NFL Preview: AFC South

AFC South:

The AFC South has one of the two teams who experts feel can represent the conference in

Super Bowl 50. The Indianapolis Colts loaded up during the off-season with veterans who are hungry for a Super Bowl ring; receiver Andre Johnson came over from division foe Houston Texans as well as running back Frank Gore jumping ship in San Francisco. The defensive line also got some help with Trent Cole coming over from Philadelphia. Quarterback Andrew Luck is entering the last year of his rookie contract but that’s the least of his worries, the twenty-five year-old Luck looks to continue the Hall of Fame-like start to his career by adding a Lumbardi Trophy at the end of the season, and maybe a couple million dollars before then.

The Houston Texans have arguably the best player in the NFL, offense or defense, in JJ Watt. They also have last year’s first round pick in Jadeveon Clowney who is coming off micro-fracture surgery. If Clowney can get back to the type of player he was while at South Carolina the Texans will have one hell of a 1-2 punch on the defensive line. The team does have question marks on offense however, like who is going to be quarterback for coach Bill O’Brien in his second season? Who is the go-to target going to be now that Andre Johnson is in Indianapolis? With training camp starting this week those questions will hopefully be answered for a team who looks to derail the Colts’ plans of headlining a Super Bowl.

 

In Jacksonville, the Jaguars drafted someone who thought they could anchor the defensive line for years to come, Dante Fowler was chosen with the third overall pick. Unfortunately for the Jags and their fans however, Fowler tore his ACL during the first day of mini camp in May. With the addition of tight end Julius Thomas along with young and talented receivers Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns, quarterback Blake Bortles should have a couple go-to targets that will help the Jags get back to .500. Hopefully.

With the second pick the in 2015 NFL Draft the Tennessee Titans selected Oregon quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota. There were questions surrounding Mariota coming out of college due to the system he ran and if he could adjust to a pro system. The Titans gave him a little bit of help by also drafting troubled wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham from Oklahoma (formally Missouri), Green-Beckham has the size and ability to be a top target, but the off the filed intangibles are what the team has to make sure don’t happen. The Titans also boasted their defense by adding Pro Bowl outside linebacker Brian Orakpo. The AFC South could be interesting in the first half of the season, but don’t count on it being a four team race.

Predictions: The Colts have too much fire power and a quarterback who knows how to use it.