Houston Texans Lead Weak AFC South Division

In previewing the 2012 AFC South, one must consider that this could be one of the weakest divisions in the NFL for the upcoming season. There have been mild improvements through the draft for each team, but getting returns from young players is nothing that can be expected in their first seasons.

Additionally, each team suffered some substantial losses through free agency this offseason as well. You must consider that while the Houston Texans may still be the "Top Dog" in this division, each team has something substantial that will make this year tougher than the last.

The Texans, of course, lost Mario Williams to Buffalo, mainly due to a lack of cap space. They come off winning the AFC South at 10-6 last season despite losing the final three games and backing into the playoffs without starting QB Matt Schaub, who was lost in Week 11.  Schaub's loss was immediately followed by the loss of his backup, Matt Leinart, leaving third-stringer TJ Yates under center.

Yates did a serviceable job, but even with the win over Cincinnati and narrow loss to Baltimore in the postseason, the offense took a huge step backwards with Schaub out for the year after his injury. They also had to manage without WR Andre Johnson for nine weeks as injuries played a huge part in the Texan's 2011 season, suffering more than their share.

As you’ll see with the strength and weakness for the Texans, a team can turn its identity around in a hurry. Once known for a passing game that featured Andre Johnson and one of the league’s worst defenses, Houston flipped the script last season with the addition of defensive coordinator Wade Phillips. As Phillips has routinely done as a coordinator, he had an immediate positive impact on what was a miserable defensive performance in 2010 when the Texans allowed 407 points on defense (30th in the league), ranked 30th in total defense, and opposing passers had a cumulative 100.5 passer rating.

In 2011, the Texans improved to fourth in points allowed, second in yards allowed, and their 69.0 Defensive Passer Rating was the second best in football. Even the run defense finished above average (4th in yards allowed, 11th in yards per carry).

Phillips’ 3-4 scheme was aided by better talent than the previous season’s roster. Connor Barwin, a third-year player that became a first-time starter, led the team with 11.5 sacks. First round pick J.J. Watt was an impact rookie on the defensive line. Johnathan Joseph was a key addition at CB from the Bengals, and he made the Pro Bowl. Daniel Manning came from Chicago as an upgrade at safety. Instead of being the team that had to win 35-31 shootouts, the Texans transformed into a run-based team that could rely on the defense to carry them most of the season.

The Texans could repeat as division champs this year again but having to play the AFC East and NFC North will make getting back to the playoffs difficult. It will likely require a sweep within the division to get back to a 10-6 record this year. A strong start will be important with Houston facing several teams early that have issues holding over from last season as they enter play in 2012. The Texans must be considered the favorites to repeat as AFC South Champs at this point, although a strong run into the playoffs seems unlikely.

The Tennessee Titans nearly made the postseason at 9-7 last year, and will be hard-pressed to repeat that having to play a 2nd-place schedule this season against stronger out of division rivals. They somehow managed to lose to the Colts last year when Indy hadn't won a single game to that point. This season has them opening with a very tough slate, facing the Patriots and Chargers in the first two weeks. That is followed with games against the improved Lions and the division champ Texans.

Tennessee will also have to face the Steelers on a short week Thursday game in Week 6. The early slate will likely determine how 2012 will go for this team.

The Titans did address some needs in the draft, but fans shouldn't expect instant results from the picks. The addition of Kamerion Wimbley on defense will help some, as long as they use him correctly in the front. The Raiders couldn't keep him with their own cap space issues, and Tennessee addressed a real need with his signing. Losing Cortland Finnegan however, is a big loss. They did little to shore up the defensive backfield in the offseason.

The Jacksonville Jaguars come into the year with a new owner and coach. They also have to address the quarterback situation once again, as the passing of the torch from David Garrard to Josh McCown and Blaine Gabbert was a disaster. They did add some talent at wideout with the selection of Justin Blackmon from OSU, who was a personal favorite of new ownership and his choice. If Blackmon has no impact, the ownership will have to look inside for answers.

The Jags need help in so many areas that the passing game will likely still be stagnant. They have holes on the offensive line and at the other wideout spot. Jacksonville made kicker Josh Scobee their franchise player, which should give you an idea just how thin the roster is.

The defense held the Jaguars in several games until injuries and being worn down caused a full-on collapse at the end of the year. They can still run the ball with Maurice Jones-Drew, but he wants more money and has threatened a holdout. He had the most carries of any NFL back last season and is wearing down. He did lead the league in yards, however, and remains their only offensive threat.

The Jags finished 5-11 and scored a measly 15 points per game. They will be challenged to improve on those numbers.

The Indianapolis Colts start from scratch after the Peyton Manning era came to a close, finally. He missed the entire 2011 season following several procedures on his neck. The Colts will be rebuilding with a very young team a few years away from postseason contention. The team also bid a cold adieu to about a dozen free agents, including many of the team's most familiar names (Jeff Saturday, Pierre Garcon, Dallas Clark and Joseph Addai among others).

Indy added no big names in free agency and while they did select former Stanford QB with the No. 1 overall pick, only time will tell if he is the savior for this franchise. He has tons of talent and made a huge impact at Stanford, but the speed and size of the NFL will still take some time to get used to.

Even so, he doesn't play cornerback and the Colts gave up a 103.4 Defensive Passer Rating last year. Do not expect much improvement in 2012. They did take three defenders from a solid Ravens defense in free agency, but none were front-line starters. The defensive line still is very thin and the offense will likely have to win shootouts in 2012 to have any chance to improve on last season's record.

A new General Manager, head coach, offensive coordinator and quarterback have changed the face of this franchise as they move into the new season.