2015 NFL Predictions: AFC South
This is part of an ongoing 8-part series predicting the 2015 NFL season.
Making these predictions are a headache. It’s almost futile to say who is “good” and who is “bad” at this point in the season, but I will give it a reasonable shot.
AFC South Prediction
- Colts*
- Texans
- Jaguars
- Titans
Well I blew it on the Jaguars last year, though I feel they will continue improving. Blake Bortles has the makings to be a decent NFL quarterback. I believe the Jaguars still have issues in the backfield. I’m not sold that T.J Yeldon is the guy to fix them, as I wasn’t sold in Toby Gerhart a year earlier. That means converted college QB Denard Robinson could be “the man” again.
At least Bortles is surrounded by receiving threats, such as Allen Robinson and Julius Thomas, who came over from the Denver Broncos. I don’t think Thomas will relive the same stat lines he put up with Peyton Manning tossing him the rock, but it certainly doesn’t hurt Bortles’ chances.
Completely written-off are the Tennessee Titans. I’ve always liked Ken Whisenhunt, as does most of Steeler Nation, but “Steelers South” this is not. Even with Dick LeBeau on board as a “defensive consultant” I don’t see many redeemable qualities on both sides of the ball. Whiz would be lucky if Marcus Mariota is any better than last year’s drafted QB Zach Mettenberger. The team has all kinds of youth on this side of the ball as well, such as WR Dorial Green-Beckham, 2nd year RB Bishop Sankey and rookie RB David Cobb. It will be tough year, much tougher than Whiz had with the Chargers and a proven QB in Philip Rivers. (Side note: I feel the attenion on LeBeau is disrespectful to their actual coordinator, a good one too, in Ray Horton.)
The Houston Texans are on the cusp, with a defense that was outstanding without last year’s #1 overall pick Jadeveon Clowney. They’ve also added longtime New England Patriots NT Vince Wilfork who will pair with Clowney and last season’s NFL Defensive MVP J.J. Watt. With a number of other defenders, such as Brian Cushing and 2015 first round selection, CB Kevin Johnson, the Texas will be looking to improve what was already one of the league’s best defenses.
They will need it too, because the quarterback position is unsettled, despite Brian Hoyer getting the starting job over Ryan Mallett. Both QBs played under head coach Bill O’Brien when they were with the Patriots: they know the system, but will the system be good enough to get them into the playoffs? DeAndre Hopkins looks primed for a breakout season, and veteran WR Cecil Shorts III will join Hopkins on the field, but the backfield is where sensational, but injury prone Arian Foster will be missed right out of the gate. Foster’s status is up in the air, but he will be sorely missed for at least 2 or 3 weeks to start the season. His replacements are suspect.
Gone from the Texans is longtime WR Andre Johnson, who departed for division rival Indianapolis. The Colts are the class of this division, adding Johnson and Frank Gore to an already potent offense who churned production out of a committee of Trent Richardson and Ahmad Bradshaw last season. The ageless Gore will probably see similar numbers as he did with San Francisco last year, and that would be more than plenty to add stability to a dangerous passing game lead by Andrew Luck. Luck is in Aaron Rodgers territory for passing yards, scores, etc. The offense itself is uptempo, with only the vaunted Chip Kelly Eagles offense having run more plays than the Colts in 2014.
For those reasons, I feel the Colts are in no danger of losing the division crown. While their defense is average at best, the only threat they will face is from the Texans, who will manage themselves will manage to fall short of the playoffs by virtue of a competitive AFC North and AFC South.
