NFC Championship rematch highlights top 10 NFC West games for 2023

Eric Williams

NFC West Writer

Now that the NFL schedule has been revealed, let’s take a closer look at how the NFC West fared.

As expected, the division-champion San Francisco 49ers appear in the most prime-time games with six, including a Thanksgiving Night game in Seattle. Meanwhile, the Arizona Cardinals, who finished 4-13 last season, do not have a prime-time game for the first time since 2011.

According to the league, the Los Angeles Rams, who finished 5-12 last year, have the toughest strength of schedule in the division with an opponents’ winning percentage of .533. However, things can change from one season to the next and, depending on the health of the opposing team, from one week to the next.

Even so, certain matchups already jump off the calendar. Here are the top 10 games in the NFC West for the upcoming season.

10. Arizona Cardinals at Washington Commanders, Sept. 10

Jonathan Gannon debuts as Arizona’s head coach on the road in a cross-country trek to the East Coast. Quarterback Kyler Murray likely will not be available as he recovers from ACL knee surgery, which could make it tough for Arizona’s offense to move the football. However, Gannon should have an advantage in preparation, having faced Washington twice a year as the defensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles.

9. San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Rams, Sept. 17

Will San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan continue his dominance over L.A.’s Sean McVay? Shanahan’s 49ers are 9-4 (including postseason) against McVay’s Rams since both took over as head coaches for their respective teams in 2017. San Francisco swept Los Angeles last season, defeating the Rams by a combined 32 points in the two games.

8. Carolina Panthers at Seattle Seahawks, Sept. 24

The Hawks host Carolina and No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young in an early NFC divisional matchup that could have playoff implications down the road. It’s also a homecoming for Panthers GM Scott Fitterer, who grew up in the Seattle area and worked in Seattle’s front office for Seahawks GM John Schneider.

7. Baltimore Ravens at San Francisco 49ers, Dec. 25

Lamar Jackson and the Ravens head west to face one of the best defenses in the league, featuring linebacker Fred Warner and defensive end Nick Bosa. New Baltimore offensive coordinator Todd Monken figures to have Jackson and this offense humming by the end of the season, so this Christmas Day matchup should be a good test for the 49ers as they expectedly head into the postseason.

6. Seattle Seahawks at Dallas Cowboys, Nov. 30

Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn faces his former team and coaching mentor in Pete Carroll. Seattle has won five of the past six matchups against the Cowboys, but the Seahawks face Dallas in the second of back-to-back Thursday night games and a start to three road contests in their final five games to finish out the regular season.

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5. Arizona Cardinals at Philadelphia Eagles, Dec. 31

Gannon faces his former team for the first time as the Cardinals travel to Philadelphia for this late-season contest. There are certainly enough storylines to follow here, including the tampering penalty levied against Arizona by the NFL for improper contact by Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort in the pursuit of Gannon, along with Philadelphia’s defensive struggles in the red zone in the Eagles’ Super Bowl loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Gannon will hear plenty of boo birds on his return to Lincoln Financial Field on New Year’s Eve.

4. Los Angeles Rams at Cincinnati Bengals, Sept. 25

In a rematch of Super Bowl 56, Los Angeles travels to the Queen City to face the Bengals. While the Rams are in full rebuild mode, Joe Burrow could have Cincinnati on the brink of returning to the big game in early 2024. However, this contest provides an early opportunity for the young Rams to show they can compete against the elite teams in the NFL.

3. Dallas Cowboys at San Francisco 49ers, Oct. 8

In a rematch of an NFC divisional playoff contest that came down the final drive of the game, this early-season matchup will be a good barometer of where these two teams stand as they wrangle for playoff positioning. And perhaps Niners QB Brock Purdy will have made his way back to the field after offseason elbow surgery.

2. San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks, Nov. 23

The Seahawks host a Thanksgiving Day game for the first time in franchise history when their NFC West rivals travel to the Pacific Northwest. The 49ers swept Seattle last season, including a big win in the wild-card round of the playoffs, so this late-season matchup is a prime-time opportunity for the revamped Seahawks to prove they can compete for the NFC West crown.

1. San Francisco 49ers at Philadelphia Eagles, Dec. 3

In this rematch of the NFC Championship Game, the 49ers once again travel east to take on the Eagles. San Francisco certainly hopes to have Brock Purdy back under center by this point of the season, offering the 49ers a chance to show what could have been had he stayed healthy last year.

Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on Twitter at @eric_d_williams.

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