By: Tyler Ward and Stephen Patterson
1. Indianapolis Colts (Head Coach: Jim Caldwell)
Key arrivals: CB Deshea Townsend, LB Jerry Hughes (draft), LB Pat Angerer (draft)
Key departures: CB Marlin Jackson, LB Freddy Keiaho, DE Raheem Brock, LB Tyjuan Hagler
TW: Surprisingly, the Colts didn't do much this offseason (like they do every year). But, somehow, the Colts continue to be one of the top teams in the league year in and year out. Peyton Manning, arguably one of the best quarterbacks of all-time, is back for another season and looks to lead the Colts back to another Super Bowl. The Colts are also stacked at wide receiver with Reggie Wayne, Pierre Garcon, and Austin Collie, along with tight end Dallas Clark. They are getting back Anthony Gonzalez, too, so look for Manning to have another 4,000 yard season. However, their running game could hurt them, as they were one of the worst last season. Joseph Addai will look to redeem himself this season and Donald Brown, their first-round draft pick last season, could take over the starting role at some point this season. They lost a lot defensively, but that seems to never really stop the Colts. With young players like Jerry Hughes, Antoine Bethea, Clint Session, and Jerraud Powers, they can have a formidable defense in a few years. The drafting of Hughes can also take pressure off of Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis, who consistently get double-teamed. The Colts may have some trouble, but I think in the end, they will come out as AFC South champions.
- TW's Prediction: 12-4
SP: The Indianapolis Colts are returning a majority of the players that led them to the Super Bowl last season. While there division is far from weak, there is an extremely good chance they will continue their dominance over the division they have had for a majority of the past decade. With 3-time MVP Peyton Manning again leading the way for this team they will definitely excel once again this season. Their running game is a little shaky in my opinion, but as long as they are moderately successful then the team should be fine. Their defense may be the only question mark for them, but if they can stay healthy, I expect them to do fairly well this season. Houston and Tennessee are each capable of winning this division if the Colts slip up, but even without taking the division title, Indianapolis will definitely be around in the postseason as long as Manning is playing and healthy. Considering his ridiculously long streak of consecutive starts, I'm pretty sure that's a safe bet to make.
- SP's Prediction: 12-4
2. Houston Texans (Head Coach: Gary Kubiak)
Key arrivals: FB Justin Griffith, CB Kareem Jackson (draft), RB Ben Tate (draft)
Key departures: CB Dunta Robinson, OG Chester Pitts, QB Rex Grossman, S Brian Russell, RB Chris Brown
TW: The Texans could be a sleeper this season - I think Matt Schaub could be a Top 5 QB in the league and will have another 4,000 yard season this season, but I expect him to have more touchdowns. They have the best wide receiver in the league. And with tight end Owen Daniels coming back, he could possibly be due for a 1,000 yard season, like he was last year before landing on the injured reserve list. They are going to need more help from Steve Slaton, who was a fumble machine last season. They drafted Auburn running back Ben Tate in the second round, but it was announced on Monday that Tate will miss the entire 2010 season due to a broken ankle. The Texans are now rather thin at running back and will have to depend on Arian Foster for help on the ground game. Last season, Houston had a winning record for the first time since their inaugural season in 2002. They also potentially have a Top-10 defense in the league with Brian Cushing, DeMeco Ryans, rookie Kareem Jackson and former #1 overall pick Mario Williams. I look for Houston to have the same record as they did last season, but they will definitely be a playoff contender as long as Schaub and Johnson are on the team.
- TW's Prediction: 9-7
SP: The Houston Texans had their first winning season at 9-7 last season and will look to improve upon that this year. With Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson headlining the offense, this team will be absolutely lethal every time they have the ball. If Kareem Jackson can play well and be a solid addition to a weak secondary, the defense will also be once of the best in the division. With Mario Williams, Brian Cushing (who will miss the first four games of the season due to suspension), and DeMeco Ryans leading the way, Houston is very capable of racking up takeaways against almost any team. As long as their secondary can step up and play solid this season, expect to finish with a Top 10 defense in the league. The only problems I have with the Texans are 1) Their running game never seems to turn our, regardless of who they have at the positions and 2) The team seems to have difficulty winning in important games, especially on the road, and often in must-win situations. Even though the team had their best record in franchise history last season, they still fell short of the playoffs. With that being said, I think this team is due for a breakthrough season and with Schaub and Johnson leading the way offensively, along with a solid defense, I expect the Texans to finally reach the postseason.
- SP's Prediction: 11-5
3. Tennessee Titans (Head Coach: Jeff Fisher)
Key arrivals: LB Will Witherspoon, CB Tye Hill, DE Raheem Brock, DE Derrick Morgan (draft)
Key departures: LB Keith Bulluck, RB LenDale White, DE Kyle Vanden Bosch, DE Jevon Kearse, C Kevin Mawae, TE Alge Crumpler
TW: Yes, they have Chris Johnson, who will probably have another big season. But, the one thing that kills the Titans is their quarterback position. Vince Young is a playmaker, but he is not one of those quarterbacks that can lead a team, in my opinion. Like most mobile quarterbacks, Young is inaccurate and will be lucky to complete 60% of his passes. If the Titans want to win games, Young will have to play incredibly well. The Titans also lost out defensively, cutting ties with Kyle Vanden Bosch, along with fan favorites Keith Bulluck and Jevon Kearse. They also cut ties with LenDale White, who didn't have that great of a career with Tennessee - they will probably only miss him when it's a goal line situation. I think the Titans could struggle this year, but will hover around the .500 mark.
- TW's Prediction: 8-8
SP: The Titans definitely made the right decision to get Chris Johnson on the field and avoiding a Revis-like holdout with their best player. Johnson has publicly stated on several occasions that his goal for this season is to rush for 2,500 yards, and while it's extremely unlikely he will accomplish that feat, I do predict he will become the first running back in NFL history to rush for over 2,000 in consecutive seasons. With Vince Young heading into the season as the team's starting QB, Johnson will form a lethal running threat with Young that will certainly help add even more yards to his totals. While Young may have a questionable arm sometimes, he is a very respectable threat on the ground due to his mobility and if he turns the corner and makes a pitch to Johnson in stride... well just hope your team has an outstanding defense or a lucky play. The Titans could still use help in their receiving core, and while Kenny Britt and Nate Washington are fairly solid receivers, they are pretty low on the list compared to some of their AFC counterparts. The Titan's defense will be a big question for them heading into the season after losing Kyle Vanden Bosch, Jevon Kearse, and Keith Bullock. Derrick Morgan, Will Witherspoon, and Raheem Brock will need to step in for their departures and have an immediate impact for the team on the defensive side of the ball. While I expect some great individual performances for some members of the team, I don't think they will have a very good season overall.
- SP's Prediction: 7-9
4. Jacksonville Jaguars (Head Coach: Jack Del Rio)
Key arrivals: DE/LB Aaron Kampman, LB Kirk Morrison, LB Freddy Keiaho, OG Justin Smiley, DE Tyson Alualu (draft)
Key departures: DT John Henderson, LB Clint Ingram, OT Maurice Williams, LB Quentin Groves, WR Torry Holt, WR Reggie Williams, OT Tra Thomas, DE Reggie Hayward
TW: The Jaguars are on the decline, plain and simple. David Garrard is not the quarterback he was when he threw 18 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. Maurice Jones-Drew is their MVP and will more than likely have another great season like he did in 2009. Their receiving game is more than questionable, with Mike Sims-Walker, Mike Thomas, and Troy Williamson being their starting three receivers. They lost Maurice Williams and Tra Thomas to free agency, so their offensive line could be a problem (they did add Justin Smiley, however). Jacksonville also released John Henderson, arguably their best defensive player in franchise history. Their defense is top-half-of-the-league material, but I don't think their offense can keep up. Jones-Drew is a great player, but they're going to have to rely on the passing game throughout some games.
-TW's Prediction: 5-11
SP: Jacksonville consistently fails to live up to expectations, and I don't expect this season will be any different for the franchise. Maurice Jones-Drew is the sole bright spot for this team, and in my opinion, most of the roster needs to be overturned and built around him. If coach Del Rio can't find a way to have this team winning fairly early in the season I expect him to be one of the first coaches to be fired this year. Anything short of .500 by Week 10 will mean his job, in my opinion. He has never been able to bring in the players necessary to compete in a very talented division and they proved it once again by not drafting a new quarterback to replace Garrard, who has clearly shown he is not capable of winning consistently and being the leader this team desperately needs it's QB to be. They could have definitely used an upgrade at the wide receiver position during the offseason, as well, with options including Terrell Owens and Antonio Bryant being available. They have a fairly decent defense, and Aaron Kampman and Kirk Morrison will definitely be solid improvements at the LB position. Sadly, I don't think the defense or MJD can do enough this season to turn it into a winning year and save their coaches job.
- SP's Prediction: 6-10
Garcia played for current Texans quarterbacks coach Greg Knapp in San Francisco, where he was a Pro Bowler and led the 49ers to a playoff appearance in 2002. The 49ers reached the playoffs this season, the first time that has occurred since Garcia led them almost ten years ago.
