ESPN Names Arizona Cardinals Biggest Division Rival

There has been a shift of power in the NFC West, but not in the normal sense.  Since the arrival of Pete Carroll the Seahawks have fininshed first, third, second, first, first and second in the NFC West and made the playoffs every year but his second.  In that time the 49ers rose to power and fell to the cellar while the Arizona Cardinals climbed their way to the top of the division.

ESPN asked their group of team reporters to name the biggest rival within the division for each team, and Josh Weinfuss had this to say about the Arizona Cardinals biggest division rival and probably their biggest rival:

It may not be reciprocated, but the Cardinals' biggest rival is the Seahawks. Since Seattle drafted Russell Wilson in 2012, the Cardinals' path to the NFC West title has gone through the Pacific Northwest. It has been fueled the past couple of years by Marshawn Lynch's crotch grab on an incredible touchdown run in Arizona, and by the 2014 public battle between Patrick Peterson and Richard Sherman over who is the best cornerback in the league. Even though the Cardinals are 3-5 against Seattle since the 2012 season and 2-4 under coach Bruce Arians, the Seahawks are still the Cards' biggest rival because both look at the other as a roadblock en route to the Super Bowl

It is hard to argue with the Seahawks, as the Cardinals have openly discussed their need to beat the team in the northwest.  They did so last year, winning their first division crown since Pete Carroll landed the Seahawks job, but they didn't quite wrestle away the idea that the Seahawks are the team to beat in the NFC West.

It will be nothing short of a Super Bowl for Arizona to become the hunted of the NFC West, and who knows what happens after that.