The following is a piece in a series of articles ranking each division’s starting quarterbacks.
The NFC West is without question, the toughest division in the NFC. It’s no secret why they’ve represented the conference in three straight Super Bowls, and since realignment back in 2002, they have the most Super Bowl appearances (6 in 13 seasons) in the conference.
GuruQB ranks the entire starting QB Class for the NFC West, one through four.
4- Nick Foles, St. Louis
Here’s Nick Foles for you: In 2013 with Philadelphia and with wide receiver DeSean Jackson- 27 touchdown passes, two interceptions, and a QB Rating of 119.2 in 13 games. In 2014 with Philadelphia but without DeSean Jackson- 13 touchdowns, 10 interceptions, and a QB Rating of 81.4 in eight games.
Now he goes to a Rams team that isn’t as offensively gifted as the Eagles offense was back in 2013, and in a division that is much tougher than the NFC East. He’s a solid QB, but he also has his work cut out for him.
3- Colin Kaepernick, San Francisco
Just two years ago, Colin Kaepernick was being touted as one of the best QBs in the league, but now, he’s a player on a team that many people believe, is a sinking ship. GuruQB doesn’t think that way about the 49ers, but there’s no doubt, that Kaepernick regressed last year.
He’s got better offensive weapons this season (Torrey Smith and Reggie Bush), but he must improve, especially on accuracy and reading defenses if the 49ers are to surprise a few people in 2015 (which GuruQB believes they will).
2- Carson Palmer, Arizona
In the three years before Carson Palmer arrived at Arizona, the Cardinals won a combined 18 games. In two seasons in the Desert with Palmer, the Cards have won 21 games. That’s how important it is to have a quarterback in this league, and especially in this division.
A healthy Palmer in last season’s Wild Card game at Carolina might have changed the outcome for the playoffs. Perhaps Arizona, who struggled mightily on offense (third string QB Ryan Lindley completed 16 passes for 82 yards and two interceptions in a 27-16 loss), would have won the game had they had their starting QB in play. A win would have sent Arizona to Green Bay and Dallas to Seattle for the Divisional round. And Dallas would have done what Green Bay couldn’t, and ended up playing the title game in Green Bay one week later, with the winner, probably Green Bay, winding up in the Super Bowl.
Just saying….Palmer is that important to the Arizona Cardinals.
1- Russell Wilson, Seattle
In the toughest division in football, you need a mentally and physically tough quarterback, and Russell Wilson is without a doubt, the best in the NFC West. He has the most regular season wins of any QB in their first three years in the league, not bad for the sixth quarterback selected in the 2012 NFL Draft.
Wilson is everything you want in a franchise QB- he’s smart, durable, has a good arm, is mobile (first QB in league history to ever throw for 300 yards and run for 100 yards in the same game) and he’s a great leader. Without him under center, it’s doubtful Seattle would have made that amazing comeback against Green Bay in the Title Game, when the Seahawks rallied from 12-points down with under five minutes left to play, force overtime, and win on a walk-off touchdown pass.
That’s Russell Wilson for you, the unquestionable leader of the NFC West.
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