Team Previews
Arizona Cardinals (2021/11-6/2nd) – If the Arizona Cardinals could put together two halves of a season, they might not lose a Super Bowl. Arizona, the beasts of the desert the past few seasons in the first half of the schedule, cannot seem to get out of their own way in the back half of the schedule in what seems to be an annual swoon. Add to that what is considered one of the worst off seasons in the NFL and you have the makings of a tumultuous 2022. Arizona started out the 2021 season in amazing fashion bolting out to a 7-0 record and leading the league, but then the calendar turned to winter and the Cardinals got cold going 4-7 to close the regular season and bowing out of the playoffs to the eventual champion Rams in uninspired fashion 34-11. Kyler Murray’s situation has been tenuous at best, but Arizona showed faith in the fourth year starter giving him a $230.5 million extension. DeAndre Hopkins, one of the league’s most durable receivers, will be sidelined the first six games of 2022 due to suspension, so the bulk of the early aerial offensive load will fall to new acquisitions AJ Brown from the Titans and Marquise Brown from the Ravens. Tight end Zach Ertz should continue to be a clutch go-to guy for the free-wheeling Murray, especially in third down situations. Future Hall of Famer JJ Watt continues to anchor the Cards defense that needs to improve from its overall 11th ranking. Zach Allen also adds strength up front opposite Watt. The linebacker corps is anchored by an athletic group that is led by Zaven Collins, Markus Golden and Isaiah Simmons. Jalen Thompson and Budda Baker lead a secondary that looks to continue its ball-hawking ways.
Los Angeles Rams (2021/12-5/1st) – For only the second time in league history, Los Angeles is home to the Super Bowl Champion (including the nomad Raiders in 1984). Now the job is to try and repeat, which is one of the toughest things to do in sports, since the Patriots in 03-04. Matthew Stafford returns at QB to lead an offense that was prolific enough led by the best fantasy receiver in Cooper Kupp and acquisition Odell Beckham, Jr. than ranked 9th in the league in passing yards but 25th in rushing. Right out of the gate we get what could be a Super Bowl 57 preview as the Rams host the prohibitive AFC favorite Buffalo Bills on Thursday Night to open the season. With that being said, the Rams will look to shore up their running game behind Cam Akers and Darrell Henderson, Jr. and at tight end Tyler Higbee tries to climb up the NFC receiving ranks. The biggest questions for LA reside on the defensive side of the ball. Gone is stud linebacker Von Miller off a soli defense that ranked in the middle of the pack in 2021. Picked to be the best defense in football, LA had just enough defense to hold off upstart Cincinnati 23-20 at So-Fi Stadium for the SB LVI Championship. Led by all-world end Aaron Donald and newly acquired linebacker Bobby Wagner from division rival Seattle, the Rams defense looks to be stout once again in 2022 especially with DB Jalen Ramsey showing no signs of falling off anytime soon.
Seattle Seahawks (2021/7-10/4th) – For the first time since 2012, the Seattle Seahawks will take the field without Russell Wilson as their primary quarterback. Ending a rift that has been growing the past couple of seasons, Wilson was dealt to Denver in the blockbuster move in the offseason that brought Denver signal caller Drew Lock and tight end Noah Fant to the Pacific Northwest. Lock will look to be more consistent with a much deeper stable of receivers led by DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. The running game looks to be strong as Chris Carson rebounds from a neck injury and adds All-American Kenny Walker III in the draft. Fant gives Lock a go-to veteran, especially on 3rd down, from the tight end factory at Iowa. Defensively, Seattle which has been gutted by losses from the Legion of Boom days, saw its latest big hit with Bobby Wagner exiting to the division rival Rams in a big offseason move. Shifting to a 3-4 alignment this season, the Hawks hope to have Jordyn Brooks elevate his game to fill the role left with Wagner’s departure. Leading the team with a franchise best 184 tackles, Brooks looks to be another in a long line of great linebackers for Pete Carroll and the Seahawks. Up front, Seattle hopes the addition of offseason pickup Uchenna Nwosu from the Chargers helps bolster a solid D-line along with edge rusher Darrell Taylor. The Seahawks secondary looks to be in good hands led by the duo of Jamal Adams and Quandre Diggs.
San Francisco 49ers (2021/10-7/3rd) – Can standing pat make you a better team from one year to the next? That is the question that faces the 49ers entering the 2022 campaign. With salary cap concerns and limited draft choices, San Francisco faced the daunting task of trying to improve a team that made the playoffs and resides in the toughest division in the NFL. Trey Lance elevates to the starting quarterback spot and his learning curve should match the success of the Niners as a team in 2022 with his passing and elusiveness. All world tight end George Kittle leads a receiving crew including Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk that should take pressure off Lance in the downfield aerial game. Elijah Mitchell turned into the surprise of the draft for San Francisco as the 6th rounder made an immediate impact from day 1. Adding LSU alum Tyrion Davis-Price adds depth to a group that will help take pressure off Lance in early down situations. On defense, SF is going to have to be as dominant as they were in 2021 ranking third in total defense and 6th in passing defense. If Lance struggles early, the Niners will have to lean on that defense to keep themselves in games early in the season as their schedule will become more manageable in the back end of the season. Nik Bosa leads the defense up front with fellow lineman Arik Armstead, while the linebackers tout Drew Greenlaw and addition Samson Ebukam from the champion Rams. In the secondary, GM John Lynch showed big time faith in Charvarius Ward, signing him to a three-year $42 million deal in the offseason to go with starters Emmanuel Moseley and Ambry Thomas.
Standings Projections
Los Angeles Rams (12-5) | Season Win Total – 10.5 | Bet the Over
Arizona Cardinals (10-7) | Season Win Total – 8.5 | Bet the Over
San Francisco 49ers (10-7) | Season Win Total – 9.5 | Bet the Over
Seattle Seahawks (7-10) | Season Win Total – 5.5 | Bet the Over
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