Who will win the NFC West? It's a four-team race - ESPN

At this time last week, the Seattle Seahawks were alone atop the NFC West at 4-3.

But by Sunday night, they could find themselves in last place. A loss to the Los Angeles Rams at Lumen Field would assure as much regardless of whether the Arizona Cardinals win or lose on the road against the Chicago Bears.

Such is life in the NFL's tightest division.

Entering Week 9, the Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers and Seahawks are all tied at 4-4, and the Rams are just half a game behind at 3-4. Arizona holds the tiebreaker by virtue of its 2-0 start in NFC West play. The Rams-Seahawks game on Sunday (4:25 p.m. ET, Fox) is the first of eight NFC West matchups to close the season.

Elsewhere in the NFC, the gap between first and last place is 3½ games in the East, two in the North and four in the South. The top and bottom spots in all four AFC divisions are separated by 3 to 5½ games.

Why is the NFC West closer than the others? Among the reasons, the 49ers — a Super Bowl favorite to start the season — have been plagued by injuries, and the Cardinals have kicked three game-winning field goals.

Here's a breakdown of where things stand with the Seahawks, 49ers, Rams and Cardinals, plus how the NFC West might be won. — Brady Henderson

FPI's overall ranking: No. 21
Chances to win division: 32.9%
Chances to make the playoffs: 38.2%
Next five games: vs. Chicago Bears, vs. New York Jets, BYE, at Seattle, at Minnesota Vikings

Assess the quarterback: Kyler Murray is playing some of the best football of his career — ranking third in the NFL in QBR (74.4) — thanks to an intimate understanding of the Cardinals' scheme, a clean bill of health and both a comfortability and happiness with the coaches and players around him. Now in Year 6, he has faced a