2024 NFC West race

The NFC West race is shaping up to be the most exciting division race in the 2024 NFL season as all four teams are within a game of each other entering Week 12.

All four teams have a path to the division title but must be at their best to compete in a crowded NFC.

Arizona Cardinals (6-4)

The Cardinals endured the NFL’s toughest schedule in their first eight games and they’re riding a four-game winning streak.

The Cardinals’ ability to run the ball with running back James Conner and quarterback Kyler Murray is a big reason for their success, as the team averages the fifth-most rushing yards per game.

While all the attention is on the quarterbacks for the Offensive Rookie of the Year award, and rightfully so, wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. has proven to be a valuable target for Murray in the passing game.

Harrison leads the Cardinals with six receiving touchdowns and only tight end Trey McBride ranks ahead of Harrison in receptions and receiving yards.

The defense started rough but has come on lately, giving up the 12th-fewest points per game in the NFL.

Four of the Cardinals’ last seven games are in the division, and they’ve already beaten the 49ers and Rams this season.

This week: The Cardinals play the first of two matchups against the Seahawks, this time from Lumen Field in Seattle.

Los Angeles Rams (5-5)

The Rams have endured injury issues all season long, but they look like a different team with receivers Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua on the field.

The Rams made plenty of mistakes in their Week 10 loss to the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football, but they played cleaner football in Sunday’s victory against the New England Patriots.

Quarterback Matthew Stafford threw for 295 yards and four touchdowns against the Patriots, so maybe that’s a sign of things to come for this offense.

On defense, edge rusher Jared Verse is putting up Defensive Rookie of the Year-caliber numbers with 4.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and 11 tackles for loss.

Three of the Rams’ remaining games are in the division, and they also have to play the red-hot Philadelphia Eagles and Buffalo Bills down the stretch.

This week: The Rams host the Eagles, who have won six straight games, on Sunday Night Football.

San Francisco 49ers (5-5)

The 49ers were hoping to make amends for February’s defeat at the hands of the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2024 Super Bowl, but they’ve faced a lot of adversity that has set them back.

From running back Christian McCaffrey’s to wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk’s long-term ailments and tight end George Kittle’s and edge rusher Nick Bosa’s lingering injuries, the Niners can’t afford more dominoes to fall.

McCaffrey returned to the lineup in Week 10, but it hasn’t translated to much success on offense as the 49ers scored just 40 points in their last two games.

The main struggle for San Francisco is scoring touchdowns in the red zone, which explains why they’re ninth in points per game compared to second in yards per game.

After scoring touchdowns in the red zone at the highest rate in the NFL in 2023, San Francisco now has the seventh-worst red zone touchdown percentage, a drop of almost 20 percentage points.

San Francisco has a gauntlet of games to finish the year with two divisional games and matchups against the Green Bay Packers, Bills and NFC-leading Detroit Lions.

This week: The 49ers travel to Lambeau Field to take on the Packers, who have won five of their last six games.

Seattle Seahawks (5-5)

Under first-year head coach Mike Macdonald, the Seahawks have built a foundation to compete for the division, though it’s fair to be skeptical about them.

Quarterback Geno Smith and the offense came up clutch in the Seahawks’ victory against the 49ers on Sunday, but they couldn’t keep up with the Bills and Lions, two of the NFL’s four best teams.

Seattle ranks in the middle of the pack in scoring offense (16th in points per game) and defense (21st in points per game).

Second-year wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba has emerged as a reliable target for Smith, as he leads Seattle in receptions and receiving yards and is tied for the team lead with three receiving touchdowns.

The Seahawks have three division games left, including two against Arizona, and matchups against the Packers and Minnesota Vikings, two of the NFC’s top wild-card contenders, to close out the year.

This week: The Seahawks host Arizona in a critical matchup to set the tone for the rest of their seasons.

Buckle up, it’ll be a wild ride in the race for the NFC West.

Owen Klein is a third-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email ojk5092@psu.edu.