NFL Reset: AFC South Outlook for the Upcoming Season Part Two

With the preseason finally underway, it’s almost time for yet another season of football.  It’s the time of year when every team is 0-0 and each team has the chance to win the Super Bowl. (Well, except for the Browns, but we will get to that later.) 

A lot of teams have the potential to make the playoffs so here’s how it might just go down.  Part two of this series looks at the AFC South.

Houston Texans—This might be one of the surprise teams this season. The Texans are hungry for a winning season after their 8-8 finish last season. With one of the top wide receivers in the league and one of the up-and-coming running backs as well, they are looking good on the offensive side of the ball. 

They also added a lot on defense. Through free agency they picked up Cato June and Shaun Cody and through the draft, Brian Cushing and Connor Barwin. 

The Texans play in the AFC South, where basically if you can beat the Colts and the Titans, you have a shot at winning the division. It’s very possible that they could grab a wild card spot and then who knows?  Perhaps another Arizona Cardinals?

Indianapolis Colts—The annual perennial favorite of the division is looking to have another strong year. It always helps when you have one of the best quarterbacks of our generation at the helm in Peyton Manning.

What will be interesting to see is if he will be able to be as productive without his man target of the past few years, Marvin Harrison.  Anthony Gonzalez and Reggie Wayne are really going to have to step up their games to play on his level. 

It will be interesting to see how the running backs will develop this season. Perhaps with a top-level receiver gone, they will rely on the running game more? With Donald Brown being the first-round draft pick, that really adds another back for Manning to hand the ball to.

Jacksonville Jaguars—This is one of the more interesting teams in the AFC last season.  It’s interesting because they have all the talent in the world but for whatever reason, they couldn’t close it out and win games.

They have a talented quarterback in David Garrard and a great running back in Maurice Jones-Drew who had a solid year. However, they only won five games last season and they are going to try and improve on that mark. 

They clearly thought they needed a new offensive line because they took a linemen. They also added Torry Holt, which gives them a veteran wide receiver and a proven No. 1 threat. 

Even with all the talent, they sadly it seems as if they are again doomed for the bottom of the AFC south this season.

Tennessee Titans—Well, the champions of the division are looking as good as they did last season. There are a lot of story lines going on this season however. Everyone is wondering whether or not Vince Young will come back and start.

He has a good shot, and the credentials are there. He can be an explosive playmaker and if they give the Wildcat formation as everybody will this season, then he could be a nice addition. 

Also, the recent offseason clash between the now ex-Smash and Dash will be interesting to see how that plays out this season. One of the two is going to have to get more carries and the other will not be happy. 

However, probably the biggest storyline is going to be the defense.  It was of course the centerpiece of the team last season and they have some big shoes to fill—literally. 

With Haynesworth gone, who will step up and replace him?  It will be tough but they will get it done. This team will defiantly compete again to win the AFC South but, will they get past the first round this season? Only time will tell.