Darnold’s Seahawks, Purdy’s 49ers, or Stafford’s Rams: Who wins NFC West? | Richard Sherman REACTS

Darnold’s Seahawks, Purdy’s 49ers, or Stafford’s Rams: Who wins NFC West? | Richard Sherman REACTS

The San Francisco 49ers go to Metife Stadium and get a dub against the New York Giants. And what a game for M. Jones. Started the game off 14 of 14. His first incompletion didn’t come until the second half. He did have a fumble in the game, but it was one of those plays that I feel like is is on the offensive line that’s on Colton McKiv. Gets beat clean by Brian Burns and and he hits M. Jones as he’s releasing the football. The fumble. Great play by him. Great play by Abdul Carter to to to catch the football. Uh ended up being a fumble, but outside of that, he played a really efficient game. 19 to 24, 235, two touchdowns. Christian McCaffrey goes over a 100 yards on the ground. Gets a touchdown and also has a touchdown through the air with five catches for 67 yards. 16 games now with a rushing and receiving touchdown. That’s the most all time. Congrats to Christian. What a game from him. But the thing I want to talk about from this game was the defense. And I know I know in the end it looks like they gave up a little bit of points. They gave up 24 points. But um in one of those plays I got I got to look and see what happened with Demo because it it I couldn’t tell if it was quarters, but you know Stout Up and Stout went to the flat. So could it have been three? It just looked like it might have just been a a brain fart of sorts. Um but Bjan I mean uh Brian Robinson looked really good in this game. He he carried he only carried the ball five times but at 53 yards and a touchdown he was running with with with passion and he was running with intent. Uh looked like he was trying to prove a point and say speak to his value um and just speak to him getting more opportunities. It’s tough, you know, when you’ve when you’ve been a starter and you got to be a backup and and you got to keep trying to trying to battle and fight for for a chance when you’re behind a potential Hall of Fame running back. It’s it’s not a place many running backs want to be, but great game for him. George KD returns, four catches for 32 yards. Jawan uh third and Jawan had a great touchdown catch um on what we used to call a Colorado route, but a pivot route, great route, great touchdown from him. On the defensive side, Sam Okuanu uh has a sack. Uh Colin Frell has a sack in his first game back with the Niners. That was that was a could have been a sack force fumble, but a great play from him. The 49ers defense did did a did a great job. Uh especially early on. They they gave up a first drive touchdown, but after that they gave up one, two, three, four uh five straight um uh three or four or five and outs. Uh and that that was phenomenal for this team. Even after the the the forced fumble in their own territory, they were able to get a stop and force a missed field goal from the Giants. Uh you got to give them credit. Young guys playing. Obviously, they gave up some points at the end. got some things they want to clean up. Um but uh they’re still working in Colin Frell who who you know didn’t spend a lot of time away. So so picked up uh this game pretty fast. I’m they’re excited about Keon White and what he can bring to this to this depleted um San Francisco 49ers pass rush and defensive line. They may have lost Male Williams for for a little while. I’m not sure about the severity of that injury, but this is still a big win. Uh the San Francisco 49ers for all the turmoil, all the ups and downs of the season are still six and three. Um still learning with this young defense, still figuring things out. Uh still are are are active during before the trade deadline, which it ends Tuesday. Um there’s a ton of rumors out there. We’ll see which ones are true and which ones aren’t. With the Cincinnati Bengals losing again, are they more out to to deal Trey Hendrickson maybe? Um, are there other names out there that that may be available potentially? We we will see. Um, uh, that you can never go wrong. Um, trusting trusting Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch and what they’ve done, their track record is what it is, the the way they’ve battled uh throughout this season, the way the team has fought throughout this season. You got to give them a ton of credit uh, for what they’ve been able to accomplish. You look online, you wouldn’t think the San Francisco 49ers are 6 and3. um and and really battling for the division lead and in a really really tough NFC West. But that’s where they are and that’s that’s the truth of the situation. They’re competitive. They’re they’re doing a great job. They got a tough division game next week against the Rams at home. Um that the McVey Shanahan game is always a tough game. Obviously, the Niners were able to pull it off in Levi South with with a a very banged up receiving core, banged up quarterback, etc., etc. Um, it looks like Brock Pury will be making a return that game. At least that’s what the the T Leaves say. And you would believe if he has a full week of practice under his belt and they feel great about the the soreness that he experiences after, he’ll get his first start in quite a while and what, a month and a half. Um, so we’ll see how that goes. You know, I’m sure there’ll be a little bit of rust there, but they’ll be excited to have their their their their starter back. Um, I think there may be a chance for them to get Bryce Huff back. Um, we we’ll see. Uh, there’s no guarantees in this game. Uh, they put Gross Moss on IR, so I’m sure they’ll be looking to to fill his spot. Uh, but overall this has been this was a good game for the 49ers and I expect them to continue um to continue to battle, to continue to play well. Uh, if they if they can pull off this this Rams game, if they can pull off a win against the Rams and move to seven and three, I would I would assume they’re in a driver’s seat of the NFC West. Uh, but that’s a big if that the Rams are playing well. They’re playing well today. They’re they’re playing against a Saints team that’s been struggling today and and you know, you expect them to win that game. So, uh, it’s going to be a tough matchup. That’s going to be it may be the game of the week next week. I got to see the full schedule, but it’s going to be up there. That’s going to be a tough game for both teams, and I look forward to seeing it. What a win for the Seattle Seahawks. They just look dominant on both sides of the football and in special teams. They got a turnover, but the story of this game, Sam Darnold with it was 16 of 16 at the half, four touchdowns, just looked effective, efficient. I mean, like a machine out there. And his connection with Jackson Smith and Jigba continues to grow. They just look like they’ve played together for 10 years at this point. Like their minds are on a string. Uh Sam Darnold dropped some dimes in this game to Jackson Smith and Jigba who who made incredible catches. And it didn’t matter matter if Jackson was open, if it was a small window, if it was a tight window. They connected and there probably could have been one more connection, but he went to Aoyo for the touchdown, but Jackson Smith and Ja was wide open on the other side. One beat Amos on a on a double move and could have easily been another touchdown for him. He goes down, he ties this franchise record with four straight 100 yard games and he’s making it look easy. He had 100 yards at the half. He ended with eight catches for 129. But Tory Horton, the rookie, the steel of the draft, four catches for 48 yards and two big touchdowns. Cody White also had a 60 yard touchdown on his only reception of the game. Eric Royo, like I said before, had the touchdown. AJ Barner got in the end zone with with a tush push type deal. He’s their tush push guy. It’s this team just looks like they’re having a lot of fun offensively. They were top five in the league coming into this game. this will do nothing but help their their case. The defense though, I mean, they’re getting they’re getting it from every every side. The secondary is playing good and they’re playing good because they’re getting healthier. Uh Devin Witherspoon is back. Tariq Woolen is playing good football. The Dline is getting contributions from everywhere. Demarcus Lawrence continues to be dominant. Uh Leonard Williams continues to earn his money. They’re they’re they’re without uh Big Jiren Reed, but when he comes back, it’s going to continue to be what it what it is. Byron Murphy, the the first round pick, is showing again in his second year why they picked him so early in the draft. He gets a sack in this game, and you love to see it. Derrick Cole was dominant both in a run in the pass game. Um Ernest Jones went down in this game, and I I haven’t been I’m not sure what the injury was, but uh hopefully he returns pretty quickly, but You just keep seeing this this team evolve and and regardless of situation, I think this is uh uh Mike McDonald is is now 11 and one on the road if I’m not mistaken, staking in road games in his coaching career. And that’s just that’s just incredible. He’s 11 and one. They’re they’re finding ways to win. Again, they were number two in my power rankings. They’re only going to move up with the Indianapolis Colts losing in the way they did in the fashion they did with six turnovers. So, I’m looking forward to them moving up, but I’m happy the rest of the world got to see what what the Seattle Seahawks fans have known majority of this season, that this team is special, that they’re they’re getting it done, and they can compete with anyone in the National Football League. And I believe that. And they can play any kind of game. They can play a shootout type game. They can play a low-scoring game against the dominant defense like they did against the Houston Texans. um they can slug it out with with anybody and I don’t think any team in the NFC wants to see Seattle on their schedule home our way in January. And the reason is because right now statistically they’re better on the road than at home. So if they end up having to go on the road, I don’t think they mind I don’t think they mind being warriors. And you don’t you don’t say that about many teams that hey man they they they’d probably be okay if they they had to go on the road in the playoffs. The way Mike me Donald has these boys playing. Send them on the road. I mean they they take this five seed. They take the six seed. Send us on the road because they’d feel good about it. You they’re on the road and potent could potentially be going to Green Bay, Wisconsin. They’d feel pretty good about it. If they had to go to to to Detroit, they feel pretty good about it. I’m sorry Detroit. That that that was a rough loss you guys had against the Minnesota Vikings today. And this is this Seattle Seahawks team is better than that Minnesota Vikings team. No question about that. But if you said they had to go to any of those teams, if they had to go to Tampa to play the Buccaneers who who have been playing really well and the shootout type of game they have, they’d feel good about it. And I’m sure Tampa would say they feel good about it. If they had to go to Philadelphia to play the Philadelphia Eagles, etc., etc., it’d be a good game. So, I feel really good about this Seattle Seahawks team. Like I said, I had the one in the NFC West uh before the season started. I feel even better about it. There were a lot of people questioning this offensive line. They continue to jail and and and mold Gray Zable. Has that allowed a sack this season? Has the sixth lowest QB pressure percentage allowed among offensive linemen? That’s per NextGen stats. I know people don’t like PFF, but that’s NextG stats. and he has been everything they hoped he would be. Um, Charles Cross, uh, Abe Lucas this offensive line. Now, could could they get a little better? Will they be active during a trade deadline? Probably. You know, I the the the right guard spot is the the the spot that that is kind of the the question mark a lot of these games and and that’s no offense, but that’s just where it’s been. Um, and if they if they feel good about it, they’ll probably, you know, say, “Hey, these last couple games, they feel good. The the offense has performed well. Maybe they feel good moving forward. Maybe they want to to to secure some depth moving forward.” But there aren’t a lot of weaknesses to this Seattle Seahawks team, uh, especially defensively. They’re amongst the league leaders in in rush yards uh in in points per game uh and and in and rush yards per game, top 10 in total defense, and a lot of the the the rushing stats um that this D line takes pride in. They’re amongst the league leaders. You’re not coming in here and running the football on the Seattle Seahawks. The the little bit of a question mark and issue is the Seahawks running uh between K9 and Charbonet. uh they weren’t even able to muster a 100 yards in a game that they were dominant and they they were up early in this game and and up throughout the game. So, you would think, hey, at that time, you lean on the run game, you you you get some some some some some easy yards, but they weren’t able to do that. They had to continue to pass the ball. Um and and that’s the one thing that I think they’re going to have to find some answers to. they’re going to have to work on uh because they they averaged under four yards a carry. Uh didn’t have 100 yards rushing total in this game and that’s that’s been an issue the entire season. So that’s one of the only things that you if you’re going to nitpick that’s something you can nitpick about. Charbanet had eight carries for 24 25 yards. Kenneth Walker had 11 carries for 42 yards. So, you just need more out of the running game um from those two explosive backs. But that’s just nitpicking. This is a really good Seattle Seahawks team that’s that’s been playing well um next week. They have the Arizona Cardinals uh in a game that I know they’ll feel good about. Uh division games are always tough, but the the way the Seattle Seahawks are playing, I think they can play with anybody in this league, and they should feel good about just about every other game they have during this season. Uh then they got the Rams, the Titans, the the Vikings. We talked about um the Rams again late in the season, but a lot of these are winnable games and a lot of these games they they should be favored in. Uh so I had them at 11 and six, but it it might be better than that the way they’re playing. Um the Commanders struggled in this game, both sides of the football. And Jaden Daniel, the the superstar quarterback, the the young sensation, went down with a with an apparent elbow injury. um looked pretty serious on the field. They they braced him up and and he walked off the field. Uh a lot of people questioned him why he was still in the game up 31. I mean down 31. Some people are are competitors. Um and he he he was still in there and I’m sure he didn’t want to come out. Uh it’s unfortunate. I I I know there’s always room to criticize coaches, but you know, at that point, you’re letting a guy compete and and and and show what he can do. They were in position to score. I’m sure he came out after that drive. Um, you can’t predict when injuries happen. Uh, it’s just an unfortunate situation. So, you wish nothing but the best for him and quick healing. Uh, and and be for him and his commanders team that are three and six. Um, and struggling this season. They got the Lions next in a game that the Lions have to win. Uh, they’ll be, it looks like they’ll be with Marcus Mariota for the foreseeable future and we’ll see how that goes for them. But what a win for the Seattle Seahawks. Oh, I love it when they win. I It’s just a great day and it’s great to celebrate it with you guys on the Richard Sherman podcast. Another game in the NFC West. The LA Rams take on the New Orleans Saints and Matthew Stafford has his way. He’s having an MVP type season. He’s got 21 touchdowns on the season now. Two only two interceptions. Kya Williams ran the ball 25 times for 114 yards and a touchdown. Puga Nua continues his dominant uh season. Seven catches for 95 yards and a touchdown. Devonte gets involved with two touchdowns on five receptions for 60 yards. They had 30 first downs in this game and the Rams held the ball for 43 minutes of a 60-minute ball game. 43 minutes. That’s insane. Uh but but kudos to them. Obviously the Saints are a struggling team. Tyler Shaw hadif was 15 of 24 for 176 yards touchdown interception. His first career start solid numbers versus a really really good uh LA Rams team. They’re now 6-2 in a stacked NFC West. Uh the the Rams are 6-2. The Niners are six and three. The Seahawks are six and two with a huge win on Sunday night. I really can’t call who’s going to win this. And anybody who says they can, you can’t. The Rams have already lost to the to the to the Niners and have to play them again and and obviously they got to play the Seahawks at some point. But it’s going to be a fun division to watch. I I expect all three of these teams to make the playoffs and make some noise. But give a lot of credit to Matthew Stafford and the way he’s playing, elevating this team. Um they held the Saints to 10 points, which again isn’t saying enough. The Saints are one- win team that are likely going to be picking at the top of the draft. But still, Matthew Stafford has been effective and efficient and continues to elevate at at what is he now? 39 39 years of age. And I think that’s something to to be to be really uh applauded and appreciated because there’s a reason these older quarterbacks, Stafford, Flaco, uh Aaron Rodgers can play as long as they have because they were built at they were built in their their foundational understanding of the game was built at a time you had to have the answers as a quarterback. You had to have the answers. No, you didn’t have to worry about you didn’t have to worry about a coordinator scripting a play or or scheming a play open for you. You had to read it and weave it. Read it and execute the play. You have to read it and go through your progression. Bang, bang, bang. Now, I think a lot of these kids are handicapped. And by kids, I mean quarterbacks coming out of college, I think they’re handicapped. They never learn how to read a defense. They never learn how to how to how to foundationally like create a play and create a progression and go through it and read it. They they are depending on the coordinator to say, “Hey, it’s man’s side, it’s zone side.” These are your training wheels. We’ll send you a motion so that you get an indicator and then you go to the side that’s your indicator. If you see it’s man, you go to the man side. If you see a zone, you go to the zone side. And a lot of these guys are are are are leaning on their their legs and broken plays and black backyard football, but I think there will always be a place for quarterbacks who understand how to read defenses and go through progressions at a fundamental level. That’s why these guys can still play quarterback. That’s why you could probably call some of the other older guys to come back and they would still be executing at a high level because that’s the way they were built. So congratulations to Matthew Safford. It seems like if he continues this, his his name will be in the MVP conversation and rightfully so. This Rams team is playing well. He’s playing well. Of course, we got to see how the season progresses, but it’s looking really good for the Rams. They’re playing great defensively. They’re a strong team. The NFC West looks like the strongest division in football, and can’t say much more than that. Um, next week the LA Rams uh have another division battle against the the San Francisco 49ers. The Shanahan McVey matchup uh goes to San Francisco to Levis’s the real Levi this time, not Levi South. Uh a tough battle and it looks like Brock Party again is going to return for that game. So, it’s going to be a huge that’s going to be a huge moment for both of these teams because if the NerS win, they hold the tiebreaker over the Rams. If the Rams win, they create a barrier of separation between them and the San Francisco 49ers. So, huge divisional matchup that has some real real big implications.

Richard Sherman breaks down the NFC West and asks the question everyone’s debating: who’s the best team right now? The Seattle Seahawks are surging behind Sam Darnold and a dominant defense, the San Francisco 49ers are battling through injuries with Brock Purdy set to return, and the Los Angeles Rams are staying hot thanks to Matthew Stafford’s MVP-level play. Sherm gives his unfiltered take on all three squads, what makes this division the toughest in football, and which team is built to make a deep NFL playoff run.

💬 Drop your NFC power rankings in the comments — who’s YOUR top team right now?

🎧 Full episode available on all podcast platforms.
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