What is the strongest division in the NFL?https://t.co/z8PGrAG8UI

— PFF (@PFF) May 22, 2025

…

[see link above]

1. NFC North
2. AFC West

3. NFC WEST: RAMS, CARDINALS, SEAHAWKS, 49ERS
Cumulative over/under win total: 37

If the Cardinals take the next step — and there’s reason to believe they can — the NFC West could turn into a four-team slugfest. Kyler Murray quietly posted his second-highest big-time throw rate (4.7%) in 2024 while keeping his turnover-worthy play percentage at a career-low 2.4%. With the defensive reinforcements Arizona added this offseason, they’re well-positioned to push for a 10-win campaign.

The Rams remain one of the toughest outs in the league, and if not for the blizzard in their playoff game against the Eagles, they might have been on their way to the NFC Championship Game. Seattle faces more uncertainty, with Sam Darnold stepping in at quarterback and no D.K. Metcalf in the receiving corps. As for the 49ers, health will be the biggest variable, but one key area they addressed was the run defense, which ranked 28th in the NFL last year in terms of run-defense grade. Their draft class should go a long way toward correcting that.

4. AFC North
5. NFC East
6. NFC South
7. AFC East
8. AFC South

from Bonsignore: https://www.reviewjournal.com/sports/raiders/raiders-vote-to-ban-tush-push-but-eagles-signature-play-survives-3375704/

Playoff seeding stays the same

Wednesday started with the Lions withdrawing their proposal to overhaul the way the NFL seeds teams for the playoffs.

The league currently makes the four division winners in each conference the top four seeds. Detroit wanted to change that so a wild-card team with a better record than a division winner would get home-field advantage in the first round.

Raiders owner Mark Davis was against the proposal. He believed it could penalize teams that play in a stacked division, while a second-place team in a weaker division could have a better record simply because it played easier opponents.

Many of Davis’ colleagues agreed. The proposal didn’t even make it to a vote.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said Wednesday that owners could still consider a different seeding format in the future.

“I think they are interested potentially in looking at some type of reseeding,” Goodell said.

Credit to @AndrewWhitworth and others for “pushing” for offensive linemen to be recognized. Long overdue and deserving https://t.co/Az5Pi5MyO7

— Kevin Demoff (@kdemoff) May 21, 2025

“@NFL Protector of the Year Award”

This award means everything to the big guys up front. The Protector of the Year isn’t just about stats—it’s about the mindset, grit, and leadership it takes to be the foundation of a football team. It’s time the men who lead, protect, and…

— Andrew Whitworth (@AndrewWhitworth) May 21, 2025

A ban of the Push Tush play that the Philadelphia Eagles popularized did not receive enough votes at today’s league meeting in Minneapolis. The play remains alive. There will be more tush pushes this season. pic.twitter.com/sy1DOIznqP

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 21, 2025

from https://theramswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/rams/2025/05/21/rams-qb-matthew-stafford-didnt-check-the-ball-down-much-in-2024/83756337007/?taid=682dcb053bc7560001837d9a&utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_medium=trueanthem&utm_source=twitter

According to Pro Football Focus’ Lauren Gray, Stafford finished the 2024 season with the fourth-lowest checkdown rate among quarterbacks. Stafford’s 7.7% checkdown rate was only behind Caleb Williams, Brock Purdy and Daniel Jones.

.@MichaelBrockers believes that the Rams are currently the biggest threat to the Eagles in the NFC 👀 pic.twitter.com/ptGIDHI4mM

— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) May 19, 2025

The best players at every defensive position since 2000 🐐 pic.twitter.com/erzC37Eekd

— PFF (@PFF) May 19, 2025

zn wrote:

from Picking the NFL’s All-Underrated Team for 2025:

Byron Young, Los Angeles Rams

There’s more. From 12/4, https://theramswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/rams/2024/12/04/rams-byron-young-stats-turnovers-forced-nfl/76762815007/

According to Next Gen Stats, Young is the only player in the league who has forced at least five turnovers via pressure this season. T.J. Watt and Danielle Hunter are tied for second with four, and five other players (including Verse) have three.

Rams’ Matthew Stafford ‘definitely excited’ to have Davante Adams on board in 2025: ‘He fits right in’

https://www.nfl.com/news/rams-matthew-stafford-definitely-excited-davante-adams-he-fits-right-in

An offseason of change in Los Angeles included the departure of Matthew Stafford’s close friend, Cooper Kupp.

Don’t worry: They still stay in touch. But as the Rams quarterback admitted Wednesday, it has required some adjusting.

“Yeah, I’ve been texting with him some, just checking in on him,” Stafford said of Kupp, now with the rival Seahawks, on NFL Network’s Schedule Release ’25. “He’s a few miles away in a different colored jersey and all that kind of stuff, but when we get to talking and texting it’s the same old stuff, just giving each other a hard time and having fun. I did ask him about this, I was like ‘Am I going to be able to say what’s up to you pregame? What’s the deal?’ He’s like ‘I’m going to give you a big bear hug.’

“So I’m excited. Obviously it’s tough when you’ve played with a guy and had as much success as we’ve had together and then move on, but you play this game long enough you understand it’s part of the business, and I think he gets that too. But at the same time, I’ll be happy to see him. Hopefully he plays great, and we come away with a win. I’m always pulling for him, always pulling for Coop, but always want the Rams to be coming out on top.”

The Rams didn’t simply let Kupp walk without finding a replacement for him, signing Davante Adams to a two-year, $44 million deal that provides Stafford with a fully capable veteran who brings a well-established reputation for being a playmaker. The hope is the two quickly establish a rapport and Adams ends up producing at a rate higher than Kupp did in his final season, in which he effectively disappeared from the offense for stretches.

If Adams can rediscover some of the form that once made him the top receiver in the league, he’ll fit in nicely opposite Puka Nacua. Stafford believes the new partnership will go well.

“Absolutely, he’s been great,” Stafford said. “Obviously played against him in the division [when Stafford was in Detroit], have been a fan of his from afar on the other sideline for a long time, and what he’s been able to do in the league kind of speaks for itself, but then getting to be around him personally every day, working with him, throwing to him, just seeing the kind of professional that he is, he fits right in.

“That’s the kind of guys since I’ve been here in L.A. we’ve had, I’ve been lucky enough to throw to a bunch of guys that take the game seriously, love going out and competing and trying to find a way to get better. He’s no different, and we’re definitely excited to have him and I know for me as a quarterback I feel lucky for all the guys I’ve been able to throw to, and he’s definitely up there.”

from https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6364266/2025/05/19/nfl-2025-regular-season-must-watch-games/?campaign=13589786&source=athletic_targeted_email&userId=603890

Los Angeles Rams: at Eagles, Week 3
There is no shortage of bitterness on the Rams’ side about how their last matchup ended in the 2024 divisional round. Saquon Barkley and the Philadelphia offense ran all over the young Rams defensive line last season, even setting single-game rushing records in the process. The Rams believe they’ve fixed their run defense — and this contest will be an early chance to prove it. — Jourdan Rodrigue

San Francisco 49ers: at Rams, Week 5
The 49ers tried to do a quickie, Rams-like revamp this offseason. Did it work? We’ll get an indication in Week 5 when the 49ers visit their division rival for a Thursday game in prime time. There are perhaps no more similar squads in the NFL. They run the same offense, have similar roster-building philosophies and often go after the same players in free agency and trades. The 49ers landed Christian McCaffrey; the Rams got Matthew Stafford and Davante Adams. — Matt Barrows and Vic Tafur

Seattle Seahawks: at Steelers, Week 2; vs. Rams, Week 11; vs. Vikings, Week 13
These three games feature the best subplots: DK Metcalf hosting his old team months after asking for a trade, Cooper Kupp against the team that deemed him no longer good enough, and Sam Darnold hosting the team that let him walk in free agency after a career year. All three players likely downplay the significance of those storylines in the lead-up to the games, but they’re all fierce competitors and will want to have huge games and lead their new clubs to victories. — Michael-Shawn Dugar

It’s impossible to overstate the significance of this.

😎

Say what you will, but at his peak, he was the best route-runner in the league. https://t.co/OAsXJSbIAW

— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) May 18, 2025

my whole bloodline watching me, ashamed that I will once again put the entirety of my mental health in the hands of a football team

go rams pic.twitter.com/edAosWBo7n

— Sosa Kremenjas (@QBsMVP) May 18, 2025

Caleb Williams' father Carl wanted no part of the Chicago Bears selecting his son Caleb with the first pick in the 2024 NFL draft. Turns out, all of Carl's fears came true. Talked with @SethWickersham about his Williams story, and how things are better for Williams now. pic.twitter.com/xCFQvhFRv7

— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) May 17, 2025