2018 Season NFL Preview: AFC South

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The AFC South consists of four cities that are looking to make a mark in the NFL playoffs, Houston lost hope last year when Deshaun Watson was lost to a significant injury. The Jacksonville Jaguars are the team that everyone thinks can one day compete for the Super Bowl, but not sure they can. The Indianapolis Colts hope Andrew Luck is healthy. The Tennesse Titans have shown flashes of a team on the rising, but year after year we wait on them.

#1 Houston Texans

They are the team to beat in this division. Combined with the offensive dynamics and the defence stability the only question that lies here is the comeback of Deshaun Watson.

Strengths

The Wide receivers group with DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller will be a tough matchup for most teams aided by the likes of Sammie Coates and Keke Coutee. The opposing Secondaries will have some difficulty lining up with them. Lamar Miller has to be one of the most underrated running backs in the game. Miller will highlight the working crew along with Alfred Blue for a potent run game.

Tyrann Mathieu brings his strengths along into a defence that already has studs like JJ Watt, Jadeveon Clowney, Jonathan Joseph and Benard McKinney. A solid group that will get to opposing quarterbacks in many ways. Watson as the quarterback is on his way to being one of the best Qbs of his generation. He can be mobile if need to be, but his pocket passing ability is what makes him above other quarterbacks in the league.

Weakness

The biggest weakness on this team is the tight end position Rookie Jordan Thomas might take the job away if veteran Ryan Griffin struggles off the bat. Quarterbacks look towards tight ends as a security blanket, and one thing Watson lacks is the security in that position. The other weakness has to be that Deshaun Watson is coming back from a significant injury. Watson has shown good ability in the preseason, but the regular season will be the real test, and if he struggles or re-injures himself, it could be a long year for the Texans.

Players to Watch: Tyrann Mathieu (S), Jadeveon Clowney (EDGE), Keke Coutee (WR), and Deshaun Watson (QB)

#2 Jacksonville Jaguars

Leonard Fournette

The Jacksonville Jaguars under the guidance of Tom Coughlin. Coughlin's fingerprints are all over this team on offence to defence. The defence is built to be top 3 in the NFL. The questions are in the attack, but can the protection lead the team to the Super Bowl?

Strengths

The single biggest strength on this Jaguars team is the defence. The list of players on defence is mind-boggling. It starts in the secondary with Jalen Ramsey and AJ Bouye as the cornerbacks. They both are joined by safeties Barry Chruch and Tashaun Gipson Jr. which make the foursome one of the best in the league.

The linebacker crew is potent as well with Myles Jack and Telvin Smith, quick and punishing will come from both of them. The front four is strong and sturdy and make O lines in the NFL struggle lead by Malik Jackson, Marcell Dareus and Calais Campbell. In the offence side Leanard Fournette comes as publicised, he is a three-down big back and has shifty moves to outmanoeuvre any linebackers in the league.

Weakness

Blake Bortles has been the subject of all the weakness talk on the Jaguars. After four years of quarterbacking the Jaguars people still question his abilities. Jalen Ramsey has been in the news for all the wrong reasons, telling people which quarterback is good and bad, but if he said nothing about Bortles. Ramsey stick to playing the game! The receiving core in a whole is weak for the Jaguars.

Marquise Lee was lost to a season-ending injury and now look to others to lead the way. Rookie DJ Chark will soon become even critical in his first year to produce. Donte Moncrief, Dede Westbrook and Keenan Cole become now more critical for the Colts. Austin Seferian-Jenkins takes over the tight end position from departed Mercedes Lewis. With a quarterback that had his struggles over the years and now the receiving core not up to level, can the defence lead them to the promise land?

Players to Watch: Leonard Fournette (RB), Jalen Ramsey (CB), Blake Bortles (QB), and DJ Chark (WR)

#3 Tennessee Titans

Marcus Mariota

Mike Vrabel becomes the head coach of the Tennessee Titans, will he bring that winning attitude of the Patriots that he was part of to the Titans. Will Mariota take the next big step? Demarco Murray is gone, and Derrick Henery is the leader in the run game now. Lots of questions surround the Titans, the team is supposed to be a playoff team, but every year they miss that target.

Strengths

The biggest strength that the Titans have is their age. The young titans are all early in their careers, especially in some key positions. All these players are still young and developing and can become good players. Quarterback Marcus Mariota and running back Derrick Henery lead the offensive side of the ball for the Titans. They will have to rely on heavy one these two for the success of the Titans.

Mariota has been slowly improving yearly; his time is now to move to the next level. Mariota does not have the receivers that other young quarterbacks have, but he does have steady Delanie Walker at tight end. Mariota will have to rely more on his own feet, or the feet of his running backs Derrick Henery and Dion Lewis. This backfield is Henery's to lose. Henry has to take this change and run with it, and finally show that he is one of the best in the NFL.

Weakness

Corey Davis has been another young player the Titans have been waiting to hit his mark in the NFL, and the problem is the receivers behind him aren't veterans either. Taiwan Taylor, Richard Matthews, and Tajae Sharpe all are young receivers who now have the chance to make a mark in the NFL.

The defence of the Titans does not shout the word strong. Wesley Woodyard is the crucial guy as he plays the inside linebacker position with Wil Compton as the first-round pick Rashaan Evans is still trying to recover from an injury. Kenny Vaccaro, Logan Ryan is anchoring the secondary and the belief is that offensive teams will take deep shots on the secondary which is average at best. Mike Vrabel will have to work after this season to build the defence.

Players to Watch: Corey Davis (WR), Marcus Mariota (QB), Derrick Henery (RB), and Rashaan Evans (ILB)

#4 Indianapolis Colts

Andrew Luck

Former Bills backup quarterback Frank Reich accomplished the biggest comeback in NFL history. Reich will be part of another great comeback, that of his quarterback Andrew Luck. Andrew Luck is finally back and ready to play. When healthy, Luck is one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL. It's like a rookie year all over again for Luck joined by his rookie coach Frank Reich.

Strengths

The strength lies in that quarterback Andrew Luck is back. If he stays healthy, the colts can be a team that can battle against every team in the NFL. If Luck isn't ready to go, they have a capable backup in Jacoby Brissett. Brissett has played with the Patriots and was successful if he was in a system that catered to him. T.Y. Hilton is probably the most excited player on the Colts that Luck is back.

If Luck stays, healthy Hilton will be a top-tier receiver in the league. The tight end combo of Jack Doyle and Eric Ebron will be the combo that Luck relies on the most as he continues to come back and get used to playing again. Marlon Mack and Rookie Nyhem Hines will be the dup in the backfield that will be more than capable of relieving some pressure off Luck. On the defence side, Malik Hooker is back after his rookie year injury. He was an early rookie of the year candidate until he got hurt.

Weakness

The defence is less than stellar and will allow many teams to score some points on them. The Defence is very young in age and could become better once they play a little together for a few years. Rookie linebacker Darius Leonard is expected to be a sleeper defensive rookie of the year pick. The offensive line still has work to do, but having picked Quenton Nelson will be a significant addition to protect Luck this year. Expect the Colts to have another top 5 picks in the 2019 NFL draft.

Players to Watch: Quenton Nelson (C), Darius Leonard (LB), Nyhiem Hines (RB), and Andrew Luck (QB)