Dec. 11, 2025, 5:12 a.m. MT
The Arizona Cardinals are the ugly stepchild of the NFC West this season. While they are 3-10 this season and 0-5 in division games, the rest of the division would be in the playoffs if the season ended today, and they all have nine or 10 wins.
The three other teams — the Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers — are amongt the best in the NFL.
In fact, in the latest NFL power rankings from USA TODAY’s Nate Davis, everyone in the division but the Cardinals are in the top 10.
NFL power rankings and the NFC West in Week 15
Rams (No. 1 overall)
They’re holding steady at No. 1 − Sunday’s 45-point outburst, a season high, indicative that their Week 13 stumble in Charlotte was fairly fluky. Matthew Stafford continues to play like the MVP favorite, whether or not he’s actually the league’s best quarterback. He can further burnish his case Sunday if LA is able to stave off Stafford’s former club, the formidable Lions, and thereby wrap up the NFC’s first playoff berth.
They are 10-3 and 7-1 in their last 8 games. They have one weakness and that is struggling some against the run. But unless you can slow the Rams’ offense, running the ball isn’t always an option when you play catchup.
Seahawks (No. 3 overall)
They’re holding steady at No. 3 − thanks in large part to a defense that’s surrendered just nine points (and nary a TD) in its past eight quarters. Win their next two games at home (Colts, Rams), and the ‘Hawks take possession of the NFC’s No. 1 seed.
That defense is suffocating now. Sam Darnold threw three touchdown passes in the win over Atlanta on Sunday. The question will be whether he has the same struggles he did last year in Minnesota in his games late in the season when it mattered.
49ers (No. 10 overall)
They’re holding steady at No. 10 − and even moved up a spot in the wild-card standings during their much-needed bye week. The Niners are also just a game off the NFC West lead but only have one more divisional game (Seattle) while the Seahawks and Rams seem to face a tougher final month.
If they catch teams in the division, their division record (4-1) and conference record (8-2) could be a problem for other teams because of tiebreakers. Their defense is barely holding on, but they come off their bye to play the lowly Titans at home this weekend.
Cardinals (No. 23 overall)
If Trey McBride catches five more balls Sunday, he’ll set the record for most consecutive five-reception games (16) by a tight end. Gotta look for silver linings where you can find them in the desert.
They fell a spot, the only team in the division to do so. They are now a joke. They can’t stop anyone and now the “better” offense has scored only 17 points in three consecutive games.
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