The Seattle Seahawks, the defending Super Bowl champions, looked flat and unprepared in their latest primetime showdown. Fresh off a huge win over the Kansas City Chiefs, Mike Macdonald's team just couldn't keep their foot on the gas.
The NFC West is an absolute bloodbath, and the Seahawks chose the absolute worst week to drop the ball at home. Everyone else in the division either won or had a bye, and the gap has now narrowed significantly.
There's still half a season to play, but the reigning champions can't afford many more mishaps. After their loss to the Chicago Bears, they barely managed to hold onto their spot in the NFC West power rankings.
NFC West power rankings: Seattle Seahawks are losing ground
4. Arizona Cardinals (3-5)
The Arizona Cardinals overcame a double-digit deficit after benching Jacoby Brissett. While they won't face the Dallas Cowboys every week, and it's just a matter of time before Gardner Minshew II shows his true colors, this shows that Mike LaFleur's team isn't ready to wave the white flag.
It won't be long before they shift their focus to the NFL Draft, but this team might still be more dangerous than initially anticipated. They're not that far behind in the standings and still have some talent.
3. Los Angeles Rams (4-4)
The Los Angeles Rams made the most of their meeting with the Los Angeles Rams to get back to .500, and they just designated Myles Garrett to return from Injured Reserve. That's clearly terrible news for everyone else in the division.
Even if they're banged up and even though they clearly haven't lived up to the hype, the Rams are always a force to be reckoned with. They have back-to-back road games before their bye week, but both are winnable games.
2. Seattle Seahawks (4-4)
The Seahawks can't seem to win big games this season. They looked like a Super Bowl contender last week, and adding Quenton Nelson should've worked wonders for their running game, but the consistency just hasn't been there.
Brian Fleury's play-calling has left plenty to be desired. Sam Darnold has regressed under his tutelage, and the lack of in-game adjustments has been borderline exasperating to watch in the first two months of the regular season.
This team has the talent to turn things around, especially on defense, but they just don't seem to have the spirit. Maybe John Schneider will have to pull off another big move before the November 10 trade deadline.
1. San Francisco 49ers (6-1)
The San Francisco 49ers entered the bye week fresh off their first loss of the season, and the veterans didn't sound happy at all. This team always implodes, either because of injuries or frustration.
Whatever the case, Kyle Shanahan's team still has the second-best record in the league, and the Seahawks wasted the perfect opportunity to inch closer to them. They might not be as good as their record shows, but they're still at the top.
Add us as a preferred source on Google