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http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-ra...ove-back-to-l-a-ratchet-up-division-rivalries
Nick WagonerESPN Staff Writer
Today's question: Now that the Rams are in Los Angeles, the NFC West is truly the NFC West. Do you think that will help ratchet up the level of rivalries within the division?
Josh Weinfuss, Arizona Cardinals reporter: I'm not sure how a change of locale would amp up a rivalry, especially if the Rams continue to be a mediocre team. They're 20-28 since 2013, including a 2-4 record against Arizona during that span and a 7-11 record against the NFC West. The Rams moving to Los Angeles will make travel easier for the Cardinals -- it's about an hour-and-change flight. It's also easier on the sports writers -- going to Los Angeles is a lot better than going to St. Louis. (Sorry I'm not sorry, Nelly.) But proximity won't do much for a rivalry if the Rams can't put together a winning product on the field. It's not like the cities of L.A. and Phoenix are rivals in the way New York and Boston or Chicago and New York are. Once the Rams start winning and beating the Cardinals on a regular basis, we can call it a rivalry -- regardless of where the Rams play.
Michael Wagaman, San Francisco 49ers reporter: Absolutely. Rivalries are always better when teams are closer geographically, so it should be a given that things will heat up in the division now that the Rams are no longer in St. Louis. That being said, the rivalry between the Rams and 49ers has always been a bitter one no matter where the teams called home, so I don't expect things to change. The team being in Los Angeles, however, should increase the heat between the two. San Francisco simply doesn't like L.A. when it comes to sports and the same goes in reverse. Think Los Angeles Dodgers-San Francisco Giants; these teams will not be friends.
Sheil Kapadia, Seattle Seahawks reporter: Former USC coach Pete Carroll returning to Los Angeles will definitely be a popular topic before the Seahawks take on the Rams in their home opener in Week 2. Overall, though, I think the two teams already had a pretty good rivalry even when the team was in St. Louis. The Rams have played the Seahawks tougher than any other team in the division. They beat Seattle twice in 2015. Rivalries peak when both teams are competitive. During the Jim Harbaugh era, the Seahawks-49ers rivalry was great. Now it seems like Seahawks-Cardinals has taken over. But the veterans who have been in Seattle, along with the coaches on staff, acknowledge every year that the Rams present them with a difficult matchup.
Nick WagonerESPN Staff Writer
Today's question: Now that the Rams are in Los Angeles, the NFC West is truly the NFC West. Do you think that will help ratchet up the level of rivalries within the division?
Josh Weinfuss, Arizona Cardinals reporter: I'm not sure how a change of locale would amp up a rivalry, especially if the Rams continue to be a mediocre team. They're 20-28 since 2013, including a 2-4 record against Arizona during that span and a 7-11 record against the NFC West. The Rams moving to Los Angeles will make travel easier for the Cardinals -- it's about an hour-and-change flight. It's also easier on the sports writers -- going to Los Angeles is a lot better than going to St. Louis. (Sorry I'm not sorry, Nelly.) But proximity won't do much for a rivalry if the Rams can't put together a winning product on the field. It's not like the cities of L.A. and Phoenix are rivals in the way New York and Boston or Chicago and New York are. Once the Rams start winning and beating the Cardinals on a regular basis, we can call it a rivalry -- regardless of where the Rams play.
Michael Wagaman, San Francisco 49ers reporter: Absolutely. Rivalries are always better when teams are closer geographically, so it should be a given that things will heat up in the division now that the Rams are no longer in St. Louis. That being said, the rivalry between the Rams and 49ers has always been a bitter one no matter where the teams called home, so I don't expect things to change. The team being in Los Angeles, however, should increase the heat between the two. San Francisco simply doesn't like L.A. when it comes to sports and the same goes in reverse. Think Los Angeles Dodgers-San Francisco Giants; these teams will not be friends.
Sheil Kapadia, Seattle Seahawks reporter: Former USC coach Pete Carroll returning to Los Angeles will definitely be a popular topic before the Seahawks take on the Rams in their home opener in Week 2. Overall, though, I think the two teams already had a pretty good rivalry even when the team was in St. Louis. The Rams have played the Seahawks tougher than any other team in the division. They beat Seattle twice in 2015. Rivalries peak when both teams are competitive. During the Jim Harbaugh era, the Seahawks-49ers rivalry was great. Now it seems like Seahawks-Cardinals has taken over. But the veterans who have been in Seattle, along with the coaches on staff, acknowledge every year that the Rams present them with a difficult matchup.
