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Kent Somers' piece about NFL rookies combining to start more games than in the past caught my attention Friday.

I wanted to know how many games NFC West players have started as rookies in recent seasons. I wanted to break down the numbers by team and position.

The charts provide answers on those fronts. Weaker teams select earlier in the draft order and should have more openings in their lineups, inflating their numbers. That has been the case to a degree in the NFC West, one reason quotation marks surround the word "leads" in the headline above.

Seattle is an interesting study, however. The Seahawks have been pretty competitive while amassing more rookie starts than any team in the division, with those starts distributed rather evenly across offense and defense. That affirms perceptions about Seattle drafting well recently despite using relatively few early picks. Of course, the 16 starts Seattle got from rookie quarterback Russell Wilson last season were disproportionately valuable. Having two first-round picks in 2010 helped the overall numbers.

The San Francisco 49ers have fielded a dominant, veteran defense. They've gotten -- "needed" might be a better word -- only seven starts from rookies on defense over the past three seasons. While Aldon Smith played in a situational role, the 49ers rank a distant fourth among NFC West teams in defensive snaps played by rookies. Seattle leads with 4,536 snaps, followed by Arizona (3,090), St. Louis (2,965) and San Francisco (1,565).

The 49ers could get rookie starts from 2013 first-round pick Eric Reid, a favorite to start at safety.

The Rams have gotten 4,593 snaps from offensive rookies over the three seasons. The Cardinals are next with 3,568, followed by the Seahawks (3,280) and 49ers (2,858).

Offensive linemen have made the most starts as rookies. That makes sense because there are at least five of them on the field every snap. NFC West teams have also drafted four offensive linemen in the first round over that span, plus one with the first pick of the second round. The Cardinals relied heavily on rookie tackles last season out of necessity.

The Rams' rookie starts are distributed more evenly across the specific positions in the chart below. That makes sense. They've had the weakest roster. They've had earlier picks.

Each team in the NFC West has had two rookies start all 16 games: Patrick Peterson and Bobby Massie for Arizona; Wilson and Earl Thomas for Seattle; Mike Iupati and Anthony Davis for San Francisco; and Sam Bradford and Rodger Saffold for St. Louis. Bobby Wagner (15 starts for Seattle) and Janoris Jenkins (14 for St. Louis) were the only others with more than 12 starts as rookies.

K.J. Wright (Seattle), Michael Brockers (St. Louis), Chris Givens (St. Louis), Daryl Washington (Arizona), Sam Acho (Arizona), Richard Sherman (Seattle), Okung (Seattle) and Lance Kendricks (St. Louis) started between 10 and 12 games as NFC West rookies since 2010.

Jonathan Cooper (Arizona), Kevin Minter (Arizona), Jesse Williams (Seattle), Tavon Austin (St. Louis), Alec Ogletree (St. Louis) and T.J. McDonald (St. Louis) appear best positioned among NFC West rookies to start in 2013. Cardinals cornerback Tyrann Mathieu could figure prominently in sub packages if he does not start.

Earlier: Late-round picks with a shot at playing in 2013.

One year ago, a visitor to the NFC West blog warned against reading too much into Russell Wilson's strong showing at the Seattle Seahawks' rookie camp.

"A third-round QB looks good against other rookies and undrafted players? Who would have thunk it?" TheFault17 wrote May 14, 2012. "Not hating on Wilson at all, but there's way too much stock put in rookie minicamps. Is it September yet?"

The skepticism was warranted even though Wilson later validated the hype.

Eric Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune joined Brock Huard, Danny O'Neil and me Monday in digesting the Seahawks' recently completed 2013 rookie camps. Williams in particular hit the brakes on post-camp excitement. I agree in general but also think he was on the low side in projecting how many 2013 draftees might earn spots on the 53-man roster this season.

710ESPN Seattle has posted the audio to rave reviews. Make that one rave review.

The chart ranks 2012 NFC West draft choices by most games started as rookies. The San Francisco 49ers had zero starts from their rookie draft choices. However, in looking at the 15 players listed in the chart, few would have likely started a game for San Francisco.

The St. Louis Rams arguably needed starters at running back, guard and safety after drafting Tavon Austin eighth overall and trading back eight spots into the 30th overall choice.

They addressed a need at outside linebacker instead by selecting Georgia's Alec Ogletree, a player Mike Mayock had projected to the Rams at No. 22 in his mock draft Wednesday. That projection led to debate on Twitter given that some have listed Ogletree as an inside linebacker and the Rams are set in the middle with James Laurinaitis.

Ogletree, a former safety with some off-field concerns, projects as a weakside linebacker in a 4-3 scheme.

Ogletree was arrested for stealing another student's motorcycle helmet. He was suspended for drug-related reasons. He was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.

Rams coach Jeff Fisher hasn't shied away from players with off-field concerns. The team used a second-round choice for Janoris Jenkins last year, with encouraging results so far.

Ogletree turns an undermanned linebacking corps into a potential strength, fortifying a front seven that was already stacked on the line with Chris Long, Michael Brockers and Robert Quinn.

The term "draft needs" usually carries a qualitative component. Teams with weak offensive lines obviously have needs at the position, for example.

Sometimes it's helpful to consider quantitative elements as well.

For example, the Arizona Cardinals and St. Louis Rams each have only five wide receivers on their rosters at present. They might take twice as many wideouts to training camp. So, even though wide receiver is a bigger need for the Rams than for the Cardinals based on talent, both teams need numbers at the position.

Arizona, though set at wide receiver near the top of the depth chart, could probably use a vertical threat for coach Bruce Arians' offense. The Rams also need numbers at cornerback, where Cortland Finnegan, Janoris Jenkins and Trumaine Johnson are the only players under contract.

The Rams have eight picks in the draft. That includes two first-round choices. Moving back from one of those first-round spots could make sense for St. Louis. Adding picks would help the team fill out its roster with young players. The team had only 52 players on its roster entering this week, 18 fewer players than Seattle has under contract.

The chart breaks down roster counts by position for NFC West teams heading into draft week. The numbers at defensive line and linebacker vary based on whether teams run 3-4 or 4-3 defenses in their base alignments. Combining those positions into a single "front seven" total can sometimes help make cleaner comparisons.

Marcus Trufant, Kelly Jennings, Ken Lucas, Josh Wilson and Roy Lewis were the Seattle Seahawks' cornerbacks when Pete Carroll arrived as head coach for the 2010 season.

That group consisted of two first-round picks, two second-rounders and an undrafted free agent. It should have been stellar, but it was not.

The team has become exponentially better at the position without investing much in its personnel. Richard Sherman was a fifth-round pick. Brandon Browner was playing in the CFL. The new slot corner, Antoine Winfield, signed for one year and $2 million.

Consider Matt Williamson impressed. Williamson, who scouts the NFL for ESPN.com, listed Seattle's corners No. 1 in the NFC West -- and beyond -- as part of his ongoing pre-draft positional rankings for division teams.

Williamson: Seattle to me has the best set of corners in the league, clearly. And then Winfield might be the best slot corner in the league. It's almost unfair.

Sando: Carroll coached the secondary in his early NFL days. He and general manager John Schneider have put together the best one in the NFL, stacked at safety and corner alike. I think the entire division is pretty strong at corner overall.

Williamson: These next three teams are close. St. Louis has the best starters of the remaining three teams. Arizona clearly has the best single starter of the remaining three in Patrick Peterson. The Niners have a lot of guys and who knows what they get out of Nnamdi Asomugha.

Sando: I don't think the 49ers are all that worried about their corner situation even though the pass defense faltered late last season.

Williamson: Nobody complalins about their corners when Justin Smith is healthy. We like to nitpick this San Francisco defense when there is nothing wrong with it. The corners are still in the top 15 position groups in the league.

Sando: I'd think every team in the NFC West could say that.

Williamson: Agreed. Being fourth in this division isn’t something to hang your head about. I could make a strong argument for San Francisco as second to Seattle. I like the Rams' starters, but Janoris Jenkins could be overrated at this point based on some of the big plays he has made. People are picking on him.

Sando: Trumaine Johnson was a nice addition in St. Louis as well, if he can stay out of trouble. And we haven't even mentioned Cortland Finnegan. I'm curious, what did you think of the Antoine Cason addition in Arizona?

Williamson: He struggled in San Diego last season. The Chargers were so dysfuntional. I think Cason has first-round skills. He is a quality player who is never going to be a Pro Bowler. He is above average. He is a middle-of-the-road to an above-average starter.

Sando: The Cardinals shuffled most of their secondary. That group will be interesting to watch. I still think Peterson is just getting started and can become the best corner in the league. For now, though, Sherman might legitimately claim that title.

St. Louis Rams cornerback Trumaine Johnson appears more likely to incur a fine than a suspension relating to his recent DUI arrest in Montana.

That could change if details emerge showing aggravating circumstances.

According to KPAX News, Johnson refused to take a breath test after an officer stopped him for driving in the dark without use of headlights.

Johnson's arrest comes less than two years after officers arrested him for getting "out of control at a party" in an incident authorities described as alcohol-related, one in which officers used a taser to subdue Johnson and one of his then-teammates at the University of Montana.

Johnson, one of three cornerbacks on the Rams' roster, played about one-third of the defensive snaps as a rookie third-round choice last season. He figures prominently into plans for the future along with starters Cortland Finnegan and Janoris Jenkins. Johnson played at Montana with Rams coach Jeff Fisher's son.

The NFL generally does not suspend first-time offenders of its policy relating to alcohol abuse in the absence of what it calls aggravating circumstances. Johnson, with no known alcohol-related incidents since entering the NFL, would appear more likely to incur a fine of two game checks.

"We are aware of the situation regarding Trumaine Johnson," a statement from the Rams read. "We are gathering more information and will have no further comment at this time."

Mel Kiper Jr. has released his initial 2013 NFL mock draft for the first round, a good conversation starter as three-fourths of the division transitions into an offseason mindset.

I'll run through his early projections for each NFC West team, beginning with the St. Louis Rams, who have been a bit neglected around here while their division rivals have commanded headlines for various reasons.

Note that Kiper's mocks are available in full to Insider subscribers. I've pulled partial comments from Kiper for each NFC West projection and labeled them as his "give" before offering my "take" (give, take ... get it?).

16. St. Louis Rams: Kenny Vaccaro, S, Texas

Kiper's give: "The Rams have used the draft and free agency to strengthen the defense almost everywhere over the past couple of years. ... Getting the best safety in the draft, a player who can both cover and step up against the run, will be one of those finishing touches."

Sando's take: This is the Rams' own pick in the first round. The team acquired the 22nd choice from Washington in the deal allowing the Redskins to draft Robert Griffin III. Having two picks in the first round gives the Rams great flexibility. It becomes easier for the team to select a player at a non-premium position. Safety is a non-premium position in most cases. Teams will generally value positions such as quarterback, offensive tackle and defensive line higher than safety. But a game-changer at the position carries excellent value. Seattle has no regrets after using the 14th choice of the 2010 draft for another Texas safety, Earl Thomas. The Rams lacked range at this position. They could use someone to pair with box safety Quintin Mikell. Vaccaro would be that player. Mikell and veteran corner Cortland Finnegan give the Rams strong leadership in their DB meeting room. Vaccaro could grow with young corner Janoris Jenkins.

22. St. Louis Rams: D.J. Fluker, T, Alabama

Kiper's give: "You can't be below average at tackle in the NFC West, dealing with San Francisco, Arizona and Seattle six times a season, and while the Rams stabilized a little bit in 2012 with Barry Richardson and Rodger Saffold bookending the offensive line, they should use one of their first-round picks to look for an upgrade."

Sando's take: Skeptics of this projection might note that the Rams showed good ability to coach up their linemen, perhaps diminishing the need to draft one early. They might also note that coach Jeff Fisher's teams haven't used early choices for offensive linemen, and the Rams have already invested immense capital in the position, with disappointing results. I still like Kiper's projection from a positional standpoint. The Rams used nine starters on their offensive line during the 2012 season. That was tied for fourth-most in the NFL. They will get guard Rokevious Watkins back from injury, but he is unproven. Veteran guard Harvey Dahl turns 32 in June and will be coming off biceps surgery. The Rams leaned on journeymen tackles Barry Richardson and Wayne Hunter this season. Neither should be on the roster next season if the Rams succeed in upgrading their line.

The St. Louis Rams' Janoris Jenkins has four touchdowns this season.

That's as many as NFC West mainstays Larry Fitzgerald and Steven Jackson have scored entering Week 17. Not bad for a rookie cornerback drafted in the second round, or anywhere for that matter.

The Rams' game at Seattle this week features two high-scoring cornerbacks.

Seattle's Richard Sherman has two touchdowns over the Seahawks' past three games, one on an interception return and the other on a blocked field-goal return. His two touchdowns against Arizona and San Francisco are more than the one touchdown the Cardinals and 49ers scored in those games.

Jenkins scored three of his touchdowns in recent division games against the Cardinals and 49ers, two on interception returns and another on a fumble return. Arizona and San Francisco combined for three touchdowns in those games.

The chart shows NFL leaders in defensive touchdowns this season. Jenkins leads the NFL.

FALLING

1. 49ers' health. The team doesn't know when Pro Bowl defensive end Justin Smith will return from an elbow injury. The defense isn't the same without him. Pro Bowl tight end Vernon Davis suffered a concussion against Seattle on Sunday night. Receiver Mario Manningham will require season-ending surgery after suffering a knee injury against the Seahawks. Running back Kendall Hunter, receiver Kyle Williams and tight end/defensive end Demarcus Dobbs have landed on injured reserve in recent weeks.

2. Carlos Rogers, 49ers CB. Rogers was rising after generally faring well against New England's Wes Welker last week. He was the closest man in coverage for too many plays against Seattle. Doug Baldwin beat him deep with no safety help early in the game. Sidney Rice made a leaping catch too.

3. Colin Kaepernick, 49ers QB. Kaepernick had been as good or better than anyone since 2008 through five regular-season starts. He completed only 52.8 percent of his passes and threw an interception in the end zone against Seattle. Kaepernick struggled handling crowd noise, leading to timeouts and penalties.

4. Another Cards QB. The Cardinals benched another quarterback, this one rookie Ryan Lindley. The team has now benched or otherwise replaced Lindley, Matt Leinart, Derek Anderson, Kevin Kolb, John Skelton and Max Hall in recent seasons. Lindley has zero touchdown passes with seven interceptions. Lindley might not be finished in the NFL, so it's premature to list him among the five players in the last 50-plus years to finish their careers with no scoring passes and at least seven picks. But with the Cardinals' pass protection improving in recent weeks (Sunday excluded) and with Larry Fitzgerald on the roster, a quarterback with any staying power should have a touchdown pass after 171 attempts.

RISING

1. Seahawks' coach/GM. Pete Carroll and John Schneider are looking better all the time. Their 2012 draft has transformed the team. First-round pick Bruce Irvin has eight sacks. Second-rounder Bobby Wagner, an every-down linebacker, deserves mention as a candidate for defensive rookie of the year. Third-rounder Russell Wilson has become one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. Fourth-rounder Robert Turbin backs up Marshawn Lynch and has had a 100-yard game this season. Sixth-rounder Jeremy Lane is starting at cornerback while the team deals with injuries and a suspension at the position. Seventh-rounder J.R. Sweezy started at right guard Sunday night and made a key block on Patrick Willis to spring Lynch's 24-yard touchdown run. Another seventh-rounder, Greg Scruggs, is part of the nickel rotation on the defensive line. The Wilson selection alone should get Schneider mentioned as the NFL's executive of the year.

2. Rams' rookie corners. Janoris Jenkins had another pick-six for St. Louis, this one helping the Rams beat Tampa Bay. Teammate and fellow rookie Trumaine Johnson also collected an interception. Both appeared to play good coverage much of the time. They had the upper hand against Tampa Bay's Josh Freeman when it mattered. The Bucs did pile up some yardage through the air, but much of it was meaningless.

3. Seahawks' receivers. Dropped passes doomed Seattle's offense during a 13-6 defeat at San Francisco in Week 7. Outstanding catches played an important role in Seattle sprinting to a big lead against the 49ers in the rematch Sunday night. Baldwin's juggling catch in the rain for a 43-yard gain was the longest play for either team. Baldwin added two scoring receptions. Rice made a leaping grab along the sideline. Seattle converted 11 of 12 times on third down while Wilson was in the game.

4. Kam Chancellor, Seahawks SS. There were other candidates on defense in the NFC West, including Rams linebacker James Laurinaitis. Chancellor gets the call for the impact his big hits made against the 49ers. He knocked out Davis with a concussion while separating the 49ers tight end from the football deep in Seattle territory. He forced Frank Gore to fumble. He tagged 49ers fullback Bruce Miller. Chancellor has had some injury issues this season. He hasn't punished opponents as consistently as he did previously. That changed Sunday night.

The St. Louis Rams' Janoris Jenkins scored his fourth touchdown of the season Sunday.

That's a lot for a cornerback.

Consider that Arizona Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald also has four touchdowns this season.

Jenkins' pick-six Sunday marked his third of the season. He also returned a fumble for a touchdown to help beat San Francisco. Every time Jenkins makes a big play, he raises his profile in the discussion for defensive rookie of the year.

Jenkins has not always been consistent in coverage, but his big plays have been the difference for the Rams in multiple victories this season. At the very least, Jenkins is looking like the playmaker St. Louis sought in the 2012 draft.

Teammate Lance Kendricks, meanwhile, has opened the second half in Tampa Bay with an 80-yard touchdown reception. The Rams hold a 21-6 lead. The Buccaneers have been vulnerable to tight ends this season. That trend is continuing now that Kendricks and Sam Bradford have connected.

It's looking like the Rams are going to blow out the Bucs. Another Rams rookie, Trumaine Johnson, has just picked off Freeman again. Great day for the Rams so far.

The St. Louis Rams have not reversed the time-of-possession deficit that has affected them early in games this season.

They have solved Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Josh Freeman, however, and that has been enough for St. Louis to take a 14-6 halftime lead in Week 16.

Another pick-six from rookie corner Janoris Jenkins gave the Rams their first of two touchdowns off Freeman interceptions. They lead despite possessing the ball for only 10:12 of the first 30 minutes, and despite the interception Sam Bradford threw in the end zone, and despite the fumble Danny Amendola lost deep in Rams territory.

St. Louis' defense has held Doug Martin to 2.8 yards per rushing attempt. Freeman has only 100 yards on 17 attempts. He has taken three sacks.

The Rams' offense figures only to improve in the second half. The third-down production has been good so far (three conversion in four chances). Bradford has fared well in fourth quarters this season. If his late-game production continues, the Rams should be on their way to a 7-7-1 record heading into Week 17.

Colin Kaepernick and Russell Wilson combined for eight total touchdowns in Week 15.

They have also recently combined for a couple NFL awards.

Kaepernick is the offensive player of the week for the NFC after tossing four touchdown passes during the San Francisco 49ers' 41-34 victory over New England.

Wilson, who won the award for his efforts against Chicago in Week 13, finished a 50-17 victory over Buffalo on Sunday as the first player in the Super Bowl era with at least one passing touchdown, three rushing touchdowns and 90 yards rushing in the same game.

Three NFC West quarterbacks have now won the weekly NFC award in 2012. The 49ers' Alex Smith won it after completing 18 of 19 passes with three touchdowns against Arizona in Week 8.

That makes 14 weekly award winners from the NFC West for offense, defense or special teams through Week 15. Wilson would have been a worthy winner in Week 15 as well, but racking up stats against the Bills isn't always enough. No 49ers player was honored after San Francisco set a franchise record with 621 yards against the Bills in Week 5.

Recapping NFC West honors to this point in the season:

• Week 2: Arizona's Calais Campbell wins defensive honors.
• Week 3: Arizona's Larry Fitzgerald wins offensive honors while Seattle's Chris Clemons wins defensive honors.
• Week 4: San Francisco's Patrick Willis (defense) and St. Louis' Greg Zuerlein (special teams) win honors.
• Week 5: St. Louis punter Johnny Hekker wins special-teams honors.
• Week 7: San Francisco's Andy Lee wins special-teams honors.
• Week 8: San Francisco's Smith wins offensive honors.
• Week 10: Richard Sherman wins defensive honors.
• Week 11: Aldon Smith wins defensive honors.
• Week 12: Janoris Jenkins wins defensive honors.
• Week 13: Greg Zuerlein (special teams) and Wilson (offense) win honors.
• Week 15: Kaepernick wins offensive honors.

Note: The 49ers' Smith was also defensive player of the month for November.

Sacks, passes defensed and interceptions carry different values depending on situations.

A pass defensed to stop the opponent's fourth-down play in the final seconds could mean much more than an interception on a Hail Mary as the second quarter concludes.

I offer that disclaimer before passing along NFL leaders in pass disruptions, defined as total number of sacks, passes defensed and interceptions through Week 14. Some cornerbacks doing excellent work aren't going to have as many opportunities to defend passes, of course. But we still might loosely refer to the totals as reflecting how frequently defenders get their hands on the football to disrupt opposing pass offenses.

The players are ranked by total disruptions as a percentage of their opponents' pass dropbacks.

The NFC West has produced playmaking defensive rookies in 2012.

St. Louis Rams cornerback Janoris Jenkins has three interceptions, two of them returned for touchdowns. He scored another touchdown after picking up a loose ball during an overtime victory over San Francisco. Jenkins' teammate, defensive tackle Michael Brockers, has hit his stride recently after overcoming an ankle injury.

Seattle Seahawks defensive end Bruce Irvin, chosen one spot after Brockers in the first round, has eight sacks through 13 games. His teammate, second-round middle linebacker Bobby Wagner, has three picks and two sacks. He remains on the field for passing downs.

Which ones might be deserving for defensive rookie of the year?

Former NFL linebacker Dave Wyman made his case for Wagner before our conversation Thursday on 710ESPN Seattle. My colleague, NFC South blogger Pat Yasinskas, recently advocated for Carolina's Luke Kuechly.

NFL scouts I've spoken with think Tampa Bay's Lavonte David deserves strong consideration for the award. David has played nearly every defensive snap. He leads the NFL in tackles for loss with 17. Kuechly has 10 and Wagner has 7.5.

» NFC Final Word: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 14:

Seeking divisional breakthrough: The Seattle Seahawks play a divisional game at home for the first time this season when Arizona visits CenturyLink Field. They are 0-3 in NFC West play to this point. That makes the Seahawks one of four teams without a divisional victory this season. Kansas City, Tennessee and Detroit are the others. The Cardinals claimed a 20-16 victory over Seattle in Week 1. Arizona has been outscored by 45 points in NFC West games overall, however. Only the Chiefs (minus-53) and Titans (minus-49) have worse scoring differentials in division play.

Kaepernick on the outside: San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick has thrown three touchdown passes this season, all on passes delivered outside the pocket. He faces a Miami Dolphins defense that ranks 31st in opponents' completion percentage (67.3) and Total QBR (78.9) when defending such throws. Kaepernick could find opportunities on passes outside the yard-line numbers. Two weeks ago, Seattle's Russell Wilson completed 15 of 18 such passes for 167 yards, two touchdowns and a 142.4 NFL passer rating against Miami. Earlier in the season, St. Louis' Sam Bradford completed 16 of 23 such attempts for 221 yards and a 100.1 rating against the Dolphins.

Sack record within reach: The Dolphins will play without injured left tackle Jake Long this week. Long has struggled as a pass protector this season, at least by his standards, but the Dolphins surely would have preferred Long to rookie replacement Jonathan Martin. The 49ers' Aldon Smith leads the NFL in sacks with 17.5, tying Fred Dean's single-season franchise record. Smith needs five sacks to tie Michael Strahan's NFL record for one season. Note that the NFL did not track sacks officially before the 1982 season.

Rams' rookie show: The Rams head to Buffalo with a chance to further showcase a promising rookie draft class. Rams rookies have 1,354 yards from scrimmage this season, the fifth-highest total for any team's 2012 class. The class has scored 39 of the Rams' 47 points during victories over the past two weeks, including three touchdowns from cornerback Janoris Jenkins. Rookie receiver Chris Givens has 16 catches for 207 yards over the past two games. Defensive tackle Michael Brockers hasn't scored points, but he has been increasingly strong against the run. That's a big key for the Rams against the Bills, which rank fourth in rushing yards this season with 1,775.

Wilson milestone near: Seattle's Wilson leads NFL rookies with 19 touchdown passes this season. Peyton Manning (26), Charlie Conerly (22), Cam Newton (21), Andy Dalton (20) and Dan Marino (20) are the only players with more during their rookie seasons. Wilson has nine touchdowns without a pick in his past four games. However, he is facing a Cardinals defense that has traveled well. Arizona picked off Matt Ryan five times in Atlanta. The Cardinals held Tom Brady and the Patriots to 18 points. And while Aaron Rodgers tossed four scoring passes against Arizona, he failed to complete even half his passes. The 49ers' Alex Smith was the lone quarterback to truly torch Arizona's defense this season.

ESPN Stats & Information contributed to this item.