NFC West Power Rankings: Week One

1 – St. Louis Rams

Sep 13, 2015; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Rams kicker Greg Zuerlei (4) kicks the game winning field goal to defeat the Seattle Seahawks 34-31 in overtime at the Edward Jones Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Revenge, they say, is a dish best served cold. The St. Louis Rams opted to serve it nice and fresh, avenging the loss to the Seahawks in their season finale last year with a stunning 34-31 win on opening Sunday. They didn’t play a perfect game, and let an 11-point lead slip from their hands in the fourth quarter. But in the end, the Rams’ resiliency and spunk led them to victory.

Quarterback struggles have been the name of the game for the Rams over the past few years. From oft-injured former number-one overall pick Sam Bradford, to journeymen like Shaun Hill, nothing seemed to stick for St. Louis. In his first game with the Rams, Nick Foles made that a thing of the past.

Foles completed 18 of his 27 pass attempts for 297 yards and a score. He didn’t throw an interception, but he did turn the ball over twice via fumble.

The defense was very good, despite the 31 points Seattle scored. They sacked Seahawks’ quarterback Russell Wilson six times, forced him to throw a bad interception, and stuffed Marshawn Lynch on fourth-and-a-yard to end the ballgame. 14 of Seattle’s points came from a punt return and a fumble return, so 17 points from the defense will do it most days.

There are some things for the Rams to work on. The run game was nearly non-existent against Seattle’s strong defensive front, as they gained under three yards per attempt. They have to be able to play with a lead.

But for now, the Rams can bask in this victory, and an extra victory on twitter.

Next: Hyde Leads 49ers to Week One