AFC South:
1. Houston Texans
I know, they’ve become everyone’s sleeper playoff pick for the last few years and they’ve never come through. Personally, I have no idea how Gary Kubiak is still coach. But the team got better this offseason. To me, the best acquisition for them was actually Wade Philips. Wade Philips cannot control a team as head coach, but he’s had success as a defensive coordinator in the past, and at one point he made that Dallas team feared on defense and opened up packages to aid DeMarcus Ware in becoming the player he is now. The defense will play a lot better, with DeMeco Ryans back, Brian Cushing playing the entire season, and the additions of Jonathan Joseph and Danieal Manning to a historically bad defensive backfield from last season. I don’t love Mario Williams moving to a standing defensive end position, but I do trust Wade Philips’ judgment defensively. Also, Andre Johnson is the best receiver in the league, Arian Foster broke out last season as one of the best runningbacks, and Matt Schaub can deliver the ball where he wants to most of the time. I think this is the year this franchise makes it to the postseason for the first time, but they need to avoid getting down early in games.
2. Indianapolis Colts
Last year saw a lot of scares if you were a Colts fan. If not for Peyton Manning, they don’t make the playoffs. Not only that, Jacksonville, Houston, and Tennessee all played poorly in the second half of last season after good starts, handing the division to the Colts when they did not necessarily deserve it. Don’t get me wrong, I am not nervous about Peyton Manning missing time following the neck surgery. He won’t have his best year, but we’ll still see him out there on the field. I don’t get a great feeling about the rest of the players outside Reggie Wayne, especially health-wise. The other receivers always seem to miss time, Dallas Clark went down last season, and Robert Mathis seems to always be listed as Questionable or Doubtful on the pre-game injury report. Even Dwight Freeney battles injuries (although he usually plays through them). I also still don’t know what to make of Jim Caldwell as a coach. Manning seems to have bailed him out at many different times the past few seasons when Caldwell may have let the game get out of hand. Overall, I just feel that despite one of the best quarterbacks in the league’s history, the Texans talent top to bottom trumps that of the Colts handily.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars
Well they definitely aren’t the worst team in the division. But how far can David Garrard or an inexperienced (and unproven) Blaine Gabbert take you? My thought is not too far. Yeah, Garrard’s one very good (not great) year was cute, but he doesn’t make enough plays to contend with Peyton Manning and Matt Schaub in this division. And I hate to say this with the giant load that the minute Maurice Jones-Drew carries for this team. The 5-foot-7 back never stops pushing for this team, and he always gives them a chance. But this offense needs more spark than that to get past Houston and Indianapolis. I do like what they did in the offseason on defense, however, adding linebackers Paul Posluszny and Clint Session to nice players like Rashean Mathis and last year’s first round DL Tyson Alualu. So as I said, nice players, but nothing to transcend. Listen Jacksonville, fire Jack Del Rio and give the franchise a fresh start. It’s probably the best thing to do at this point.
4. Tennessee Titans
This hurts. But the division got better and the Titans seemed to run in place. Actually, Matt Hasselbeck is the only reason I’m not fearful of an 0-16 season from my squad in Nashville. Jake Locker trading snaps with Rusty Smith is a recurring nightmare I’ve had since Kerry Collins retired. But I do like the hiring of Mike Munchak, a guy who has the support and backing of his players. The Chris Johnson holdout situation is messy, but he deserves the money and I think the short-armed, deep-pocketed Bud Adams will shell out the money to the only reason Tennessee folks have gone to the stadium and tuned into the games. The worst part going into this season is the departure of defensive line coach Jim Washburn to the Eagles. It might sound surprising to hear one say a position coach is the worst loss for a team, but Washburn has brought the best out of Jevon Kearse, Albert Haynesworth, Kevin Carter, Tony Brown, Jason Babin, Dave Ball, Jason Jones and Jacob Ford. After Kearse, Haynesworth, and Carter departed their careers declined. Before Babin and Ball came to town they were castoffs from other teams. Tony Brown was released following Washburn’s departure. Babin and Ford have since been overpaid after playing under Washburn. It would have been great to see last year’s first round pick Derrick Morgan develop under the eye of Washburn. The Titans do have bright spots, however. With Michael Roos and David Stewart, the Titans are one of the strongest teams at the tackle positions in the league. Michael Griffin and Cortland Finnegan are tough defensive backs who have a tendency of frustrating their opponents., especially Finnegan, as displayed last year in his fight with Andre Johnson. Barrett Ruud is a great addition at linebacker and one of the best at his position in pass coverage and defending receiving tight ends. As a Titans fan I feel I have little reason for hope this season, but I will continue to find the positives, most specifically the development and learning for Jake Locker, watching Hasselbeck’s poise and leadership from the sidelines.
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