So earlier this week, we kicked off the Free Agency Preview posts with fireworks and celebrations, because after the Cardinals’ last season, they sure didn’t have a party (lol non-playoff teams!). This week, we will be taking a look at the St. Louis Rams.

The Rams are in a pretty interesting position, actually. They have the most important position pretty much set for the near future in Sam Bradford. Now, it’s all about building the supporting cast. As such, while they do have problems on defense, I expect that most of this offseason will be about building the offense.

The obvious big need for the Rams is pretty well covered by, well, everybody. Bradford does not have a soul to throw to. At least, not many receivers. Lance Kendricks, their TE, is pretty much all-around stud. That’s how he introduces himself at parties: "Hi, I’m all-around stud and lone bright star on a poor offense."

But, yes, the receivers. Brandon Lloyd is a good catcher of footballs. I remember his time with the 49ers quite fondly – and by that, I remember the highlight reels and not the separation problems he had against physical corners. Regardless, I think the Rams make it a priority to resign Lloyd.

Moreover, the Front Office will probably want to look to picking up some combination of WRs from FA or the Draft (we will cover their Draft positioning more closely after FA ends, so patience!).

Another big need for the Rams is the Offensive Line. Let’s put it this way: do you remember Tony Wragge? Yeah, he started 8 games for the team and, if resigned, would be in a competition for a starting spot, from what I understand.
Bradford was horribly plagued by injuries last year, and a broken down line was to blame. Big time.

On defense, the Rams have their Patrick Willis in Chris Long, their stud DE. That, however, does not speak to how crappy the Defensive Tackle position is. If they want to compete in the rush heavy NFC West, then the Rams are going to have to pick up a DT.

Similarly, I think the Rams could look to FA for a shiny, new Outside Linebacker.

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Hey ya'll. So that Super Bowl was - okay, nevermind. I won't even pretend that I enjoyed that game. Whatever. Let's just get down to business.

So this offseason, I have the distinct pleasure of previewing the next thirteen teams the 49ers will play (like, for real play - the preseason don't count). This will be a multi-faceted, three-prong process, complex beyond the understanding of mere mortals. Let me try and break it down for you all:

1) For the next few weeks, before Free Agency, we will look at the state of the different teams, examining what some of their biggest needs are.

2) After FA and before the Draft, we can look at how the team has changed. Are they better? Worse? Big loses? Key acquisitions? Will they keep the same uber-fashionable jerseys? All these important questions will be answered.

3) Finally, after the draft and the teams are looking complete, we will look ahead and examine the relative strength of each team heading into the season.

I thought that for the beginning of this 39 part series, we could start with the teams we know best: the division rivals. So, without further ado, here's part one in the 39 part series of Better Know an Opponent. Arizona's fine football team: the Fightin' Cardinals!

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It is a melancholy object to those who surf through this great internet or peruse on the world wide web, when they see the websites, the blogs, and online newspapers, crowded with articles of the 49ers bias, followed by three, four, or six Op-Ed pieces, all in their favor and importuning every reader for a 49er victory.

As you may or may not know, the 49ers and Saints are playing a game later today of some small importance. I say that you may know because the media has increased its coverage of the 49ers slightly in recent days. Also because the 49ers are in the playoffs.

The recent articles have explicitly predicted a 49ers win. 100%. I mean literally every article is putting forward the not-so-daring thesis that the 49ers will win.

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If I were born ten years earlier than I was, I would probably read this headline and think to myself, well, I guess it's a rivalry. In light of the 49ers-Cowboys rivalries of old, this rivalry seems pretty young. To a slight degree, I think this rivalry is also a tad artificial, produced by the NFL in order to boost ratings between two weak teams in a very weak division.

But, to be honest, when I was growing up this rivalry seemed more real to me than any other. Now that I have studied 49ers history, I understand and appreciate the rivalries of the ‘80s and ‘90s. And looking back upon my childhood, I realize how atrocious the Packers are for knocking the Niners out of the playoffs almost daily. At the time, I just hated Brett Favre. I never really thought of two teams developing a mutual narrative.

For the most part, that was because I did not understand the logic of sports - or perhaps the illogicality of sports. That's the beauty of rivalries, and sports in general: they don't have to make sense and, frankly, I prefer if they don't.

I don't mean sports analysis. I think statistics have a huge role to play in an attempt to objectively evaluate players and teams. That sort of rationalism really appeals to me.

Rather, I enjoy the escapist nature of sports precisely because it rejects the rationality of normal life. In life we need explanations for why we do things. Bleh. Just bleh. It's stupid, I say. Stupid!

Rivalries? They are the exact opposite by their very nature. I hate the Cardinals because, well, I do. Do you want an actual reason? Umm. 42. How's that work? It is the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything - so it should work in this situation too.

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Now that the 49ers have officially clinched a berth in the NFL playoffs (get your playoff gear!), I feel a lot less guilty talking about playoff positioning and potential 49ers opponents. Until yesterday, I didn't mind writing about it, but there were still minor moments of doubt. After the Braves and Red Sox blew their playoff chances in September, anything was possible.

But now, the 49ers are in the playoffs and the remaining four weeks of the NFL schedule will have a big impact on when they play and where they play. The 49ers currently have the second best record in the NFL sitting behind the undefeated Green Bay Packers and one game ahead of the New Orleans Saints.

Although the NFC will provide its usual contingent of six playoff teams, it strikes me as a particularly top-heavy conference this year. The Packers are the clear-cut favorites, with the 49ers and Saints behind them and the Cowboys, Falcons, Giants and Lions another notch down. I know the Cowboys beat the 49ers, but given how the 49ers have developed since that loss, I think they win that game in a postseason rematch.

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Week 13 of the NFL schedule provides the 49ers with a fairly basic path. Win this week and they secure a playoff spot. Had Seattle lost on Thursday it would have created some other opportunities, but I'm almost glad the Seahawks won. I'd rather the 49ers simply be in a position where it is just a matter of win and you're in. Handle your business and all will be well.

Nonetheless, even if the 49ers win their game and secure the NFC West, there remain some intriguing games. The "biggest" is Detroit at New Orleans. After beating the Lions in Detroit, 49ers fans can now root for the fightin' Jim Schwartzs. The 49ers remain a game up on the Saints for the second seed and the all-important first round bye. A division championship ensures home field in one round, but the bye would be an even bigger deal for the 49ers.

The New York Giants host the Green Bay Packers Sunday afternoon and you could argue this is the toughest remaining game on the Packers schedule. The 49ers need at least two Packers losses if they want a shot at the number one overall seed, so feel free to root for Tom Coughlin and the Giants Sunday afternoon.

Finally, Dallas travels to Arizona to face the Cardinals. While New Orleans leads the chase for the number two seed, the Cowboys are a game back of New Orleans and have the tie-breaker edge against the 49ers. Feel free to root for the Arizona Cardinals all afternoon!

I read somewhere that the 49ers' magic number is one and I lapsed into a mental coma of sorts. I tried to do my homework - and Italo Calvino's The Nonexistent Knight is truly a delight and worth the read - but I just couldn't shake it. For the last couple of weeks I have allowed myself to commit what would have been a NN cardinal sin the last few years: I openly admitted to my own brain that the Niners are going to the playoffs.

Cue the necessary reservations about it's not over ‘tils its over thing. Considered this post reservationed. But honestly, the 49ers are going to the playoffs: I just didn't realize until today what that really meant, and now because I read some stupid phrase about one and magic numbers, I am all over this idea. In the immortal words of the most annoying girl on the planet: We so excited.

I really wanted to watch this Monday Night Football showdown between the Giants and Saints, then, to get a sense of what teams could be up and coming on the 49ers' horizon. I was impressed with both teams, though the Giants did get a bit shoved around. Alright, more than a bit. It was like a Charizard fighting a Magikarp: sure, technically a fire wouldn't beat a water in most circumstances, but the Giants' offense was nothing more than a splash, leading to no effect.

That said, I was more interested in watching the Saints anyways, since we played the Giants recently. I won't say too much about this game as it was the first Saints game I have watched this season and I don't have a great feel for the team, but there is something incredible about Drew Brees.

Well-earned adoration and postseason speculation after the jump.

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To answer the title, it's already gotten old to Jim Harbaugh, and it only took a question or two for him to feel that way in his teleconference with the media this week. The NFL obviously expected this to be a big game, but I don't think many people predicted the 49ers having the better record of the two teams. I also find it a bit annoying that it's an NFL Network game while the Dolphins-Cowboys game is on network television. I'm sure the NFL views NFL Network it as a nationally televised game, but not everyone gets NFL Network. My grandma doesn't, which is why I'll have to DVR the game.

Anyways, this should be a great game, unless you aren't a fan of defensive slug fests. The Ravens have been a bit bi-polar to say the least this season, so it will be interesting to see which team shows up. The 49ers did seem to get the short end of the stick, though. They will have to travel through three time zones on a short week. Harbaugh admitted they have their backs against the wall, but this staff seems to thrive on that. Remember when the lockout was supposed to kill the 49ers season?

Here's a closer look at Thursday's match-up after the jump.

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