Will Seattle Overtake San Francisco in the NFC West?

The NFC West seems to be a pretty cut and dry division this year. The 49ers are at the top, Seahawks are right there, and the Rams and the Cardinals are on the wayside. But maybe it’s not as cut and dry as we see it to be, the 49ers have struggled quite a bit in division play, have not made the moves that the Seahawks did in the off-season, their secondary isn’t as good as it used to be, and lastly I see the 49ers descending, while I see the Seahawks ascending

We all know the favorite to win the NFC and go to the Super Bowl is the 49ers, but I don’t think it’s going to be as easy as they say it is. Last year the 49ers only went 3-2-1 in the division, and could have gone 3-3 if they didn’t call back a deep pass to Amendola which would have secured them the win with a chip shot field goal. The 49ers have a stifling front seven, but their secondary lacks some talent now. They recently lost Dashon Goldson, Carlos Rogers is getting up there in age, and we do not know how good Nnamdi Asmougha is going to be. They did make some off-season moves, to get: Anquan Boldin and Nnamdi Asmougha, but I don’t think that puts them over the edge. Manningham, was supposed to be a great addition, but he didn’t quite pan out either. A.J Jenkins was supposed to be a good pick and has actually proven to almost be a liability instead of an asset to the team based on reports of attitude and unwillingness to work out and stay in shape. I don’t see their receiving corps as being top end, or even middle of the pack to be honest. Also, Kaepernick had an outstanding season last year, but only threw for 10 touchdowns last year and rushed for five. Kaepernick actually fumbled the ball seven times, which may prove costly in the future. I’m not trying to bash the 49ers too hard here, but the fact is they aren’t as great as advertised, and when faced against a good defense, they struggle a bit. You can see this in the 2nd Seahawks game and the Ravens in the Super Bowl.

On the other hand, the Seahawks are moving nowhere but up. They traded for Percy Harvin, and signed Cliff Avril to go along with that already good defensive line. Wilson set a rookie record for touchdowns in a season with 26, and will only improve with the addition of Percy Harvin and an improved defense will help get the ball on offense more.  Wilson has proven he fits this offense perfectly, he can run the read-option, give it to Marshawn, or make timely passes when needed. And lastly their secondary doesn’t get enough credit. The “League of Boom” has been outstanding they had two pro-bowlers in 2013 one at corner and one at safety. Richard Sherman has been a huge surprise a fifth round pick out of Stanford has been the best cornerback in the NFC by far, alongside with Brandon Browner a tall cover corner who helps shut down the other side of the field. Then in the back they have Earl Thomas (another pro-bowler) who’s an absolute ball-hawk, and plays fast, physical, but most importantly smart. Kam Chancellor was a pro-bowler in 2012, who may be slow, but is great at covering the middle, and hitting them hard. This team is only getting better on both sides of the ball.

Unfortunately I left the Cardinals and the Rams out of this discussion for winning the West. I don’t view them as bad, I view the Cardinals as re-building and the Rams as a team who needs to find a way to put it all together. They are improving, but they simply aren’t quite at the Seahawks or 49ers level just yet. Overall, the NFC West is going to be a competitive division, but as of right now I see the Seahawks overtaking the 49ers in the west. I think they are better in division play, on the rise, and they’ve made some outstanding moves in free agency.

2013 NFL Draft 3rd Round Mock

3rd  Round Mock Draft

63. Kansas City Chiefs- Jordan Poyer, CB, Oregon State- The Chiefs could use another corner and this guy to me is a 2nd round prospect.

64. Jacksonville Jaguars- Jamie Collins, DE/OLB, Southern Miss- The Jaguars didn’t get a rusher in the draft yet, and they need one quite badly. They take the best available rusher, not best overall player available.

65. Detroit Lions- David Amerson, CB/S, NC State- The Lions need the best available corner, and it doesn’t hurt that he can also play safety.

66. Oakland Raiders- Dallas Thomas, OG/OT, Tennessee- They haven’t addressed their offensive line yet, and they need to take the best available lineman.

67. Philadelphia Eagles- Bennie Logan, DT, LSU- Best DT available, they need to add some depth to their line.

68. Cleveland Browns- Barrett Jones, OG/C/OT- The Browns have been looking for an interior lineman, and although Jones might not be electric, but he’s a solid player.

69. Arizona Cardinals- D.J Swearinger- The Cardinals are in need of a safety, and this guy can make plays. Swearinger can make plays both in the box and in coverage.

70. Tennessee Titans- Jonathan Banks, CB, Mississippi State- The Titans need to address the cornerback position, and there are still some good ones out there. Banks is the best one available.

71. Buffalo Bills- Gavin Escobar, TE, San Diego State- The Bills need a tight-end, and although he may not be the greatest blocker, he’s an outstanding pass catcher which makes for a solid pick for the Bills in the 3rd round.

72. New York Jets- Keenan Allen, WR, Cal- He shouldn’t fall this far, but many teams aren’t huge fans of him because of his lack of speed and personality.

73. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Tharold Simon, CB, LSU- The Buccaneers could always use another corner just in case. Tharold Simon is a project guy but could pay off.

74. San Francisco 49ers- Tyrann Mathieu, CB, LSU- The 49ers need a corner, and Mathieu at one time was a Heisman finalist at LSU. I don’t see them passing on him even with his attitude and other problems that would come with drafting him.

Is Tyrann Mathieu a 3rd round possibility  We think so.

75. New Orleans Saints- Brandon Williams, NT, Missouri Southern- Short and simple: This would be a steal, has great potential in the NFL.

76. San Diego Chargers- Philip Thomas, S, Fresno State- The Chargers are in need of a safety, and Thomas picked off a lot of balls at Fresno State. He does need a quite a bit of work though.

77. Miami Dolphins- Stedman Bailey, WR, West Virginia- One of the most underrated receivers in the draft. I was watching Tavon Austin film but Stedman Bailey was the one out blocking down field and doing the dirty work. Possesses great hands and is a great weapon for any QB. He is underrated overall because of an average combine but he would be a steal at 77.

78. St. Louis Rams- Bacarri Rambo, S, Georgia- The Rams are in dire need of a safety, and they can’t have Dahl back there again. Rambo can make plays, and sometimes he does gets burned, but is a good player.

79. Pittsburgh Steelers- Giovani Bernard, RB, UNC- Steelers could use a running back and Bernard was used to be the highest rated, he needs to bulk up, but could be a dynamic player in the back field.

80. Dallas Cowboys- T.J McDonald, S, USC- The Cowboys need a safety because Barry Church is not their long term answer. McDonald is a fast, physical player who has potential.

81. New York Giants- Travis Kelce, TE, Cincinnati- The Giants could use a solid tight end, is a decent blocker and pretty good pass catcher.

82. Miami Dolphins- Montori Hughes, DT/NT, Tennessee-Martin- Hughes is a good player, but unfortunately has character issues. Talent-wise he is good, but he has to keep his nose clean.

83. New England Patriots- Jelani Jenkins, OLB, Florida- They took a lot of players in 2012 along the front seven, but Jenkins shouldn’t be here, I think they take the best player available.

84. Cincinnati Bengals- Terrance Williams, WR, Baylor- Once touted as a first round prospect, falls down here. He does have some character issues and lacks aggressiveness on the field, but could get his head turned around.

85. Washington Redskins- Corey Lemonier, DE/OLB, Auburn- If Brian Orakpo goes down again they need someone to back him up as a rusher.

86. Indianapolis Colts- Khaseem Greene, ILB/OLB, Rutgers- The Colts need to go with solid players on defense, and that’s how I see Greene. He’s not amazing, but definitely a solid pick.

87. Seattle Seahawks- Kiko Alonso, ILB/OLB, Oregon- He’s originally an outside linebacker that I think could be moved to 4-3 outside. Would be a solid pick at this spot, needs to work on consistency.

88. Green Bay Packers- J.J Wilcox, S, Georgia Southern- The Packers like drafting small school players and they need a safety. Badly.

89. Houston Texans- Shamarko Thomas, S, Syracuse- The Texans are in need of a safety, and Thomas is the best available in this spot.

90. Denver Broncos- Vance McDonald, TE, Rice- This guy is a physical freak, but he needs a ton of work. He needs to improve his hands and his routes, but who better to help him get better than Peyton Manning.

91. New England Patriots- Hugh Thornton, OG, Illinois- Thornton isn’t ready to come into the NFL yet, but will have some time to learn. He could be a good guard in the future.

92. Atlanta Falcons- Sean Porter, OLB, Texas A&M- Porter is a good player. He needs to bulk up and polish his game, but could be a great outside linebacker in the future.

93. San Francisco 49er’s- Marquise Goodwin, WR, Texas- The 49er’s could use a receiver, and this guy is an explosive athlete. Has a lot of potential, with the 49er’s amount of picks I don’t see them passing him up just as a play-maker alone.

94. Baltimore Ravens- Aaron Dobson, WR, Marshall- A project wide receiver, has great athleticism, but has some diva in him. He needs to mature, but could be a steal. Needs coaching.

95. Houston Texans- Ryan Swope, WR, Texas A&M- I can see them doubling down on receiver this year. I think it’s put up or shut up for Schaub, who was benched last year. They’re going to get him the weapons in the passing game.

96. Kansas City Chiefs- Oday Aboushi, OT, Virginia Tech- They lost Eric Winston this year, and could use a right tackle. This guy has been falling, but is the best available at the position.

97. Tennessee Titans- Sam Montgomery, DE, LSU- The Titans need a lot of help on the defensive side of the ball, especially the line. Montgomery is a true 4-3 end, and he could possibly help them out there.

2013 NFL Draft 2nd Round Mock (Based off actual 1st Round)

2nd Round Mock (Based off the 1st round selections)

33. Jacksonville Jaguars- Matt Barkley, QB, USC- From what I’ve seen it’s not a consensus that the Jaguars love Geno Smith, but who knows it could be another smoke screen.

34. San Francisco 49ers- Zach Ertz, TE, Stanford- Ertz is a Harbaugh guy from back at Stanford, and although they could go  defensive line, I’ve heard that they really like Ertz.

35. Philadelphia Eagles- Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia- If someone doesn’t trade up to get him, this is where he should go, a great fit and would be able to sit a year. If the Eagles get Smith it would be an outstanding
draft for them.

36. Detroit Lions- Menelik Watson, OT, Florida State- The Lions weren’t able to address their offensive line yesterday, so I can see them doing it today.

37. Cincinnati Bengals- Eddie Lacy, RB, Alabama- The Bengals need a running back badly, if Lacy falls I see them snatching him up.

38. Arizona Cardinals- Cornellius “Tank” Carradine- They want a pass rusher, and he’s the best available.

39. New York Jets- Ryan Nassib, QB, Syracuse- According to profootballtalk, the Jets were eyeing Ryan Nassib in the 2nd round, they obviously need an upgrade at the position.

40. Tennessee Titans- Jesse Williams, DT, Alabama- A great defensive lineman available, they could go cornerback, but Williams to me is the best player available.

41. Buffalo Bills- Robert Woods, WR, USC- The Bills need a receiver, and although Woods may not be the tallest or the fastest, he is a great route-runner and has great hands, which would compliment Stevie Johnson.

42. Oakland Raiders- Kawann Short, DT, Purdue- The Raiders need a defensive tackle, and they cannot ignore it anymore. If one of the top four defensive tackles fall to them, they have to take one.

43. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Margus Hunt, DE/DT, SMU- He reminds me of Michael Bennett, a guy they just lost in free agency.

44. Carolina Panthers- Larry Warford, G, Kentucky- I can see the Panthers trying to upgrade their trenches this year. They could use a receiver, but they need to protect Cam and help those two backs out.

45. San Diego Chargers- Justin Hunter, WR, Tennessee- Philip Rivers needs a go to guy. It can’t be Antonio Gates forever, and Hunter is the best receiver available.

46. Buffalo Bills- Manti Te’o, ILB, Notre Dame- The Bills need to improve their defense. They could use a solid player, and it could be Te’o.

47. Dallas Cowboys- John Hankins, DT, Ohio State- I don’t know why the Cowboys traded out when they could have gotten Sylvester Williams, or Shariff Floyd for that matter, maybe they wanted a gap filler in Hankins.

48. Pittsburgh Steelers- Quinton Patton, WR, Louisiana Tech- The Steelers lost Mike Wallace, and almost lost Emmanuel Sanders so they are going to need receivers in the near future.

49. New York Giants- Jamar Taylor, CB, Boise State- The Giants need to upgrade their secondary badly, and Taylor would be an absolute steal here.

50. Chicago Bears- Arthur Brown, ILB/OLB, Kansas State- The Bears need this guy. Maybe he’s not the replacement for Urlacher, but he’s a very solid player with potential to be very good.

51. Washington Redskins- Robert Alford, CB, Southeastern Louisiana- The Redskins need a corner in the worst way. I see them taking whoever’s the highest corner on their board here, I think it’s Alford at this spot.

52. New England Patriots- Darius Slay, CB, Mississippi State- Here is where I predict there is going to be a mini run on corners like there seems to be every year. Patriots need a corner badly, but I don’t blame them for taking the Vikings trade, way too good to pass up.

53. Cincinnati Bengals- Jonathan Cyprien, S, FIU- The Bengals need a safety. He’s the best one available, I don’t think Cyprien makes it past this pick.

54. Miami Dolphins- Terron Armstead, OT, Arkansas-Pinebluff- If they don’t make the trade for Brandon Albert I have heard that they like this guy a lot.

55. Green Bay Packers- Brian Schwenke, C, Cal- If Lacy or Cyprien doesn’t fall to them I can see them taking an interior lineman. He reminds me of Scott Wells and plays with an attitude.

56. Seattle Seahawks- Da’rick Rodgers, WR, Tennessee Tech- I have heard that the Seahawks are looking for another receiver, and John Schneider likes to make bold moves.

57. Houston Texans- Kevin Minter, ILB, LSU- They need someone alongside Brian Cushing to help out that defense, and Minter is the best ILB available.

58. Denver Broncos- Blidi Wreh-Wilson, CB, Connecticut- The Broncos need a corner and he’s been slowly moving back up draft charts.

59. New England Patriots- Markus Wheaton, WR, Oregon State- The Patriots want another receiver, Wheaton is a little small but very explosive and likes to stretch the field, who could also take over Brandon Lloyd’s role.

60. Atlanta Falcons- John Jenkins, DT/NT, Georgia- I see the Falcons taking the best defensive lineman, and to me that’s John Jenkins.

61. San Francisco 49ers- Damontre Moore, DE/OLB, Texas A&M- I can see the 49ers taking someone to have backing up Aldon Smith, he’s still available and has a lot of potential.

62. Baltimore Ravens- Jon Bostic, ILB, Florida- Ravens need an inside linebacker, and although they might have to reach a little bit, I think this guy could be very good.