2010 NFL Division Previews: AFC South

The AFC South seems to always belong to the Indianapolis Colts, will this be the year that changes? Houston, Tennessee, and even Jacksonville think so.

HOUSTON TEXANS-

Houston has one of the best teams in the league on paper it seems, but never seem to get it done. The Texans have one of, if not, the best wide receivers in the league in Andre Johnson and a great quarterback in Matt Schaub but somehow Houston just falls short every year. Part of that problem is the tough division that the AFC South has become over the years. The Texans famously took Mario Williams as the number one pick a few years ago in the draft over Reggie Bush, and that has proved to be a pretty solid choice as Williams has solidified the Texans defense. Texans took highly sought after runningback Steve Slaton but were not satisfied there yet. Texans selected Auburn runningback Ben Tate to add to their runningback core, but just half way through camp he has already came down with a bum ankle, so it looks like Slaton might get the majority of the carries early in the season. The Texans start out with a huge game at home against Indy, and then go on the road to the rejuvenated Washington Redskins team. If they can split those they might be off to a promising season, but to start at 0-2 could be the start of a tailspin. I'm not counting the Texans out, but it just seems like they are not ready to have that huge year yet.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS-

What is there to say about the Colts? They have, arguably, the leagues best quarterback in Peyton Manning. They have a great receiver in Reggie Wayne, and some pretty good up in comers with Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie. Dallas Clark is one of the best tight ends in the league, so where are the holes in the Colts? Ohh yah, and this year they will get back a healthy Bob Sanders, which will most definitely help out an already pretty good defense. The Colts went to the Superbowl last year, and it will be tough for anybody in this division to stop them from getting to the playoffs again this year. Nothing bad to say about the Colts. Injuries can always play a part though, and the Colts are not known for their youth, but you can never predict that and the Colts will again have a great season in front of the fans at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Jacksonville Jaguars-

MJD, MJD, MJD. That is by far the most important play on the Jaguars. Maurice Jones-Drew is a stud of a runningback and will be the focal point of the Jaguars offense again this year. The Jaguars finished last in their division last year, but the division is so competitive that there record was only 7-9, the best record for a team that was in the cellar of their division last year. Jacksonville's quarterback is good enough to be a part of a solid team. David Garrard doesn't throw the ball super deep, and likely is not a pro bowl quarterback, but usually has a good TD to interception ratio(although it was only 15-10 last season). The Jaguars also have a decent defense that will keep them in games if they can get some points. One of the biggest problems with the Jaguars is the lack of support in the local area. I mean don't get me wrong its not like there is no fans, but the buzz is not there that there is around the rest of the league. Jacksonville is often blacked out from TV in their local area because they do no sell out games at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium. Jacksonville is always about the same team. They are pretty mediocre and hang in for a wild card spot the whole season long. I don't expect any of that to change this season, their division is so tough that it is hard to pick a mediocre team like them to do anything. They might compete in other divisions, but this one is just too good.

TENNESSEE TITANS-

The Tennessee Titans lost their first 6 games last season including a 59-0 loss at New England in week six. The Titans then decided to bring in Vince Young and everything turned around, as they won 8 of their last 10 games, and with one week left in the season they actually had a mathematical chance to make the playoffs. They did their part in beating the Seahawks but didn't get in the playoffs. The Titans have a lot to be excited about though as they enter the 2010 season. Vince Young is not a guy you would want on your fantasy team, but he just seems to be a winner. He was a winner in college, and the end of last season showed that he can be a winner in the NFL too. Aside from the quarterback position, the Titans have the most explosive runningback in the league in Chris Johnson. Chris Johnson has set a personal goal to break Eric Dickerson's single season rushing record, which is at 2105 yards. Chris Johnson ended the season last year with eleven straight games of 100+ yards, and if that continues then he could very well break the record. The Titans are fun to watch, and if they were in a different division, they might be a favorite, but they are just another team trying to chase down the Colts here in the AFC South.

WRAP-UP:

I feel bad for teams like Houston and Tennessee, as the players there are losing year after year just waiting for Peyton Manning to retire or something, but that doesn't seem like it will happen for awhile. I love Tennessee's leadership, and I love Houston's talent as they seem to be prime for a division championship eventually. But its hard to pick against the Colts in this one. Peyton Manning is just too good, and the weapons around him will prove, once again, to be too much for the competition in this league. I'll again take the easy pick in this league, Colts will win it again.

1. Indianapolis Colts
2. Tennessee Titans (Wild Card Birth)
3. Houston Texans
4. Jacksonville Jaguars

2010 NFL Division Previews: AFC West

The AFC West seems to be the one division in the NFL this year that looks like a runaway. Anything can happen though, lets have a look at the teams trying to get that AFC West crown.

DENVER BRONCOS-

There is lots of hype surrounding Tim Tebow as a Bronco, but to me it doesn't really matter a whole lot. He is not going to start for this season at least. Kyle Orton is the starting quarterback in Denver, and last year he actually had a pretty solid season considering who he had to work with. Last season the Broncos came out of the gates flying and started 6-0, but stumbled down the stretch to miss the playoffs, finishing at 8-8, including losses at home to Oakland in week 15, 20-19, and to the Chiefs in week 17, 44-24, in a game they had to win to have a shot at the playoffs. To me, they overachieved when the season started, and then everybody expected a lot, and they came back to reality at the end of the season. As far as the 2010 season, I don't expect a lot from the Broncos. They have an aging quarterback who was an afterthought when he went to the Broncos a couple years ago, and they lost one of the best wide receivers in the league in Brandon Marshall going to Miami. Denver has a decent Defense on paper, but giving up 44 points at home in a must win game against Kansas City isn't exactly promising for the upcoming season. Denver has a proud football tradition, but I don't expect anything to happen this year. If I'm a Denver fan, I'm hoping for them to lose some games and get some good draft picks to help Tebow in the future. I like Tebow because he seems to do things the right way, and seems to be a winner, but that will be in the future. not this year. 8-8 would be a best case scenario record for the Broncos this season.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS-

The Kansas City Chiefs were 4-12 last season after signing the highly sought after Matt Cassel from the New England Patriots. I thought Cassel was way over-rated when the Chiefs signed him because he benefited from a good system in New England. But nevertheless, Matt Cassel is the quarterback in Kansas City that fans are pinning their hopes of a turnaround season on. Matt Cassel has the help on offense though, with young runningback Jamaal Charles seeming to come into his own, and receiver Dwayne Bowe doing the same. The problem with the Chiefs is not the offense, its the defense. I mean, don't get me wrong, I don't expect the Chiefs to light up the scoreboard or anything but with a decent defense they might be able to compete in most games. I don't see the Chiefs competing this year, but they are a team on the upswing for sure. I'll pick them to finish second in the division, ahead of the Broncos. I'll say Kansas City finishes the season at 8-8 this year, and will be a much more competitive team then they have been in the past few seasons.

OAKLAND RAIDERS-

The Oakland Raiders have been the model of a bad franchise for the last few years. They have had bad draft picks, problems with coaches punching coaches, allegedly, and mostly have an owner that wants it his way or no way. Al Davies has been the owner of the Raiders for a long long time, and lots of people believe that it is time for him to go. The Oakland Raiders, as far as defense goes, are pretty solid. The offense is pretty bad though. Who is the Raiders quarterback? Russell? Gradkowski? Brennan? Boller? Well Russell had too much "purple drank" and wasn't good anyway. It looks like Al Davies and Head Coach Tom Cable have decided to go with Jason Campbell, who the Washington Redskins gave to the Raiders for six old water bottles. The Raiders think that the ex first round draft pick can make them competitive. This team is the opposite of Kansas City, as they have a solid enough defense but cannot score any points, and the quarterback position in the past has been a disaster. The Raiders were only 5-11 last year, so there is a lot of room to improve, but they were outscored in the season by 181 points. I don't see the season turning around too much for the Raiders. This franchise is just not ready to succeed. Raiders will be the last place team in the division, I'm guessing with a record of 5-11 again.

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS-

The San Diego Chargers are by far the class of the division in the AFC West, they have won the division the last four years, and I don't suspect that will change this year. The Chargers have the best offense in the AFC West with Philip Rivers leading the way at quarterback. The only real difference this year is that longtime runningback Ladainian Tomlinson has gone to the New York Jets. I think this will be a blessing for the Chargers because Tomlinson was a celebrity in San Diego, and he played a lot more than maybe he should have. He was great for the Chargers organization, but there is a time to leave, and that time was now for the Chargers. Taking over his spot will be rookie runningback Ryan Matthews from Fresno State University. This will be a big story to follow this year around the Chargers, but even if it doesn't go well, the Chargers have enough offensive and defensive firepower to handle this division. Philip Rivers is in the top five quarterbacks in the league, and certainly is the best quarterback in this division. With Rivers leading the way, and one of the best tight ends in the league in Antonio Gates, it should be the Chargers division to win. I predict that the Chargers will be 10-6 at worst, but will run away with the AFC West.

WRAP-UP:

When I think about division winners for any sport, it is fun to find a team to upset the favorite. It would be fun to pick the Chiefs to win the division, or the Raiders, or ride the hot start that the Broncos had last year and take them, but the truth is that this division is already over. The Chargers are the heavy favorites in this division, and I cannot find and reason to pick against them. I'll take the team that everybody expects, the San Diego Chargers, to win the AFC West. This is my prediction for the division:

1. San Diego Chargers
2. Kansas City Chiefs
3. Denver Broncos
4. Oakland Raiders