Week 1 didn’t just shake up the NFC West. It may have cracked the whole thing open.
The early damage in Seattle and Los Angeles has already changed the feel of the division, with both the Seahawks and Rams dealing with personnel issues that could linger into the first stretch of the 2026 season. Seattle got through its Super Bowl rematch against the Patriots last Wednesday with backup Drew Lock at quarterback, but the bigger concern is the loss of Sam Darnold.
Darnold avoided a serious hip fracture after it was announced he had a glute tendon issue, though there’s still no clear timetable for when he’ll be back to full strength. Even if he returns to play soon, that doesn’t mean he’ll be all the way back.
The Rams are in a different kind of bind. Star outside linebacker Myles Garrett is out for four games after arthroscopic knee surgery, and that early absence matters. It’s time the Rams won’t get back, especially when it comes to building chemistry with the rest of the defensive front.
While those two teams sort through the fallout, San Francisco has already put down a loud marker. The 49ers went to Australia and rolled the Rams 27-7, a result that looked every bit as one-sided as the score suggested.
Brock Purdy was not rattled by the matchup or the pressure up front. San Francisco kept the Rams’ pass rush from getting home, and Purdy wasn’t sacked once.
He finished with 25 completions, three touchdown passes, one interception and a 105.6 passer rating while carving up a Rams secondary that came into the year with a strong reputation.
The 49ers also looked more complete with several healthy veterans back in the mix, including defensive end Nick Bosa and tight end George Kittle. That matters for a team whose identity now feels fully restored.
And then there’s Arizona, which might be the biggest surprise of all.
The Cardinals were supposed to be a bottom-of-the-barrel team, with some projecting them to finish last in the division and even last in the league. Instead, they opened by beating the Chargers 26-14 in convincing fashion.
Jacoby Brissett looked comfortable despite joining the locker room a few days late, and his connection with tight end Trey McBride showed up early. Arizona’s offensive line held up, and Justin Herbert was held to a pedestrian performance in the loss.
What looked like a division race headed for the Rams or Seahawks, with the 49ers hanging close behind, suddenly has another name in the mix. After one week, the Cardinals don’t look like an afterthought anymore.
In Other News...
Seahawks Suddenly Have A Sam Darnold Problem They Can't Yet Solve
Sam Darnolds status in Seattle has gone from day-to-day concern to a more immediate lineup issue, with the Seahawks now calling it a glute injury rather than the hip problem that was first reported. The expectation is that he will miss Week 2 against the Arizona Cardinals, leaving the team to lean on Drew Lock while Darnold gets reassessed afterward.
For a Seahawks team still trying to settle into the early part of the season, the timing makes this more than a routine injury update. Seattle is hoping for a quick recovery, but for now the offense has to keep moving without the quarterback it brought in to help stabilize things, and that puts a spotlight on how well Lock can manage the group if Darnold is forced to sit longer than hoped. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Just Got A Break In A Crucial 49ers Matchup
A key piece of the 49ers passing game has suddenly gone missing, and that matters for the Seahawks as they look ahead in the NFC West race. Rookie receiver DeZhaun Stribling was injured in Week 1 against the Rams and initially tried to play through it before leaving on a non-contact sequence, a sign the issue was more serious than it first appeared.
Now San Francisco will be without the downfield threat for at least a month, leaving a noticeable hole in an offense that counts on his speed to stretch defenses. For Seattle, it is the kind of early-season break that can alter how a division matchup is played, even if the ripple effects will only become clearer once the 49ers start adjusting to life without him. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Just Got A Serious NFC West Warning From The 49ers
The 49ers left Australia with more than a win over the Rams. They also sent a reminder that their defense can still look like the kind of unit that changes the shape of the NFC West. Fred Warner was active in the middle of it, Nick Bosa helped set the tone up front, and Trent Williams again gave San Francisco the kind of physical edge that travels well, even halfway around the world.
For Seattle, the message is simple enough: if that defense holds anywhere near this level, the division race is going to stay tight. The Seahawks have plenty to sort out on their own side, but San Francisco showed against Los Angeles that it still has the personnel to make life difficult for every contender in the West. [Read more 🡒]