NFC West power rankings: Seahawks huge win in Week 7 resets the board

The NFC West standings don't look much like what many pundits expected before the season. The San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams were both thought to be the class of the division with the Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals battling for last place. Instead, injuries and, at times, poor execution have caused the Rams and 49ers to have losing records.

There is a lot of football left to play, of course. The way the division standings look now is almost certainly going to change. For 12s, though, the start for Seattle has at least put the team in a position to fight for a playoff spot.

The 49ers will get a key player back soon, but they also lost another in Week 7. The Rams will likely get Cooper Kupp back for Week 8 and could have Puka Nacua back in Week 9 against the Seahawks. Los Angeles could overtake the 49ers in the power rankings in a few weeks.

Where do the Seahawks stand in the NFC West power rankings ahead of Week 8?

4. Los Angeles Rams (2-4)

The Rams struggled to beat a bad Las Vegas Raiders team in Week 7. Los Angeles was outgained in total yards, and Las Vegas held the ball for seven more minutes. Still, the Rams won 20-15 and that is ultimately all that matters. Los Angeles is still struggling with injuries, though, and should be better later in the season.

Compared to other teams in the division right now, however, the Rams are last in the power rankings. Sure, they have a shock victory over the San Francisco 49ers, but things won't be easy over the next few weeks. LA hosts the 5-1 Minnesota Vikings in Week 8, travels to play the Seahawks in Week 9, and then takes on the Miami Dolphins who will have quarterback Tua Tagovailoa back.

3. San Francisco 49ers (3-4)

Who exactly are the 49ers? They are clearly a team that cannot beat the Kansas City Chiefs, and that is excusable. But Brock Purdy was terrible against Kansas City with three interceptions. Even worse for San Francisco, wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk tore his ACL and MCL in Week 7 and won't return until 2025. Injuries have crippled the 49ers overall, but they still likely would have lost to the Chiefs.

San Francisco might get running back Christian McCaffrey back in a couple of weeks and that is going to make a positive difference, but he will be returning to an Aiyuk-less team. San Francisco will remain a thorn in the Seahawks' side and could still win the division, but they certainly don't seem like a Super Bowl contender currently.

2. Arizona Cardinals (3-4)

The victory that the Cardinals got over the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday Night Football might be a more important one than simply winning a game. The Chargers appear to be a solid team under new head coach Jim Harbaugh, yet the Cardinals were able to get a late field goal to win the game. It's the kind of win that helps a young team gain a lot of confidence.

Arizona is also clearly better than they were last year. The Cardinals' defense is better than expected even though the offense hasn't quite reached its peak. Arizona is on the verge of being a dangerous team.

1. Seattle Seahawks (4-3)

The only team with a winning record in the NFC West has to be at the top of the power rankings, right? This is especially true because Seattle got a very impressive victory over a good Falcons team in Atlanta in Week 7. Seattle's defense also limited the Falcons running backs to just 22 yards on 11 carries in the second half.

The question now is whether Seattle can replicate that same kind of performance against a very good Buffalo Bills team in Week 8. Quarterback Josh Allen has 12 touchdown passes and no interceptions so far this season, and the Bills have added wide receiver Amari Cooper. Allen will also be a threat to run, and Seattle has massive issues with a mobile quarterback in Week 5 against the New York Giants.

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