NFL
By: Mark T. Wilson
The AFC South is much like the NFC South in terms of teams hitting the reset button. The Houston Texans are doing an overhaul as well as the Indianapolis Colts. The Tennessee Titans are sticking with their older core while the Jacksonville Jaguars appear to be the crème of the crop. who will come out on top in 2023?
The Jaguars appear ready to make a run at the playoffs again and keep the AFC South crown but the Titans will not go down without a fight. with their veteran core, anything is possible. The Colts and Texans will weather through severe growing pains this season as they usher in rookie QBs.
Indianapolis Colts
Prior to last week, the Indianapolis Colts would have been in 3rd place. However, following the news that they decided to let Jonathan Taylor seek a trade, that knocked this rebuilding team to the bottom of the AFC South. The Colts are going with a youth movement on the offensive side of the ball. With that, they’re destined to have growing pains that will equal possibly the worst record in the NFL this season.
Taylor has been the Colts’ offense. With rookie Anthony Richardson slated to begin the season as QB1, things will get worse before they get better. But if there is no Taylor to help relieve the pressure off the first-year signal caller, the Colts will be in for a long season. On the outside, the receivers must play like seasoned vets with a paycheck on the line.
The defense of the Colts ranked last in the AFC in Points Allowed. There needs to be improvements all the way around on this team and not just with the offense. Last season, the Colts surrendered 25.1 points per game. If they can cut down on the blown coverages, the defense has a chance to put the offense in good field position.
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans have hit the reset button and will be looking at rookies and younger players to help get them back on track. To say they had a good draft in 2023 would be an understatement. The Texans snagged Ohio State QB CJ Stroud while also grabbing Will Anderson in the first round. The Texans’ success will depend on both players being ready to contribute early in the AFC South.
Stroud does have a few weapons at his disposal with Dameon Pierce at RB who rushed for 939 as a rookie last season. As far as pass catchers go, Stround will have a mixture of veterans and youth especially after the Texans signed Dalton Schultz and Noah Brown away from the Dallas Cowboys this offseason and retained Robert Woods to pair with John Meetchie. Picking up yards should not be a problem.
The defense needs help and the Texans made a few moves to help remedy that issue. Last season, the Texans ranked 32nd in Rushing Yards allowed. With Anderson in the fold, he should shore up the defense but he does need help. Losing Jonathan Owens in free agency was a huge blow but that happens when a team goes through a rebuilding stage.
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans found a band-aid for one more season, at least with the signing of DeAndre Hopkins. For some strange reason, the Titans have refused to not to trade Ryan Tannehill or Derrick Henry. Drafting Will Lewis in the first round in 2023 was the first step in a new direction. While the Tannehill and Henry era may still be a bit productive, it’s never too late to start thinking about the future at all positions.
Now, that’s not to say that a fire couldn’t be lit under both players. Tannehill will need better production from his receivers if this experiment or last hurrah is to work for the Titans this season. Henry is still a force but at the age of 30, how much does he have left in the tank? The Titans will need to start their movement sometime this season and letting go of fan favorites will be hard but it will also be wise to do.
Who Will Win The AFC South
During any rebuild, both sides of the ball will have to be built from the ground up. While the Jacksonville Jaguars appear to be the only team in the AFC South with an offense capable of putting up 30+ points weekly, the Titans have no match on the defensive end. Last season, they surrendered 24.7 and with a youth movement, we should expect that number to remain the same for the 23-24 season.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Doug Pederson has this team rolling in the AFC South. Following a 9-8 season, coupled with a playoff berth, the Jacksonville Jaguars turned heads as they progressed sooner than most people thought. What’s also scary is the talent they have on the offensive end. Led by Trevor Lawrence at QB, Travis Etienne at RB, the Jaguars will be on the attack. But where they faltered last season just a bit was at their receiving posting, but not anymore. With Calvin Ridley back from suspension, to pair with Christian Kirk and Zay Jones, expect the Jags to score points almost at will.
A few weeks ago, this was their division. However, with the Titans snagging Hopkins, the Jags should expect a dogfight for the crown. The Jags will easily have the best offense in the South with their core.
Defensively, every team in the NFL needs some work. For a young squad like Jacksonville, it’s all about trusting your teammates and knowing your place. Led by a unit that produced just 35 sacks on the year, there needs to be some consistency in place. While no QBs in the AFC South screams Hurts or Jackson, this is a prime time to increase their numbers across the board.
