Loaded NFC West gets off to historically strong start in Week 1

Coming into this season, it was widely understood that the NFC West looked like the best division on paper. All four teams look like they’ll be fighting for playoff spots, while the Rams, 49ers and Seahawks are among the Super Bowl favorites.

It was a favorable slate of games in Week 1 for the division, with each team being the favorite in its opening matchup, but the Rams, Cardinals, Seahawks and 49ers all won in fairly convincing fashion.

The Rams crushed the Bears at home, 34-14. The Cardinals blew out the Titans on the road, winning 38-13 and holding them to just 248 total net yards. Seattle also won on the road, beating Indianapolis 28-16 – and that was with Indianapolis scoring a garbage-time touchdown with two minutes left. The 49ers should’ve won by the largest margin of anyone on Sunday after grabbing a 38-10 lead in the third quarter, but the Lions battled back and made it interesting with a final score of 41-33.

The NFC West is just the third division since 2002 to go 4-0 in Week 1, which is impressive. It helps that none of the four teams played each other, but that doesn’t make it any less noteworthy. And their margin of victory of plus-66 points is the largest ever under the current division alignment.

Again, that could’ve been much larger, too, if not for the Lions’ late push against San Francisco.

With all four teams sitting atop the division at 1-0, it could be a sign of things to come in the NFC West. There are no intradivision matchups in Week 2, either, making it possible that each team starts 2-0.

The Rams will visit the Colts, the 49ers play the Eagles on the road, the Cardinals host the Vikings and the Seahawks will take on the Titans at home.