AFC South Preview

Indianapolis Colts rookie QB Andrew Luck

It can be argued that QB Peyton Manning should've gotten a considerable amount of MVP votes for the performance of the Indianapolis Colts last season. Manning never touched the field after attempting to rehab two offseason neck surgeries. In the 2010 season, the Colts won the division with a 10-6 record with Manning, a four-time NFL MVP. Last season without Manning, it all came apart when they lost their first 13 games before finishing 2-14. This resulted in the Colts receiving the #1 pick and selecting Stanford's QB Andrew Luck.

This division may be a tricky one because of all the uncertainties. The Houston Texans, last year's division champions, are the favorites to win again. However, they may have a couple of issues that may affect them during the season. The big question in Houston concerns QB Matt Schaub. Most experts feel the Texans need Schaub healthy for the season to compete for the division title and a potential Super Bowl berth. Schaub has struggled to play all 16 games in a season since the Texans acquired him in 2007.

Houston Texans RB Arian Foster

The Tennessee Titans have decided to go with QB Jake Locker over veteran QB Matt Hasselbeck. Hasselbeck led the Titans last season to a surprising 9-7 season, and could've made the playoffs with some help on the final day of the season. The Titans now want to go with who they hope to be their quarterback of the future in Locker. This can turn out to be a solid move, or the Titans will struggle as Locker adjusts to being a starter in the NFL.

The Jacksonville Jaguars struggled in a lot of areas last season en route to a 5-11 record. The Jaguars surprised most people by releasing QB David Garrard in camp, electing to go with QB Luke McCown as the starter. Jack Del Rio made the same move in 2007 when he decided to cut QB Byron Leftwich in favor of Garrard. This move worked out very well for the Jaguars, as Garrard led them to a 11-5 record and a playoff win at Pittsburgh. Last season, however, the move backfired as McCown was awful and was quickly benched in favor of QB Blaine Gabbert, who was their first-round pick.

Jacksonville Jaguars QB Blaine Gabbert

The Jaguars are hoping Oklahoma St.'s WR Justin Blackmon, their first-round pick in this year's draft, can be the target Gabbert can rely on for years to come. Blackmon has gone through off the field issues in the past, so his behavior is something the team will monitor. The Dallas Cowboys are going through the same with another Oklahoma St. wide receiver in WR Dez Bryant. If Gabbert can develop a connection with Blackmon, the Jaguars can surprise a lot of people this upcoming season.

The Colts are probably the one team that is very hard to predict. Luck has shown a lot of poise and has made very good decisions in the pocket so far. However, when the games count, how well will Luck perform under an enormous amount of pressure? The Colts have a new coaching regime with former Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano as the new head coach, and former Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Bruce Arians as the new offensive coordinator. How well will the Colts play in their new 3-4 defensive scheme will be a big question, which for Colts fans, can be answered with a bang.

Tennessee Titans QB Jake Locker

If Schaub can stay healthy for the Texans, they should be able to win this division. However, it'll be interesting if the Titans, Jaguars and Colts can surprise and make a run for the playoffs. There are positives that each team can look to and build upon. Each team has young franchise quarterbacks where they can build off of for the next five to ten years. The Jaguars and Colts have new coaching regimes as well so it'll figure to be an interesting division race.

Predictions

Houston Texans 10-6
Indianapolis Colts 8-8
Jacksonville Jaguars 7-9
Tennessee Titans 5-11