Bowl QB Kurt Warner was welcomed aboard because Arizona coach Dennis Green wanted somebody who had won before to battle with QB Josh McCown, while JJ Arrington arrives from the Cal Golden Bears to challenge Marcel Shipp at the running back position. It wouldn’t exactly be a bold prediction to say that WR Anquan Boldin, WR Larry Fitzgerald, and WR Bryant Johnson could form one of the best receiving trios in the NFL in 2005. In the draft, the Cardinals showed a fondness for players from the state of Virginia. Both G Elton Brown (6-4, 339) and LB Darryl Blackstock were drafted out of the University of Virginia, while CB Eric Green was taken out of Virginia Tech. Green should have plenty of help from fellow CB Antrel Rolle (drafted in the first round out of Miami) and ex-Cleveland Brown S Robert Griffith.

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SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

COACH: Mike Nolan 2004 RECORD: 2-14, fourth place in the NFC West 2005 KEY NON-DIVISIONAL GAMES: at Philadelphia, Dallas, Indianapolis, Tampa Bay, at Chicago, at Tennessee, at Jacksonville, and Houston

PLAYERS TO WATCH

QB: Tim Rattay, Ken Dorsey, Cody Pickett, and Alex Smith RB: Kevan Barlow, Fred Beasley, Steve Bush, Terry Jackson, Frank Gore, and Bobby Purify WR: Arnaz Battle, Brandon Lloyd, Johnnie Morton, Rashaun Woods, and Rasheed Marshall TE: Eric Johnson OL: C Jeremy Newberry, G David Baas, T Jonas Jennings, T Kwame Harris, and T Brendan Darby DL: Bryant Young, Andre Carter, and Marques Douglas LB: Julian Peterson, Jeff Ulbrich, and Jamie Winborn CB: Ahmed Plummer, Mike Rumph, and Willie Middlebrooks S: SS Tony Parrish and WS Dwaine Carpenter K: Joe Nedney P: Andy Lee KR: Arnaz Battle

In the 2005 NFL Draft, San Francisco selected heavy on the offensive side of the ball. The 49ers drafted QB Alex Smith (Utah), G David Baas (Michigan), RB Frank Gore (Miami), and WR Rasheed Marshall (West Virginia) hoping to return the offense to its glory days. It’s too early to tell if Smith will be the next Joe Montana, Steve Young, or Jeff Garcia. He will have it out with Tim Rattay, Ken Dorsey, and Cody Pickett first. Baas and undrafted T Brendan Darby (San Diego St.) should bolster the offensive line and Gore will be a good one to hand the ball off to if he can beat out incumbent RB Kevan Barlow. WR Rashaun Woods has been a disappointment, thus the drafting of Marshall and the signing of ex-Kansas City Chief WR Johnnie Morton. San Francisco also selected CB Derrick Johnson (Washington) to solidify a secondary led by CB Ahmed Plummer, SS Tony Parrish, and CB Mike Rumph.

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By: Jorge Gonzalez (Special to WagerOnFootball.com)
Jorge Gonzalez owns VegasWise out of Las Vegas. Jorge has lived where all the action begins for 33 years and is a pre-law graduate from UNLV. With over 15 years of experience beating the sportsbooks get his premium plays here.