The Texans are the clear favorites in the AFC South. As Houston proved last year, they don’t need Mario Williams on defense to be effective. They essentially replaced Williams via the draft with someone better suited to play the outside. Wade Phillips is as brilliant a defensive coordinator as he is an abomination as a head coach. In a twist of fate, it is the offense that may ultimately determine Houston’s fate. Injuries, both serious and chronic, plague Andre Johnson and Matt Schaub. Both should be healthy come week 1- but can they last an entire season?
The Colts (Andrew Luck aside) have a Major-League-Cleveland-Indians kind of feel to them in that I’ve never heard of half these guys and the ones I do know are way past their prime. I do think Luck will have a very productive first year and the Colts will be in attack mode come next off season for big time free agents to help their defense.
Meanwhile, the Titans canned Jeff Fisher and continue to employ immensely talented but perpetually criminal Kenny Britt. Tennessee needs pre holdout Chris Johnson and pre arthritis Matt Hasselbeck to make some noise but it is unlikely either of those guys will coming running out of the tunnel on Sundays.
The Blaine Gabbert pick last year stunk of desperation. He’s a good looking kid who Jags management hoped would pan out and give them a star to market beyond the indifferent confines of Jacksonville. Gabbert looks like the bad guy from a John Hughes movie. He doesn’t need to be great or even good- average would put the Jags in contention for a division run. Jacksonville’s defense ranks among the best in the league and if the additions of Justin Blackmon and Laurent Robinson help Gabbert reach a James Spader type level- the Jags just might surprise us.
No comments:
Post a Comment