A LOOK AT THE NFC WEST : Keeping Up With Walshes and Robinsons

If you haven’t noticed, there’s an arms (and legs) race going on in the National Football Conference’s Western Division, and it has neatly separated the powers that be--the Rams and San Francisco 49ers--from the powers that won’t be--the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints.

It’s a race fueled by a rivalry of cities (“It’s San Francisco, not ‘Frisco,’ you L.A. smog-heads!”), coaches (smug Bill Walsh vs. jolly John Robinson), and players (Joe Montana once called LeRoy Irvin a “big-eared . . .”).

It also doesn’t hurt that the final regular-season game between the teams usually decides the divisional title.

Two years ago, it was the Rams winning at Candlestick Park (27-20) to steal the NFC West from the defending Super Bowl champions. Last year, it was the 49ers returning the favor with a 24-14 win over the Rams.

And it figures to come down to that again this season, when the Rams and 49ers meet Dec. 27 at Candlestick Park.

In fact, since 1970, when the divisions were realigned, the only non-California team to win the NFC West was the Atlanta Falcons of 1980, led by quarterback Steve Bartkowski. (Both the Rams and 49ers had losing records in the strike year, 1982, but a divisional format wasn’t used to determine playoff teams.)

So, yes, this is a division in which it’s important to keep up with the Walshes and the Robinsons, two coaches who always keep one eye fixed on the other.

When one team makes a move, the other counters.

Move: The Rams hire San Diego offensive coordinator Ernie Zampese in an effort to shake up their woeful pass offense.

Counter move: The 49ers trade for quarterback Steve Young, who’s ready to step in for the great but injury-prone Joe Montana.

Move: The Rams, in training camp, want to sign receiver Tony Hill, released by the Dallas Cowboys.

Counter move: The 49ers offer Hill more money and sign him instead.

It’s that kind of competition that keeps a rivalry burning.

So who’s going to win? Well, it’s hard not to pick the 49ers right now simply because they are the defending champions and they had a better off-season than the Rams. Not only did the 49ers get Young, but they drafted three promising players in the first two rounds: offensive linemen Jeff Bregel and Harris Barton and running back Terrence Flagler.

The Rams did not have a first pick. It went to Houston in the Jim Everett deal. Their second-round choice, defensive end Donald Evans, apparently won’t be of much help, at least early in the season.

Third-round choice Clifford Hicks looked promising at cornerback, but a shoulder injury knocked him way off schedule.

It’ll be up to Zampese and Everett to pick up the slack. It can be done, but it won’t be easy.

Here’s a closer look at the division in predicted order of finish.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ers

1986 record: 10-5-1

Coach--Bill Walsh (ninth season).

Key acquisitions--Quarterback Steve Young, receiver Tony Hill, offensive linemen Harris Barton and Jeff Bregel and running back Terrence Flagler.

Outlook--If you’re the superstitious sort, please note that Walsh has won Super Bowls in three-year intervals, first in 1981 and then in 1984. Well, it’s 1987. Actually, there isn’t much luck involved in Walsh’s success. He tends to move and move quickly. Montana, who missed 55 days of the 1986 season after sensitive back surgery, returned to the lineup just in time to receive a concussion in a humiliating 49-3 playoff loss to the New York Giants.

The ringing in Montana’s ears forced Walsh to do something about an obviously aging offensive line. So he used his first first-round choice (he had two) on tackle Barton from North Carolina, a big man (6-3, 280) who might step right into a starting position. On the second-round, Walsh took USC’s guard Bregel, another possible impact player.

The other first-round pick was used on Clemson’s Flagler, a breakaway back who will be expected to take some of the heat off tailback Roger Craig.

Walsh wants Montana to regain the 10 pounds he lost after back surgery. And though it’s clear that Montana is still the main man in San Francisco, Young is no slouch off the bench.

The former Brigham Young and Los Angeles Express star was out of place in Tampa Bay, where former Coach Leeman Bennett tried to make the scrambling Young a drop-back passer.

Young seems perfectly suited to Walsh’s roving quarterback system, and there is suspicion that Montana’s health, or lack thereof, will force Young into the lineup much sooner than later.

Last year’s surprises on defense were the two rookie cornerbacks, Tim McKyer and Don Griffin. Another rookie, defensive end Charles Haley, led the team with 12 sacks. Safety Ronnie Lott (10 interceptions) is, well, Ronnie Lott.

RAMS

1986 record: 10-6

Coach--John Robinson (fifth season).

Key acquisitions--Ernie Zampese, formerly offensive coordinator with the San Diego Chargers. Running back Buford McGee, acquired in trade from Chargers for Barry Redden.

Outlook--There are plenty around the league who think this is the year for the Rams, and it’s hard to argue. The hiring of Zampese to run the offense was the boldest and wisest move Robinson has made since he arrived in 1983. Everett is much improved, having spent an entire off-season absorbing Zampese pass patterns.

Eric Dickerson, despite plenty of off-season distractions, is still the best running back in football. Three of the five Ram offensive linemen (Dennis Harrah, Doug Smith, Jackie Slater) went to the Pro Bowl last season. The other tackle, Irv Pankey, should have gone, and rookie guard Tom Newberry is going to go soon.

Wide receiver Henry Ellard is no longer a headache, having signed a new four-year deal for $1.8 million. And Ron Brown, the fastest man in football, is apparently no longer just a sprinter, having made great strides as a receiver.

The defense finished fifth overall in 1986 but the problem here remains the lack of an effective pass rush. First draft choice Donald Evans is not the answer for now. But to unseat the 49ers, the Rams will need an answer.

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

1986 record: 7-9

Coach--Jim Mora (second season).

Key acquisitions--First-round draft choice Shawn Knight, a defensive tackle from BYU. No. 2 pick Lonzell Hill, wide receiver from Washington.

Outlook--After the Saints pounded the Rams in a hard-hitting 6-0 win at the Superdome last year, Robinson commented that the Saints reminded him of his first Ram team in 1983, which had a great running back (Dickerson), and a scrappy, tough defense. Like the ’83 Rams, the pieces aren’t all in place for New Orleans. But behind the running of Rookie of the Year Rueben Mayes and a defense led by All-Pro Rickey Jackson, the Saints made some noise.

Deciding on quarterback Dave Wilson or Bobby Hebert is certainly an issue, though some wonder if either one is the answer. On defense, the Saints allowed 287 points, seventh-fewest in the league, but were ranked 13th in the NFC in pass defense. New Orleans is looking to rookies Michael Adams and Mack Milton for help in the secondary.

The strength of the organization is General Manager Jim Finks, who helped build the Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings, and Mora, who led the Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars to three appearances in the USFL title game. Mora is a no-nonsense leader who doesn’t tolerate losing for long.

The Saints are still a few players away and face a hellish schedule (Rams and 49ers twice, plus Chicago, New York Giants, Cleveland and Cincinnati), which greatly jeopardizes their chances for the organization’s first winning season.

ATLANTA FALCONS

1986 record: 7-8-1

Coach--Marion Campbell (first season).

Key acquisitions--Quarterback Chris Miller, first-round pick from Oregon, and second-round choice Kenny Flowers, running back from Clemson.

Outlook--After failed attempts to replace the fired Dan Henning with Dick Vermeil, Terry Donahue, Bill Parcells, etc., the Falcons finally decided on an old familiar face in Campbell, the team’s defensive coordinator and a former Atlanta head coach (1974-76). Campbell, who improved the Falcon defense from 25th to seventh in one year, has added an all-star staff that includes former head coaches Rod Dowhower (Indianapolis) and Jim Hanifan (St. Louis). It’s a pretty heady front-office lineup, but it remains to be seen whether these guys can lift the team from the doldrums.

Quarterback David Archer led the league in passing for a while last season, but a shoulder injury knocked him out in Week 11. The rookie Miller and Turk Schonert will push Archer if he falters.

Gerald Riggs gained 1,327 yards last year and remains a punishing runner. On defense, the Falcons could use help in the secondary.