The NFC West may not be the simple prediction it appears to be.
While the 49ers are in terrific position to once again threaten for a Super Bowl, they’ll have serious competition within the division first.
Last year, it was the Seahawks who stunned the prognosticators by earning a wild-card berth after trading away Super Bowl–winning quarterback Russell Wilson and replacing him with Geno Smith. As it turned out, Wilson bombed with the Broncos, while Smith earned a Pro Bowl berth in Seattle, throwing 30 touchdowns.