Offensive Unit Rankings-NFC West

[JackDRams]

The offseason is pretty boring right now. So I thought I would do a positional breakdown of the offenses of the NFC West to spark up some debate. So here we go.

QB: SEA-R.Wilson STL-N.Foles SF-C.Kaepernick ARI-C.Palmer

Reasoning: No denying what Wilson has done, despite being on SEA. Palmer is one hit away from snapping in two and up there in age. Kaepernick is a douche and I think Foles has a chance to be solid in our offense.

RB: SEA-M.Lynch+R. Turbin STL-T.Gurley+T.Mason SF-C.Hyde+R.Bush
ARI-A.Ellington+D.Johnson

Reasoning: Again, no denying Lynch is a beast for SEA. I chose the limitless potential of our backs second over an injury prone Ellington, and rookie in AZ and the Hyde-Bush combo in San Fran that doesn't scare me much. Bush was horrid this last year. My dumbass drafted him in fantasy.alm:

WR: ARI-Floyd+Fitz+Brown SF-Boldin+Smith+Patton STL-Quick+Britt+Sted
SEA-Baldwin+Richardson+Lockett

Reasoning: Arizona no doubt has the best crop of receivers with Fitz, Floyd and Brown. Boldin and new receiver Torrey Smith should be solid in San Fran. St.Louis has some nice receivers, just haven't seen them breakout yet. This is the time. Seattle doesn't seem to know how to draft receivers. We'll see how Richardson does his second year and whether Lockett was a reach.

TE: SEA-J.Graham+L.Wilson STL-J.Cook+L.Kendricks SF- V.Davis+V.McDonald
ARI-T.Niklas+J.Carlson

Reasoning: Once a fucking 'gain Jimmy Graham leads the way for the shithawks no doubt. But next is where I'll here flack for ranking our TE's over the SF duo. I honestly would rather have Cook and Kendricks over Davis. Davis likes to do his magician act and disappear some games. And his age is getting up there. I'll take Cook and Lance. AZ? A lot to be desired.

OL: ARI-Veldheer+Cooper+Shipley+Iupati+Humphries SF-Staley+Boone+Martin+Pears+Davis
STL-Robinson+Brown+Barnes+Saffold+ Havenstein
SEA-Okung+Sweezy+Jeanpierre+Glowinski+Britt

Reasoning: Oh man look at that line in AZ. Definately the best in the West. Add rookie Humphries at RT solidifies that. They could upgrade at C, but so could the entire division. SF still boasts an alright line, I put them ahead of us because we have so many unknowns. And Seattle. No more all pro centre and that line is SHIT. Okung is alright, but what else? We'll see I guess.

Looking deaper, the Rams come away without having the best of any unit. Why you ask? Because the entire offense is virtually an unknown. Though we come away with three 2nd's and two 3rd's which is nice. If our unknowns pan out, this list could be much difference next year.

Thanks for reading everyone, feel free to let me know what you think. And if someone wants to tackle the defenses, I look forward to reading.

 

[Alan]

Mostly sound analysis @JackDRams .

The 1.5 areas I disagree with is QB and to a much lesser extent, O-line
It's hard for me to even put a grade on Foles. Which Foles are we getting? I'd have to put us last right now.

As for the O-line, we could be anywhere from last or right below the Cards depending on Snishers ability to judge talent. Can't disagree with your analysis of the rest of the O-lines.

 

[LACHAMP46]

OL: ARI-Veldheer+Cooper+Shipley+Iupati+Humphries SF-Staley+Boone+Martin+Pears+Davis
STL-Robinson+Brown+Barnes+Saffold+ Havenstein
SEA-Okung+Sweezy+Jeanpierre+Glowinski+Britt

Reasoning: Oh man look at that line in AZ. Definately the best in the West. Add rookie Humphries at RT solidifies that. They could upgrade at C, but so could the entire division. SF still boasts an alright line, I put them ahead of us because we have so many unknowns. And Seattle. No more all pro centre and that line is crap. Okung is alright, but what else? We'll see I guess.

Oh boy....with an up and coming RB too? Oh brother...

 

[JackDRams]

Oh boy....with an up and coming RB too? Oh brother...

 

[JackDRams]

Mostly sound analysis @JackDRams .

The 1.5 areas I disagree with is QB and to a much lesser extent, O-line
It's hard for me to even put a grade on Foles. Which Foles are we getting? I'd have to put us last right now.

As for the O-line, we could be anywhere from last or right below the Cards depending on Snishers ability to judge talent. Can't disagree with your analysis of the rest of the O-lines.

QB was one of the harder areas to judge. Kaepernick is kinda in the same boat as FOles. Was good, then shit the bed. Who they gonna have this year?

 

[RamzFanz]

Which Foles are we getting? I'd have to put us last right now.

Do you mean the 2013 9-2 starter or the 2014 6-2 starter? I'll take either.

For me, it's just too early to project a grade for the O positions separately. Everything has an "if/or" attached. All I know is this group looks much better to me than the group the last half of last season and they scored 21 points per game average. 24 is playoffs almost every time.

By the way, in 2014, the Eagles averaged over 29 points when Foles started.

When I read pundits predicting 10-6 games for the Rams, defensive battles, it baffles me. That's not what the O was last season and they have more talent and/or experience this season in every area.

I can't wait for TC. I'll be there to see first hand.

 

[Alan]

RamzFanz promising detailed TC reports:
Do you mean the 2013 9-2 starter or the 2014 6-2 starter? I'll take either.

Me too but if he's the 2014 version I'd rank him last in the NFCW. Which says a lot about what we had at QB last year.

 

[OldSchool]

Mostly sound analysis @JackDRams .

The 1.5 areas I disagree with is QB and to a much lesser extent, O-line
It's hard for me to even put a grade on Foles. Which Foles are we getting? I'd have to put us last right now.

As for the O-line, we could be anywhere from last or right below the Cards depending on Snishers ability to judge talent. Can't disagree with your analysis of the rest of the O-lines.

I think the difference in 2013 and 2014 Foles was the run game. In 2013 they averaged 160 ypg and Foles averaged 32 passes a game. In 2014 they averaged 120 ypg and Foles threw the ball almost 43 times a game. Couple with those the loss of DJax and injuries to the OLine. I have no problem with Foles as I don't think the drop in stats is entirely his doing. Put Foles in the offense Fisher wants and we should see 2013 Foles (even 2013 Bradford) like production.

 

[Memphis Ram]

I'm not as impressed with the Cardinals OLine. Sure, they've got big names, but Cooper has been a bust to date, Iupati seems a bit overrated (good run blocker / shaky pass protector), Shipley = Barnes, and Humphries might have been one of the most overrated prospects in the draft class, IMO. The kid even played at around 280 last year and struggled to stay healthy in college.

 

[JackDRams]

I'm not as impressed with the Cardinals OLine. Sure, they've got big names, but Cooper has been a bust to date, Iupati seems a bit overrated (good run blocker / shaky pass protector), Shipley = Barnes, and Humphries might have been one of the most overrated prospects in the draft class, IMO. The kid even played at around 280 last year and struggled to stay healthy in college.

Fair enough. That being said, do you prefer any of the other o lines in the nfc west over theirs?

 

[Alan]

OldSchool with a half full glass:
I think the difference in 2013 and 2014 Foles was the run game. In 2013 they averaged 160 ypg and Foles averaged 32 passes a game. In 2014 they averaged 120 ypg and Foles threw the ball almost 43 times a game. Couple with those the loss of DJax and injuries to the OLine. I have no problem with Foles as I don't think the drop in stats is entirely his doing. Put Foles in the offense Fisher wants and we should see 2013 Foles (even 2013 Bradford) like production.

There isn't anything you've said here that doesn't make good sense and thus I can envision you being spot on with your analysis but...there are other criticisms of his game of his game that make me question his long term ceiling. I'm not sure that a game manager is what we need to make a return trip to the SB. Not to mention the fact that I would still rank him below the other NFCW QBs. All of whom have been PB QBs in the past just like Foles.

All that is assuming that Palmer comes back and plays at his pre-injury level of course. I thought they were one of the top teams in the league before he got injured.

 

[Memphis Ram]

Fair enough. That being said, do you prefer any of the other o lines in the nfc west over theirs?

I believe the 49ers OLine is still the cream of the crop in the division as I expect Brandon Thomas to more than make up for the loss of Iupati.