If you were asked to predict the NFC West before the 2024/25 season, chances are you were dead wrong. San Francisco, the projected leader, was crushed under the weight of endless injuries. That left the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks to duke it out for first place, with the Arizona Cardinals narrowly behind. Even the most ardent 49ers hater wouldn’t have predicted a last-place finish.
But it’s a new season. Everyone is healthy, and the 49ers are back in pole position according to the odds. Will San Francisco march back to the top? Or will someone keep them down?
The Field
Here’s how the odds break down for the NFC West division race as of now:
In my mind, the Seahawks’ bizarre offseason made this division significantly less competitive. They had a great draft, but going from Geno Smith and DK Metcalf to Sam Darnold and Cooper Kupp is a clear downgrade. Their defense remains solid, but it’s no Legion of Boom. This offense looks rough, and unless they can jump to a top-five defensive unit, I think they’ll struggle to go above .500.
The Cardinals remain the Cardinals. Kyler Murray is a great talent, but not an elite one. The defense struggles for any consistency. Their receiving game has some weapons, and the offensive line is solid. But they feel like a team constantly playing whack-a-mole; something else seems to go wrong when something goes right. I have a hard time trusting them.
Our oddsmakers are correct in pegging this as a two-team race. Last year’s presumed champs vs. last year’s actual champs. So, who will prevail, NorCal or SoCal?
The Pick
San Francisco 49ers To Win The NFC West +150
The 49ers are more talented than any team in this division. They’ve yet to run into any injuries or contract disputes this offseason. On top of that, they’re facing a last-place schedule that includes only four games against playoff teams from last season. Two of those come against the LA Rams.
At plus odds, this feels like a layup to me. It would take another set of disasters to bring San Francisco down to LA’s level. I’m all in on the Niners returning to NFC powerhouse status.
