Potential fatal flaw for every NFC West team

NFL teams can usually identify their strengths and weaknesses after five weeks of the season. No team is perfect, but some have much bigger issues than others.

Here is one potentially fatal flaw for every NFC West team:

Arizona Cardinals: Run defense

The Cardinals have scored a couple of big divisional wins against the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers, and are getting some stellar play from quarterback Kyler Murray. Those are all big-time positives.

But they still have some major flaws on defense, and especially when it comes to stopping the run where they rank 28th in the NFL, allowing more than 147.8 yards per game. The entire defense has had some flaws and issues this season and has not really shown much improvement from a year ago. But the run defense is a major concern given how much teams have been able to consistently move the ball against them. 

Los Angeles Rams: Defense

There is nothing particularly strong about the Rams defense. They do not generate takeaways (only four through five games), they are last in the NFL against the run (allowing 157.6 rushing yards per game), are allowing 215.8 passing yards per game, a league-worst 9.0 yards per pass attempt, have just nine total sacks and are 29th in the NFL by allowing 27.8 points per game.

Losing a future Hall of Famer in Aaron Donald to retirement is obviously a tough thing to replace, but the Rams invested heavily in the defensive line in the draft (Jared Verse and Braden Fiske) and made some big moves in the secondary in free agency (Tre’Davious White, Darious Williams). The results have not been there in any one aspect. 

San Francisco 49ers: Finishing games

Kyle Shanahan coached teams have developed a bad habit of blowing big leads in big moments. During his time as 49ers head coach they have lost two 10-point leads in Super Bowls, lost a chance to go to another Super Bowl by blowing a 10-point lead and he was the offensive coordinator of an Atlanta Falcons team that blew a 28-3 lead in Super Bowl LI.

The good news is his teams tend to go far and win a lot of games. The bad news is they can not always finish the job. Just five weeks into the 2024 season the 49ers have already lost two games this season with a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter. It is a disturbing trend that has to get corrected. 

Seattle Seahawks: Pass protection

The offensive line has been a concern in Seattle for a few years now, and that remains true this season. At least in terms of pass protection. Quarterback Geno Smith is constantly trying to avoid opposing pass rushers, and has already been sacked 18 times this season, the third-most in the league.  

The Seahawks are running the ball effectively, averaging 5.0 yards per rush attempt, but they have to do a better job giving Smith time to find his talented group of wide receivers.