San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks Might Be In 2-Team NFC West Race Amid LA Rams Losing Streak

The Los Angeles Rams entered the 2019 NFL season as the odds-on favorites to repeat as NFC West champions. L.A. hasn’t even played half of its schedule, but it might not be too early to say the team is very unlikely to win the division.

The Rams fell three games behind the San Francisco 49ers in the loss column in Week 6, dropping to 3-3 overall and 0-2 in the NFC West. The 49ers upset the Rams with a 20-7 road victory, maintaining a perfect 5-0 record and proving that their undefeated start wasn’t simply the result of playing an easy schedule.

The Seattle Seahawks are looking like San Francisco’s biggest competition in the division. A week after Seattle beat Los Angeles at home, the Seahawks won on the road against the Cleveland Browns to move to 5-1.

The Arizona Cardinals are a long shot in the division, despite a two-game winning streak. Arizona is 2-3-1 overall and 0-1 in the division.

Los Angeles’ once-explosive offense simply isn’t the same. After leading the NFC in points scored in both seasons under head coach Sean McVay, the Rams have fallen out of the top 10 in the NFL in points per game. Los Angeles ranks 13th in total offense, putting them last among all NFC West teams.

Jared Goff only managed to throw for 78 yards in Sunday’s loss to San Francisco. The quarterback has as many interceptions as touchdown passes to go along with a mediocre 80.8 passer rating in the season after he made his second straight Pro Bowl. Todd Gurley missed Week 6 with a leg injury. The 2017 Offensive Player of the Year has no 100-yard rushing games.

A poor offensive line should receive a portion of the blame. The unit was dominated by the 49ers’ defensive front, which managed to sack Goff four times.

The 49ers have stayed in first place behind a dominant defense, leading the NFC in both yards and points allowed. Much of the Seahawks’ success is due to Russell Wilson playing better than anyone in the league. The quarterback has to be considered the leading MVP candidate with 14 passing touchdowns, no interceptions and a 124.7 passer rating.

San Francisco and Seattle could keep winning for a few more weeks. The 49ers are early 10-point favorites in Week 7 for their road game with the Washington Redskins, according to the betting line at OddsShark. San Francisco will almost certainly be favored in their next two games against the Carolina Panthers and Cardinals.

Seattle is a 3.5-point home favorite against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 7. The Seahawks will visit the Atlanta Falcons in Week 8 before returning home to host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 9.

The Seahawks will visit the 49ers in Week 10 for a pivotal divisional matchup.

With such little margin for error, the Rams do have a favorable upcoming schedule. Los Angeles is a three-point road favorite in Atlanta Sunday against the one-win Falcons. The Rams will face the winless Cincinnati Bengals in Week 8 before their bye in Week 9.