Updated NFC West standings: Seattle Seahawks look to close the gap in Week 6
By Jake Luppino
Fresh off the bye week, the Seattle Seahawks take on another daunting road test as they face the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.
A Bengals team that might have gotten some of its groove back after an offensive explosion in Arizona this past Sunday. The good news for Seattle, they were able to get healthier during the bye week. The bad news, the San Francisco 49ers are going to be a hard mountain to climb.
Entering Week 6 of the regular season, it appears the NFC West is going to be two-team race. Despite solid month's of September, the Los Angeles Rams and Arizona Cardinals simply cannot overcome roster construction, which is going to result in a lot of losses. Although, the future might be brighter than forecasted as each team has a lot of young talent showing promise.
Seattle Seahawks continually look up to 49ers in NFC West standings
42. 49ers Wk 5 NFC West. . . WK 6: @ Cleveland Browns (2-2). . 5-0. . . 1
The NFC West and possibly, the NFL, runs through San Francisco. This team hasn't skipped a beat from last season. Pure domination on both sides of the ball. San Francisco currently has the number 1 scoring defense and number 2 scoring offense. Now, this weekend they will face another top defense in Cleveland, and many expect Brock Purdy to eventually struggle against a top opponent. But, he just had his way with a Dallas defense that has the respect of many around the league. While I think many need to slow down on the 20-0 talk, I do expect the 49ers to remain perfect after Week 6.
36. 3-1. 2. WK 6: @ Cincinnati Bengals (2-3). . . . Seahawks Wk 5 NFC West. .
Early bye weeks are tricky. Although it came at the right time for Seattle, it now means they go the rest of the season without a break. However, being fresh off the bye week will serve wonders as they head on the road once again. Going up against a Bengals team who finally had a good offensive game, the Seahawks are going to look to slow them down. One way of doing so, running the football. Luckily for them, the Bengals have the 2nd worst rush defense in the NFL. I expect the two-headed dragon backfield to help propel Seattle to a big victory on Sunday.
. . WK 6: vs. Arizona Cardinals (1-4). 51. Rams Wk 5 NFC West. . . 2-3. . 3
The return of Cooper Kupp was interrupted by the Philadelphia Eagles. Los Angeles' defense couldn't keep up with the multiple weapons presented by Philly's offense. In the first quarter, it seemed as if we were on pace for a high-scoring shootout. But, after each team settled in, the Eagles physicality was ultimately too much for this young Rams team. Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua are going to be a nice combination moving forward, and I expect them to bounce back against Arizona this weekend.
. Cardinals Wk 5 NFC West. 4. 32. . WK 6: @ Los Angeles Rams (2-3). . 1-4. .
Despite their record, the Arizona Cardinals are heading in the right direction. The foundation of this franchise is being laid. With an immense amount of young talent, Arizona is simply looking for playmakers throughout the season. 6th-round draft pick Dante Stills is someone who is garnishing a lot of attention. He has earned more and more playing time and I expect him to not be the only young player who pops in 2023.
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