Long regarded as one of the weakest division in the NFL, the AFC South now boasts several exciting squads. This division’s title race could be one of the most exciting ones of the season.
Jacksonville Jaguars
The big question is: Can the Jags find the same form they did last season that had them only minutes away from a Super Bowl appearance? They have added depth, talent and skill in all the right places. This young team is now a year older and has grown as one.
Quarterback Blake Bortles needs to improve on last season’s poor interception rate. He has the flair to lead this franchise for years to come.
Sensational running back Leonard Fournette rushed by over 1000 yards and nine touchdowns in 2017. Can he improve again, or will he suffer from second-year syndrome?
The Jags are full of offensive talent. Wide receivers Donte Moncrief and Marqise Lee will share a lot of the load from Fournette, but they are nothing compared to the abilities of the defensive line.
Ranked second overall in 2017, this defence is a scary prospect for any team to face. Names like Calais Campbell, Malik Jackson, Telvin Smith, Barry Church and AJ Bouye will send fear into any opposition.
They will again be tough to get past in 2018.
Crucial player: cornerback Jalen Ramsey
In only his third year of professional football this kid is one of the best aerial defenders in the game. He will challenge every wide receiver he faces and will make for good viewing this season.
Keep an eye on: DJ Chark
The Louisiana State University wide receiver was taking with the 61st overall pick in this year’s draft. Expect him to have a huge say in the Jags offence.
Predicted finish: 12-4 Division champions
This team will go a long way in 2018. Look for them to push for a Super Bowl berth.
Houston Texans
Injury and inconsistency ruined the Texans chances in 2017. All reports from training camp are good. Almost everyone is fit and healthy and chasing an improved record in 2018.
One of the best defences on paper struggled to live up to the hype last season and will need to step up and be counted if they are to make the play-offs this season.
Romeo Crennel is back as the defensive coordinator for 2018. He brings an aggressiveness that every defence needs. This will improve the hardness of the Texans.
With names like Tyron Mathieu, Jadeveon Clowney and sack machine Whitney Mercilus, this defence will be hard to run over. These guys will come at you all day.
Deshaun Watson is arguably the best dual-threat quarterback in the game. He has leg speed and directional changes that some running backs don’t have. This guy is dangerous with the football in hand. If there are no options to throw, he is happy to run himself – and boy does he run.
Guards Zach Fulton and Senio Kelemete will have the first crack at protecting Watson in 2018. Let’s hope they can hold the defence up so we can see Watson at his best.
He is spoilt for choice when it comes to receivers and backs to include in plays – DeAndre Hopkins will again grace the left edge with Will Fuller on the right.
As for running back options, Lamar Miller and D’Onta Foreman will take the bulk of the work, with Alfred Blue expected to work with the special teams.
Crucial player: JJ Watt
After ending his 2017 season early due to injury, Watt is back and the fittest we have ever seen him. He will wreak havoc on quarterbacks in 2018.
Keep an eye on: Team-wide injuries
The Texans seem to get more than their fair share of season-ending injuries. Keep an eye on the team lists week to week. Stay fit and this team will go a long way.
Personnel changes
Romeo Crennel returns as defensive coordinator and will bring aggression back to the defence.
Predicted finish: 9-7 wildcard
The Texans will get a spot in the playoffs this season through the wildcard weekend.
(Jeffrey Beall / Wikimedia Commons)
Tennessee Titans
In one of the most evenly matched divisions in football the Tennessee Titans will need to improve on last season to have a say in the standings for the AFC South.
For a team that was mid-table in every defensive stat in 2017, they haven’t added a lot of talent like you would expect.
Former Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler comes into the side fresh from his benching in Super Bowl 52. They will be without safety Johnathan Cyprien, who has been placed on the injured reserve list to start the season.
Marcus Mariota is a good quarterback but needs to be unbelievable for them to progress from this division. He has enough talent around him and will be protected from his offensive line.
Wide receivers Taywan Taylor and Corey Davis will help to take the load off Mariota, as will dynamic running back Derrick Henry, who lit up the NFL in his first two seasons.
The ever-reliable Delanie Walker slots in at tight end again for his 13th season in the league.
Crucial player: Rashaan Evans
For this defence to fire, Linebacker Evans needs to be a leader. Only time will tell if he can carry this team to the play-offs.
Keep an eye on: Marcus Mariota
This is his third season. Season one was fire, season two was a dumpster fire. He needs to get back to his early form, otherwise it will be a long year for the Titans faithful.
Personnel changes
Several coaching changes, most notably Matt LaFleur, offensive coordinator, and Dean Pees, defensive coordinator.
Predicted finish: 9-7
They will miss out on a wildcard to fellow AFC south team the Texans.
[latest_videos_strip]
Indianapolis Colts
After nearly a full season on the sidelines we are finally about to see quarterback Andrew Luck return to the field in a Colts jersey.
The injury to the shoulder of his throwing arm occurred nearly three years ago and has taken multiple surgeries to repair, but it seems now that Luck is fit and healthy and will start the season in the blue and white.
It’s hard to remember how good this team was with Luck at the helm, but they can’t be as bad as they were under Jacoby Brissett. Luck has been a solid quarterback for his entire career, but only time will tell if he can still sling it with the best of them.
The Colts have built a solid team around him over the years and improved that again in the off-season. Ty Hilton and Ryan Grant play wide with Marlon Mack getting the first crack at the running back position.
Luck will look for short slanting plays to ease himself back into the game. Look for Eric Ebron and Jack Doyle to get a lot of touches from the tight end role.
Crucial player: Malik Hooker
As safety Malik is is the backbone of the defensive and will again need to shine if they are to win a few games.
Keep an eye on: Quenton Nelson
The Colts used their first-round draft pick to take Nelson from Notre Dame. They have high hopes for this young guard. Let’s see if they are right.
Personnel changes
Frank Reich has come in as head coach with over 30 years of experience as a player and coach at senior level.
Predicted Finish: 3-13
It’s going to be a long season for Colts fans. – though if Luck can fire, this may change.
GFH
Roar Rookie
Jags - legit. They're going to win the same way the 2015 Denver Broncos did - hide the QB, run the ball, play punishing defence. Fortunately they play in a division where those other offences have spent the last few years misfiring. Football doesn't have to be won pretty - grinding teams into dust works too. 11-5 Texans - underrated. Watson was much better on paper than his tape shows - would probably have lead the league in picks if he stayed healthy and didn't have Hopkins bailing him out. Front 7 will run riot if they can stop taking turns on the trainer's table. Schedule is a dream after opener v New England. O-line 3nd worst behind Seattle and Minnesota. 8-8 Titans - entering the realm of 2017 Jags and early 2010's Bengals, aka team will go as far as Mariota will take them. He hasn't looked the same since ankle injury - another one of those QBs who regressed when mobility is taken away and forced to play from the pocket. Bold prediction: Dion Lewis has more yards from scrimmage this year than Derrick Henry. 6-10. Colts - competing with Miami for worst roster in football. Skill positions anaemic for all participants not named TY Hilton; relying on re-tred Eric Ebron to be RZ threat. Desperately need recent draft picks to step up; Nelson is unbustable, others need similar. If Luck does not come as advertised, it will be another long year in Indiana. 3-13.
Aem
Guest
This seems to me to be the most open division in the NFL for 2018. I have no real idea who is going to place where. 12-4 for a team with one of the worst QBs in the league, and who this year (unlike last - when they only went 10-6) has to play both Andrew Luck and Deshaun Watson? I'll take the under :P - on a serious note though, whoever didn't take a punt on either Teddy Bridgewater in free agency or Lamar Jackson/Kyle Lauletta in the draft (or do both!) at Jacksonville in favour of paying Bortles on a multi-year commitment needs to take a good, hard look at themselves. I expect Luck, Frank Reich and a new o-line (plus a couple of quality TE receiving options in addition to TY Hilton) will pull the Colts up a lot further than projected. Tennessee looks like a really well put together roster... with question marks at QB (Mariota is good, can he be great?) and WR (if Corey Davis steps up though....) - two high value areas. I'm guessing they're a shot to steal this division. Houston... who knows. Can JJ Watt be trusted to stay on the field anymore? Watson coming off a major knee injury (and not his first)... I'm expecting him to be good, but not the fireworks we saw briefly last season - in part because that o-line is utter trash. They had a bottom 2 line last season... so what do they do? Trade their only quality starter to the one team with a worse line than theirs. Fulton looks ok, Martin... maybe? Henderson is a huge reach, Davenport doesn't look up to anything, Johnson couldn't beat out Shon Coleman or Spencer Drango at Cleveland last year, and nobody else looks up to it - and only one draft pick invested, Rankin. That's mis-management. If I were Watson, I'd be furious. They didn't even try. As for their defence... lots of guys coming back from injuries so who knows - quality is there though, in Mercilus, Clowney, Watt, Mathieu etc etc. Could win the division, could be dead last.