NFC West Notebook: Chris Long nearing return; Drew Stanton cuts dairy from diet
Every Monday and Friday, theScore's NFL editors will bring you a roundup of everything you need to know from around the division with the NFC West Notebook.
Arizona Cardinals
Drew Stanton feeling better since cutting dairy from his diet. The Cardinals' new starting quarterback's dietary change helped him drop 15 pounds, The Arizona Republic reports.
Cardinals' secondary earning comparisons to the "Legion of Boom." No defensive secondary can match the Cardinals' this season, and they'll face another top secondary on Sunday in Seattle, the team's official website reports.
Larry Fitzgerald says ailing knee is "feeling a little better." The Cardinals' receiver's 116 consecutive games streak is in jeopardy, according to Arizona Sports.
San Francisco 49ers
Anquan Boldin keeps making big catches for the 49ers. The intense wideout was expected to see his role decrease with Michael Crabtree's return, but the veteran pass-catcher is still a key contributor, The Examiner reports.
49ers plan rotation for outside linebackers. Aldon Smith's return has forced Ahmad Brooks to the bench, and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio wants to deploy all of his healthy outside linebackers, the San Jose Mercury News reports.
49ers need to avoid Redskins' pass rush. The 49ers are dealing with injuries and inconsistency up front on offense, and now draw the Redskins' 11th-ranked pass rush, according to Niners Nation.
Seattle Seahawks
Seahawks insist there's no Super Bowl jinx. USA TODAY talked to the team about its sluggish journey to the midway point of the season, as Seattle looks to repeat as Super Bowl champions.
Seahawks' Dan Quinn laments missed tackles against Chiefs. The team's defensive coordinator believes all the missed tackles were at the root of the defeat, he told The Seattle Times.
Marshawn Lynch to appeal $100,000 fine. The Seahawks' running back says he was too banged up after Sunday's game to speak with media, even though he'd been threatened with the fine, Seattlepi.com reports.
St. Louis Rams
Chris Long nearing a return to Rams' lineup. The second overall pick in the 2008 draft participated in 11-on-11 drills at Thursday's practice, but head coach Jeff Fisher isn't ready to say when Long will return to game action, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Rams' defense looks to stay on a roll. After a solid performance against the Denver Broncos last week, the Rams' stop-unit hopes to keep the good times going, according to ESPN.
Alec Ogletree overcoming early-season struggles. The light switch flipped on in a big way for the Rams' linebacker, who has gotten back up to speed over the last two weeks, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.