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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Tim Weaver

NFC West Week 1 Review: 49ers crush Steelers, Rams over Seahawks

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Week 1 of the NFL season tends to be a bit weird and fluky. Teams are still getting used to the flow of the game and a lot of the time the action is sloppy and not revealing of what a team is really capable of. The Seahawks had better hope that’s true in their case, because they got demolished by the Rams at home in their 30-13 loss on Sunday.

Let’s see what the rest of the division got up to on Sunday. Here’s your NFC West Review for Week 1.

49ers beat Steelers, 30-7

Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Dan Quinn’s Dallas defense looks fierce, but the 49ers defense remains the most powerful in the league, if Sunday’s dominant win over the Steelers is any indication. They sacked Kenny Pickett five times, added nine QB hits and held Pittsburgh to just 239 total yards. Offensively, Christian McCaffrey went off for 152 yards, including a 65-yard touchdown run.

Record: 1-0

Next up: at Los Angeles Rams

LA Rams beat Seahawks, 30-13

(Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

The Rams weren’t quite as dominant as the 49ers were, but they weren’t far off – especially in the second half when they outscored Seattle 23-0. Matt Stafford shredded the Seahawks’ zone over and over, racking up 334 passing yards. Non-Cooper Kupp receivers Tutu Atwell and Puka Nacua both went off for 119 yards. On defense, linebacker Ernest Jones made a huge impact, totaling a team-high nine tackles, including three for a loss.

Record: 1-0

Next up: vs. San Francisco 49ers

Seahawks lost to Rams, 30-13

(Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

Seattle got some strong performances yesterday, namely by Bobby Wagner, Uchenna Nwosu and Ken Walker. However, overall this was a huge disappointment – most of all offensive coordinator Shane Waldron and defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt, both of whom looked out of their league. Even more concerning are the injuries to starting tackles Charles Cross and Abe Lucas. Without them on the field, the Seahawks offense suffered a total collapse. Even if both injuries are minor, this team can’t afford to lose both of them for even one week.

Record: 0-1

Next up: at Detroit Lions

Cardinals lost to Commanders, 20-16

Brent Skeen-USA TODAY Sports

At least the Seahawks are still a real NFL team, which is more than we can say for the Cardinals. They started Josh Dobbs at QB on Sunday, and he went for a grand total of 132 passing yards to go with three fumbles. James Conner (62 yards on 14 carries) was their lone bright spot on offense. On defense they were able to sack Sam Howell six times, but it’s small consolation for a team that may not win a single game until Kyler Murray returns.

Record: 0-1

Next up: vs. New York Giants

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