NFL
Divisional Breakdowns: AFC South
By Jake Bailey,
TheSportsStand.com (8/10/07)
With the NFL season fast approaching, it's time to preview the upcoming season by breaking down each team. This article will be the sixth of the eight part series brought to you by TheSportsStand.com. Article sixth will deal with the AFC South. This will be the end of the AFC previews.
1. Indianapolis Colts: The Super Bowl Champions of 2007. Need I
say more. This team expressed dominance throughout the season last
year, and I see no reason why they shouldn't do well this year. They
have the best QB and offensive coordinator at the line in Peyto
n
Manning. He directs the offense brilliantly and seamlessly. The
receivers of last year will be back. They have a killer combination
with Marvin Harrison, who I think is the best route runner in the league,
and Reggie Wayne, who I think could be a number one on many teams.
Both have been with Manning for numerous years and have a great chemistry.
The timing on their pass routes will be a threat for all. All eyes
will be on Joseph Addai to see if he can handle the load of being the number
one RB. I think he can do it. I also foresee him being a threat
in the passing game. The big question mark is in the loss of Tarik
Glenn and who will replace him. Rookie Tony Ugoh is the current
replacement and has not looked good in pre-season thus far. Look for
teams with perennial all-pro defensive linemen and linebackers attack this
weak spot. Manning was rarely seen dirtied up last year and hit.
If teams can disrupt his timing and protection, history has shown that
Manning is not the same QB. The defense does not look good again.
Many teams easily ran through this team. The Colts are definetly a
finesse team. If teams can hit hard an
d
physically wear the Colts out, they will find that they can hang with this
great team.
2. Jacksonville Jaguars: This team has a lot of potential. Why you ask? Their defense is quite good. Their defense will get them places this year. They have a freak of nature on the defensive line in John Henderson as an emotional leader. I mean, the guy's pre-game ritual is to get slapped. I'd be scared too. The defense has been strong and Head Coach Jack Del Rio will keep it that way. The offense is very weak, however. They are weak in all aspects, except RB, where they have Fred Taylor and Maurice-Jones Drew. Both will produce, but they will have a tough time when teams hone in on them and them alone. With no other offensive threats, the Jags defense will have to step up. This team, despite lack of talent, always seems to do pretty well, so I wouldn't count this team down for the count. They also have a weak division, aside from the Colts, so a second place finish and a possible Wild Card birth is not out of the question.
3. Tennessee Titans: This team has possibly the most controversial
player this off-season, aside from Michael Vick aka Ron Mexico. Adam "Pacman"
Jones has been accused of many crimes (many say he's been arre
sted
for six), and as he himself says, "I've only been arrested twice".
There is no doubt that he has great potential, but he took a step down the
wrong path. He's been suspended for a while, so the Titans will have
to do without him. They have a decent defense, with Keith Bulluck
leading it. Their offense is extremely weak however. It's much
weaker than last year, when they finished pretty well. They have the
2007 Offensive Rookie of the Year in Vince Young, and he has shown great
potential. He could have had a really good season, but the Titans took
a step back. They had a very poor draft, and did not surround VY with
any weapons. They lost a pretty good RB in Travis Henry. Their
WRs don't pose much of a threat, nor do their TEs. They took a step
back this year, despite performing well. This team, however, is very
well-coached in Jeff Fisher, so this team definitely will be well-prepared.
4. Houston Texans: This team has a lot of potential. Their
offense could be great
because
they have a great offensive mind in Gary Kubiak, their head coach. RB
Ahman Green should bolster a previously weak rushing attack. Veteran
receivers in Andre Johnson and Keenan McCardell should help, as well as
provide leadership. Their defense performed adequately last year.
They have a lot of young talent on it, and I look for it to be good in the
future. Notable names are DeMeco Ryans and Mario Williams. Their
true weakness lies in their offensive line. Most of David Carr's NFL
career has been spent with him staring at the sky. They got rid of
him. Now it's time for Matt Schuab, a highly touted former backup, to
shine. The Falcons are probably bashing their heads senselessly
against a brick wall for letting him go with the current situation, but
alas, I digress. Schuab has done well in his limited playing time so
far, and the Texans hope that this will continue. The weak offensive
line could be a problem for him. Until the Texans can fix that, I
think they will continue to be around the bottom of the NFL.
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