AFC South preview

By Tommy Dutch
Don Best Associate Editor

The AFC South will be one of the most competitive divisions in the league. The Colts are on a short list of teams capable of winning the Super Bowl, while the Jaguars and Titans believe they can take the next step forward and become a contender. The Texans are improved teams with the potential to make a playoff push.

Indianapolis Colts
Projected Record: 12-4

As long as Tony Dungy (73-23 with Colts) is strolling the sideline and Peyton Manning is calling the signals, the Colts will be a championship contender. However, the road is tough for the Colts this season. Indianapolis faces eight teams which went to the playoffs last season and has several key members of the team attempting to recover from injury.

The class of the South has won five straight division titles with at least 12 victories in each of those seasons but has only raised one Super Bowl championship banner to date. The Colts are 21-0 in September and October since 2005 and seem to have a favorable early season schedule again. November will determine the Colts' playoff seed when Indianapolis plays New England, at Pittsburgh, Houston, at San Diego and Cleveland.

Peyton Manning is one of the best in the business. He has the most touchdown passes (306) and yards passing (41,626) of any quarterback in the history of the league through the first 10 years of a career. The offense has many talented players, but Manning's quick release and outstanding decision making makes the unit unstoppable at times.

Joseph Addai is once again the first option out of the backfield. The feature back's production dropped slightly in his second year but he was still rewarded with a trip to the Pro Bowl. Addai rushed for 12 touchdowns and caught three more but should improve on his 4.1 yards per carry he tallied last season. Former Colt Dominic Rhodes was signed after a one year hiatus with the Raiders to back up Addai.

A healthy Marvin Harrison will give the Colts one of the best receiving corps in the league. Harrison missed the final 10 regular season games and was ineffective in the playoff loss to San Diego due to injury. The wideout was held out of the first preseason game but is expected to be 100 percent in time for the season opener.

Reggie Wayne will technically be the No. 2 receiver despite leading the league with 1,510 yards a season ago. A healthy Wayne and Harrison create a nightmare scenario for opposing secondaries. Second-year slot receiver Anthony Gonzalez and tight end Dallas Clark are also valuable down-field options for Manning.

Defensive ends Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis missed much of last season with injuries and the pass rush suffered immensely. Linebacker Gary Brackett is the caption of the defense which was third in the league allowing 279.9 yards per game. Safety and NFL Defensive Player of the Year Bob Sanders will lead the way in the Colts secondary.

Indianapolis may have a more difficult time than usual reaching the 12 win mark but the Colts will be excellent once again. Indianapolis will be playing in January and if the team stays healthy, it could make a return trip to the Super Bowl.

Jacksonville Jaguars
Projected Record: 10-6

The Jaguars won 11 regular season games and defeated the Steelers on the road in the playoffs. It was a great year but the Jags think this season can be even better.

They improved their pass rush in the draft and feel all the components are there to compete with the Colts and the Patriots of the world. Jacksonville is 1-8 against Indianapolis and New England during the last three years, while cruising to an impressive 31-11 record against the rest of the league.

The running game drives the offense but keeping David Garrard healthy is of paramount importance. The blue collar quarterback had the third highest rating in the league last season, throwing 18 touchdowns with only three interceptions. He was rewarded with a six-year contract and is clearly the Jaguars' guy for years to come.

Running backs Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew combined for 1,970 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns. Garrard is also capable of pulling the ball down and taking off. The Jaguars were second in the league in rushing yards and should be near the top again.

Garrard has a few good receivers to throw to but lacks the prototypical No. 1 guy. Jerry Porter was signed via free agency to become a down-field threat but his effectiveness is questionable at best. Dennis Northcutt, Reggie Williams and the newly acquired Troy Williamson will be Garrard's other targets.

Jacksonville believes it can contend this year and traded five draft picks to trade up in the first two rounds to select pass rushers Derrick Harvey and Quetin Groves. The Jaguars' defense ranks fourth in the league in yards and points allowed since Jack Del Rio became coach in 2003. The Jags now have the pass rush to make the defense complete.

The linebacking corps is tremendously talented. Mike Peterson is the leading tackler and team leader. Daryl Smith, Clint Ingram and Justin Durant will fill in to complete the stingy middle row. Rashean Mathis is the leader of the secondary. Mathis struggled with injuries last season and should return to his Pro Bowl self. Cornerback Drayton Florence was picked up via free agency to solidify the pass defense.

Jacksonville is a very good team which may be on the verge of being a great team. Making the next step and contending for a Super Bowl seems like a stretch only because the Jaguars play in the AFC. If Garrard continues to improve, the Jags could battle the Colts for the division title.

Tennessee Titans
Projected Record: 9-7

It's the 10th year the Titans have been in existence and Jeff Fisher is the only man to coach the team. Fisher has taken the team to the playoffs in five of the nine seasons including a 17-6 loss at San Diego last season.

Tennessee was young and overachieved last season and has now brought in a slew of talent. The Titans are in a strong division but they feel they can contend with the Colts and Jaguars.

Vince Young was spectacular as a rookie winning the Offensive Rookie of the Year but took a step backward in his second season battling injuries and defensive schemes which had adjusted to his abilities. However, he still led the Titans to the playoffs and is now 17-11 as a starter.

Young may benefit from the guidance of first-year offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger. Fisher calls Heimerdinger "the best playcaller, (he has) ever been around." Young is at his best when moving around out of the pocket and will have more playmakers around him this season.

Lendale White leads the Titans' powerful ground game. The 235-pound former USC star rushed for 1,110 yards in his first season as a starter. Tennessee is excited to add first-round draft pick Chris Johnson into the mix. The speedster led the NCAA in all purpose yards last season at East Carolina with 227.69 per contest. The electric athlete may be used as a runner, receiver and return man.

Tight end Alge Crumpler signed with Tennessee after seven seasons in Atlanta to give Young another valuable target. The wide receiver corps has no stars but is deep and competitive. Veteran Justin McCareins has returned to the Titans from the Jets. Justin Gage and Roydell Williams tied for the team lead in catches with 55 and they each return.

Defensively, Tennessee has the potential to have one of the most dominating units in the AFC. DE Kyle Vanden Bosch and DT Albert Haynesworth are both Pro Bowlers with the ability to dominate their opponent and get to the quarterback.

Former Titans' legend Javon Kearse has rejoined the team after spending four years in Philadelphia. The former Defensive Rookie of the Year struggled with injuries as an Eagle but is now back on soil he once dominated.

Keith Bullock and David Thornton lead a solid corps of linebackers and the defensive backs are outstanding. S Chris Hope is a force when healthy and second-year S Michael Griffen picked off three passes in the final five games after shifting from cornerback. CB Cortland Finnegan is quickly becoming dominant in coverage.

Fisher's system is in place and he demands execution. There is enough talent on the team to make another push to the playoffs, but Tennessee will have a difficult time running with the top teams in the conference. This team will be in just about every game all season and may have the character to find an extended string of victories.

Houston Texans
Projected Record: 6-10

The Texans are clearly an improving team but will struggle to get out of last place in their extremely competitive division. Last season's 8-8 finish was the best in the team's six-year history and the Texans may have become more seasoned in the offseason. However, the team didn't sign any big names and hasn't drastically improved at any one position.

A quarterback controversy is brewing in the Lone Star State. Second-year starter Matt Schaub was disappointing last season missing five games due to injury and leaving four more early. Schaub has the tools to be successful but is slow of foot and the team needs to do a better job protecting him in order for him to thrive.

Back-up Sage Rosenfels won four of his five starts last season and appears to have a better grasp of the offense than Schaub. Coach Gary Kubiak insists Schaub is his starting quarterback but we'll see what he thinks in late September.

Establishing an effective running game is the most important element to a successful Texans' season. Three backs will see considerable playing time. Ahman Green should get the most touches but Chris Brown provides more experience and is expected to get his share of carries.

Rookie Steve Slayton gives the Titans some raw playmaking ability the team has lacked since its inception. The ground game must improve in order to open things up and make Schaub more comfortable in the offense.

The team has a talented corps of receivers. Two-time Pro Bowler Andre Johnson missed seven games last season but led the league with over 94 yards per game. Kevin Walker is a solid No. 2 guy and Andre Davis averaged 17.7 yards per catch in 2007.

The Texans' defensive line will be asked to do a lot. It must contain the run and get to the quarterback in order to protect an inexperienced secondary. DE Mario Williams (14 sacks) and second-year DT Amobi Okoye will lead the way up front. Pro Bowl LB DeMarco Ryans is the leader of the defense and heads a sufficient group of linebackers.

Defensive back is an issue. CB Dunta Robinson will miss a considerable portion of the season with a leg injury and there is little other experience on the roster. They have several young and athletic guys competing for starting spots and some of them have to step up.

Coach Gary Kubiak has playoff hopes but this team is trapped in the wrong division. A quarterback controversy is likely, the running game needs to be established, and the secondary could be a nightmare.

Check out our NFL odds and NFL season previews