SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

2006 record: 9-7

Outlook: Injuries hurt the Seahawks in '06, but they still managed to win their third West title in a row. The division is better now; are the Seahawks?

Best-case scenario: QB Matt Hasselbeck and RB Shaun Alexander stay healthy, reigniting an offense that tumbled to No. 19 overall last year.

Worst-case scenario: The mediocrity that the Seahawks displayed last season, a year after reaching the Super Bowl, turns out to be more fact than fiction.

Parting shot: Seattle lost more in the offseason than it gained and could fall behind in an improved division.

2007 schedule

Sept. 9 Tampa Bay, 2:15 p.m.

Sept. 16 at Arizona, 2:05 p.m.

Sept. 23 Cincinnati, 2:05 p.m.

Sept. 30 at San Francisco, 2:05 p.m.

Oct. 7 at Pittsburgh, 11 a.m.

Oct. 14 New Orleans, 6:15 p.m.

Oct. 21 St. Louis, 2:15 p.m.

Oct. 28 BYE

Nov. 4 at Cleveland, 2:05 p.m.

Nov. 12 San Francisco, 6:30 p.m.

Nov. 18 Chicago, 6:15 p.m.

Nov. 25 at St. Louis, 11 a.m.

Dec. 2 at Philadelphia, 11 a.m.

Dec. 9 Arizona, 2:05 p.m.

Dec. 16 at Carolina, 11 a.m.

Dec. 23 Baltimore, 2:15 p.m.

Dec. 30 at Atlanta, 11 a.m.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

2006 record: 7-9

Outlook: The club spent oodles of dollars adding eight potential new starters as Frisco tries to continue its upward march.

Best-case scenario: QB Alex Smith continues to improve, RB Frank Gore has another eye-popping season and the revamped defense is stout.

Worst-case scenario: The offseason moves don't pay off as expected, and the 49ers' progress comes to a screeching halt.

Parting shot: The 49ers could be 3-0 in the division after the first month and force the rest of the West to catch up.

2007 schedule

Sept. 10 Arizona, 7:15 p.m.

Sept. 16 at St. Louis, 11 a.m.

Sept. 23 at Pittsburgh, 11 a.m.

Sept. 30 Seattle, 2:05 p.m.