This week and next, leading up the kickoff of the 2018 NFL season, I’ll be looking around the grand landscape of the league. We’ll preview all 32 teams, division by division – up next, it’s the AFC South.
Houston Texans
Forget ‘Rookie of the Year’ honors, Deshaun Watson was in the conversation for NFL MVP in 2017 before an ACL injury put him on the shelf for the rest of year. The Texans offense, despite having a horrid offensive line, was routinely putting up points in the 30s with Watson at the helm. Now, he’s back and healthy, and I imagine that’s going to paint a very different picture of the AFC South this year. Not to mention, he has a guy who I believe to be the best receiver in the NFL in DeAndre Hopkins and a pretty good stable of running backs at his disposal.
On defense, the Texans endured two paramount injuries last season, losing J.J. Watt and Whitney Mercilus. Those two will be back and will join Jadeveon Clowney to make for a formidable front. The secondary got a boost from the addition of safety Tyrann Mathieu. All in all, this should once again be a good defense.
Every team in this division has a glaring weakness – be it the Texans offensive line, the Jags quarterback, the Titans lack of electric play-makers. It’s going to be close – like… “let’s bust out some third and fourth tie-breaking procedures to determine the champ this year” close. But, weaknesses aside, the returns of Watson, Watt, and Mercilus, and what this team looked like with them last year, has me placing the Texans as the AFC South favorites in 2018.
Indianapolis Colts
The Colts went a dismal 4-12 last season, but don’t let that record fool you. They were competitive in six of their losses, though they didn’t fare well at all against quality opponents a season ago.
Like the Texans, a lot of the Colts’ success in 2018 will hinge upon the return of their injured quarterback. Andrew Luck is back for 2018, and at just the right time, as he’ll be working with new head coach Frank Reich, who just put together a hell of a season with Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz. If Luck can stay healthy, this Colts team is going to be vastly improved and in contention with the rest of the AFC South.
The knock on Indy has been the lack of building in the offensive line. That changed in the spring when the team invested their first round pick in Notre Dame G Quenton Nelson, the best offensive lineman in the 2018 NFL Draft. They brought in Eric Ebron to complement Jack Doyle (quietly one of the best tight ends in the NFL) at tight end. But, outside of T.Y. Hilton, there’s an evident lack of play-makers. Again, a lot’s riding on the shoulders of Luck.
You can’t help but love sophomore safety Malik Hooker, who is emerging as one of the best young safeties in the game. Jabaal Sheard is a largely underrated defensive end. But, outside of those two, where’s the talent on this defense? I don’t expect the Colts to claim the AFC South, though they should be a lot more competitive in 2018.
Jacksonville Jaguars
A lot of things went right for the 2017 Jags. That’s not a knock on ’em – Jalen Ramsey is the best cornerback in football, leading what was the best secondary in the NFL last season alongside A.J. Bouye. The defensive line is absolutely disgusting – Calais Campbell, Malik Jackson, Marcell Dareus, and Yannick Ngakoue. Linebacker Myles Jack fell into their laps a couple of drafts ago. That defense alone makes them a championship contender. But, the offense is a much different story.
Blake Bortles finagled his way into a contract extension in the offseason, so he remains the guy at quarterback. But, he’s not looking good in the preseason so far. Allen Robinson is in Chicago now. Allen Hurns is in Dallas, and Marqise Lee is out for the season. Who the hell is going to catch passes from Bortles?
Maybe no one – this team is going to be about running the football, with an offensive line bolstered by free agent addition Andrew Norwell, and featuring one of the best young backs in the game in Leonard Fournette.
Things went so well for the Jags in 2017 – historic defense, nailing the Fournette pick, and Bortles playing the game of his life in the AFC Championship. Bortles put that team on his back, and if not for some questionable calls on offense from Doug Marrone and the coaching staff, they would’ve been in the Super Bowl.
But, is it realistic to expect things to fall into place in such serendipitous fashion again?
I don’t know – I think this defense will remain one of the best in the NFL, but unfortunately for them, teams will be able to score seven points and beat them. Teams will load the box to stop the run and force Bortles to beat them. That’s not an ideal position for the Jags to be in.
Tennessee Titans
The Titans pulled off the rare move of winning a playoff game and firing a head coach. But, that was an indictment of Mike Mularkey’s antiquated system. Mike Vrabel’s hiring raised a few eyebrows – but so far, so good. This roster has a wealth of talent and potential, but at this point, it’s about jelling into a cohesive unit.
Marcus Mariota is quite the conundrum at quarterback – while his stats show a regression in 2017, he was also the best “comeback” or “clutch” quarterback in the NFL a season ago. He’s paired up with new offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur, though by many accounts, his offensive system takes time to ease into. But, hey – I’ll take a LaFleur offense at 40% execution over a Terry Robiskie offense at 100% execution any day. Derrick Henry and Dion Lewis are poised to become the best backfield duo in the division.
If second year receivers Corey Davis and Taywan Taylor can continue their development, they could add some juice to this offense. If not, there’s always the reliable Rishard Matthews and Delanie Walker to fall back on.
The defense may well be the strength of this team. Adoree Jackson is turning heads, but with Logan Ryan, Malcolm Butler, and All-Pro safety Kevin Byard in the mix, this secondary as a whole looks like one of the best in the league. The defensive line is among the best in the league, and if they can generate a decent pass rush, it’ll make for a pretty stout unit.
Overall, this is as complete a Titans team as we’ve seen in a looooong time. They’re going to be really good for years to come, but I think it’s 2019 before we see this team start to reach its true potential, given the nature of learning LaFleur’s offense.
Projected finish
- Houston Texans (9-10 wins)
- Jacksonville Jaguars (9-10 wins)
- Tennessee Titans (9-10 wins)
- Indianapolis Colts (7-9 wins)
2018 NFL Divisional Previews
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Alabama Crimson Tide football, the WWE, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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