AFC South .. that cake looks to be turning to mud

[Hookem Horns]

Once figured to be a cake walk (for the Texans) it's starting to look more like a walk through mud. This division is going to be more difficult than originally thought by most.

Colts - Sure Luck is a rookie but he already looks better than many NFL starters. The way he bounced back vs the Steelers spoke volumes. The Colts as a team look much stronger in general and could surprise everyone this season. I think the Texans are going to have their hands full with this team. Heck they lost to them last season with Dan Orlovsky at the helm.

Jags - Another team looking much improved in the preseason. I didn't think Gabbert would ever pan out however I could be wrong. Sure it's preseason so I don't look at wins and losses but the Jags have looked pretty good when their starters have played. They are putting up points so far. I can see the Texans dropping 1 of 2 to these guys this season.

Titans - Living near Tampa I watched them vs the Bucs. Chris Johnson looked real sharp. Defensively they looked decent too. The obvious weakness of this team is at QB. Jake Locker looked pretty bad and Hasselback didn't look much better vs the Bucs scrubs. Because of this the Titans could take a step back this season from 9-7.

[The Medic01]

Luck has only had two preseason games and has no team around him. Gabbie has also only done well in two preseason games.

[Thorn]

Teams are different from year to year, which is why so many predictions are always wrong. But despite it looking like the AFC South will be more difficult than some imagined, I'm not budging from my initial belief, and that is it's another AFC South Championship for the Texans this year.

[Playoffs]

Colts, Jags, Titan all sucked bad last year. By default, they had to get better. Good. I'd like to see the AFC South get stronger.

I don't care who the opponent is, division games in NFL are tough. Nothing is handed to you.

[jaayteetx]

It's preseason, let's see how the division looks around, say, October.

[Stemp]

Originally Posted by Hookem Horns

Once figured to be a cake walk (for the Texans) it's starting to look more like a walk through mud. This division is going to be more difficult than originally thought by most.

Colts - Sure Luck is a rookie but he already looks better than many NFL starters. The way he bounced back vs the Steelers spoke volumes. The Colts as a team look much stronger in general and could surprise everyone this season. I think the Texans are going to have their hands full with this team. Heck they lost to them last season with Dan Orlovsky at the helm.

Jags - Another team looking much improved in the preseason. I didn't think Gabbert would ever pan out however I could be wrong. Sure it's preseason so I don't look at wins and losses but the Jags have looked pretty good when their starters have played. They are putting up points so far. I can see the Texans dropping 1 of 2 to these guys this season.

Titans - Living near Tampa I watched them vs the Bucs. Chris Johnson looked real sharp. Defensively they looked decent too. The obvious weakness of this team is at QB. Jake Locker looked pretty bad and Hasselback didn't look much better vs the Bucs scrubs. Because of this the Titans could take a step back this season from 9-7.

Keep in mind that all this is happening against base defenses and without teams scheming. When teams are looking to actually win and not just evaluate the players, the real talent or lack-thereof will start to show.

[Norg]

my gwad people are all ready to crown Luck has better then peyton manning and he has not even played 1 NFL game yet ...and on paper the colts team around him is straight trash

and we all know about the titans and jags D there pretty good but just like last year can there offensives keep up with Us

Is locker and Sunshine going to throw up 27+ points on us ????

[LikeMike]

Originally Posted by The Medic01

Luck has only had two preseason games and has no team around him. Gabbie has also only done well in two preseason games.

I dont agree with the no team around him part. His oline looked great against the Steelers, and their defense didnt look too shabby either. You can see that this is a different team than last year - and they have a different mindset. I still think they tanked last year and I totally expect them to get 6-9 wins this year.

[Lucky]

Three teams in the AFC South have potential. One team is built to win now. That team is the Houston Texans. Not coming away with the division crown in 2012 would be a bitter disappointment. Just can't see it happening.

[Hookem Horns]

Originally Posted by Lucky

Three teams in the AFC South have potential. One team is built to win now. That team is the Houston Texans. Not coming away with the division crown in 2012 would be a bitter disappointment. Just can't see it happening.

I agree. I am not saying that the Texans aren't the favorites. However these teams aren't going to be as bad as many are thinking. In other words 9 wins may not get it done.

[SheTexan]

NEVER underestimate the underdog!!!

[b0ng]

Originally Posted by LikeMike

I dont agree with the no team around him part. His oline looked great against the Steelers, and their defense didnt look too shabby either. You can see that this is a different team than last year - and they have a different mindset. I still think they tanked last year and I totally expect them to get 6-9 wins this year.

That Colts defense is not going to be good this year, I do not give a **** how they look in the preseason. They have Cory Redding on the line and he's probably the only guy who could play linemen in the 3-4 on that team. Their entire secondary is pretty piss poor outside of Bethea, and Angerer just broke his foot and will be getting surgery.

They may win 6 games this year, but I seriously doubt it's much more than that. God forbid if that sieve of an O-line gets Luck injured.

[GP]

4. The Titans are going to be the worst team in the AFCS. Bad QB decisions, a Chris Johnson who sometimes doesn't appear to be there at all. Which brings up a question I have: Adderall is banned by the PED list in the NFL. I know that CJ has twitch problems. Is it possible that he's off the meds (those that are on the PED list) and that's causing him to have lapses in focus out on the field. He just doesn't look the same as he did in his first few seasons. Right??? Like, it's really noticeable. I wonder if he's had to drop the meds that could get him busted by the league?

3. Jags can spoil if Gabbert is truly delivered from his David Carr'ish ways. But I think he reverts or settles back into a skittish QB once the reg season begins and teams are really coming at him hardcore.

2. Colts look way better than they did last year, especially their confidence in terms of body language. Their pace is quick, Luck has given them hope, and yet I think the real issue is going to be this: How can Luck withstand a TRUE reg season schedule...getting hit in week 1 (playing a full game, btw!) then having to plan for the next opponent for week 2, getting hit in week 2, planning for week 3, etc., etc. That's going to be a grind, I don't care how good he is right now...that's going to test him.

1. Texans. The only thing(s) that can slow us down or challenge us: (1) Losing closely-contested games in brutal fashion via whatever way sucks the worst--One week it might be a missed field goal at end of game, another week it could be a bad turnover that gives the opponent the game...I just think there might not be the focus we had last year, which is die to (2) Over-confidence. Yes, that nasty and pesky expectation thing--It could hurt us if we lay an egg on opening day and let it rattle us. Anything is possible, and this worries me a lot. Lastly, (3) What if we squeak through our season and yet one of the other AFCS teams finds a way to have a better-than-expected season?!?!? That would suck big time. And it can happen.

Last year, we flew under the radar. This year, everyone is gunning for us. And if our divisional foes see a leak in the ship...they might ram right through us and sink us.

We need a lot of help, as all teams do. This is not nearly the cake walk season I thought it was going to be, either.

[Speedy]

Let's not forget the Lions 4-0 pre-season a few years ago, followed up with an 0-16 regular season. Pre-season football is a different game.

[Goldensilence]

Titans are going to be made or broken offensively by CJ and the running game this year. Locker hasn't impressed much in PS and middle of the road defense make this look like a team that really did have a 9-7 season by smoke and mirrors last year. No one has also mentioned if Britt, who is already recovering from injury (and and PUP right now) will also have to deal with a any disciplinary action for his DUI this summer.


Jags do look more improved because Gabbert doesn't look so shell shocked this PS. We'll see what happens when teams are really scheming and throwing all sorts of wrinkles at him. Blackmon is going to help this offense, but you have to wonder at what point does MJD hold out hurt the timing with this offense? Defensively they're still good, this team COULD be tough but, it's going to depend on how Gabbert looks in regular season.

No one's anointing Luck as a HOF QB at this point much as it's simply impressive that he's actually living up to the hype. Also has to help having your college security blanket as your TE. Luck's going to have up and downs this year, but it's looking like they will be a lot more competitive this year than we expected.

The Texans are looking like easily the most complete team in this division and could get even better the next couple of weeks as some of the young pieces from the draft get acclimated to playing at this level. Even with these PS developments I would dare say anything less than a division crown is a disappointment.

[Hookem Horns]

Originally Posted by Speedy

Let's not forget the Lions 4-0 pre-season a few years ago, followed up with an 0-16 regular season. Pre-season football is a different game.

True, but I don't look at win/loss records. The Lions could have looked like crap for the first 2 quarters then their scrubs come in and win the game in the 2nd half.

I am just going off what I have seen in the first quarters when watching these teams starters.

[thunderkyss]

Originally Posted by Hookem Horns

Once figured to be a cake walk (for the Texans) it's starting to look more like a walk through mud. This division is going to be more difficult than originally thought by most.

I agree with this whole post. Anyone thinking 9 or 10 games is a safe bet for the AFCS Championship is sorely mistaken. It'll probably be week 16 or 17 to win the division. Tits, Jags, & Colts are playing the same troubled divisions we are. Miami early isn't going to be much of a problem for any of the AFC South teams. The Jets are going to implode. & Buffalo can beat us just as easily.

Who knows what Detroit is going to look like this year. Chicago can go either way. & who is expecting Minnesota to do anything??

I'm not saying our schedule is weak, Thorn is right, teams change so much from year to year. But there is a lot of uncertainty & "flux" in our schedule. Not a lot of continuity.

Us, Green Bay, & New England are the cream of the crop & we should rise to the top. But I can see a scenario where none of those three teams win their division ( it'll be much harder for New England not to win)

[GP]

Aaron Rodgers has looked really bad so far.

He's missing guys by several yards. He has that look in his eyes that says he has no confidence (right now). It was strange to watch him these past two games, and to see him not throwing well.

I don't think it's a cinch that the Packers win their division, folks.

49ers look really good. Running the ball, stopping their opponent's run game, wide receivers are playing well. I wonder about their pass defense, though. I think if it had been a real game, we'd have aired it out and put points on the board.

Anyways, I like the Pats in the East. Raiders in the West. BENGALS in the North. Hopefully our guys win the South.

In the NFC, I like the Giants in the East (Redskins are primed to spoil, though). 49ers in the West. Lions in the North. Saints in the South.

AFC title game: Texans vs. Bengals, setting up a re-match and a helluva' game between Dalton and Schaub.

NFC title game: 49ers vs. Saints, setting up a re-match as well.

SB: 49ers vs. Texans in the Bayou.

I guy can dream, right? LOL.

[b0ng]

I really think you guys are way way way over analyzing stuff that happens in the preseason. Blaine Gabbert is going to need to do it in the regular season before I think he's going to be any kind of QB. The Titans I have been worried about as being the only real competition to us in the AFCS but come on. Mike Munchak is a 2nd year head coach who's team came unprepared regularly in 2011. The Colts were absolutely awful last year, and they pretty much have rookies vying for big starting roles on both offense and defense, we know how that's going to go.

Throw in that the best offensive player on the Jaguars is staging a silly hold out and one of the better offensive players on the Titans is an alcoholic who keeps shredding his knees. I don't think the AFCS is going to be that much better than it was last year other than the Colts not being the absolute worst team in the entire league.

[Dutchrudder]

Originally Posted by GP

4. The Titans are going to be the worst team in the AFCS. Bad QB decisions, a Chris Johnson who sometimes doesn't appear to be there at all. Which brings up a question I have: Adderall is banned by the PED list in the NFL. I know that CJ has twitch problems. Is it possible that he's off the meds (those that are on the PED list) and that's causing him to have lapses in focus out on the field. He just doesn't look the same as he did in his first few seasons. Right??? Like, it's really noticeable. I wonder if he's had to drop the meds that could get him busted by the league?

Adderall is legal in the NFL if you have a doctor prescribe it and get it approved by the league. Some guys have been hit with a 4 game suspension for it because they didn't have the proper paperwork submitted to the league to get an exception. If that's CJ's issue, then I would expect the team doctor's to help him out.