By Bob Condotta

The Seattle Times

Here are three non-Seahawks things to watch around the NFL this weekend.

Does NFC West equal NFC best?

The good news for the Seahawks is that they have gotten off to a 2-0 start for the first time since 2013. The bad news is that the 49ers and Rams are also 2-0, and each favored to win again this week. The 49ers are 6 1/2 -point favorites at home against the Steelers (and yeah, it’ll be interesting to compare how San Fran does against Pittsburgh after blowing out a Cincinnati team last week that the Seahawks struggled to beat Week 1). The Rams are 3-point favorites at Cleveland, and should they win at then would need only beat Tampa Bay at home to be undefeated coming to Seattle on Oct. 3.

Cardinals making headway?

The Arizona Cardinals are bringing up the rear of the NFC West at 0-1-1. But their statistics indicate a team that’s been pretty competitive, with the Kyler Murray-led offense ranking seventh in yards passing (though 21st in yards per attempt at 5.9) and a defense that did enough last week to keep Arizona in it against the Ravens and Lamar Jackson to the very end. Arizona now has a suddenly favorable matchup at home against Carolina, which is likely playing without Cam Newton and has lost nine of its last 10 anyway. Seattle goes to Arizona next Sunday.

Careful what you wish for?

Former WSU quarterback Luke Falk will get the first start of his NFL career Sunday against the Patriots, just a few days after having been promoted from the practice squad. And now he gets to face a player he said was an idol growing up — Tom Brady. But he does so facing the biggest odds in New York Jets history. The Jets are 23-point underdogs Sunday — they have never before been as big of an underdog, according to FootballPerspective.com.