AFC South Preview: An Unexpected Team Has An Enjoyable Season

I hate this division. Not only is it comprised with four of the least interesting franchises in the league, with shitty uniforms, shitty rivalries, and in places that no one cares that much about pro football, but they also usually stink. It's consistently the worst division in football, and have not produced a Super Bowl contestant since 2009, longer than any division in football (the NFC North is second longest with the Packers in 2010 which shocked me).

Everything about this division is a pass. If I could skip it I would, but that's not how we do things around here. So let's break it down.

Houston Texans

The Texans winning this division has very little to do with how I think about the Texans.

I think the Texans are exactly who we've known them to be; a solid team that can hang with the league's best any given week, play good defense, win slightly more games than they lose, and graciously exit on Divisional or Wild Card weekend.

CJ Stroud had a down year compared to his historic rookie year, yet their record remained the same because of the improvements they made on defense and bringing Swingin' Joe Mixon in. Assuming CJ improves in his third season (fair to say?) this team will see similar results. The defense is loaded on all three levels, I like the Christian Kirk pickup after losing Diggs to New England and Tank Dell to injury, and Nick Chubb coming into backup Swingin' Joe, who's slated to miss at least the first month of the season with injury, is a chefs kiss.

My one but incredibly large concern comes on the O Line, where four of the five starters are in their first year with the team. They traded their best and most important lineman in Tunsil, then cut Shaq Mason and traded Kenyon Green. I know after a down year the coaches probably felt they needed an overhaul at that position, but those moves didn't make a whole lot of sense, specifically the Tunsil trade. Their OL is projected to be among the worst in the league, and if true, I don't see any more prosperity than what we've grown accustomed to from this group. Luckily for them they're in the AFC South. Record: 9-8

Jacksonville Jaguars

I've heard it before, but it seems like the leash was extended another couple notches: this is the make or break season for Trevor Lawrence.

I for one am so far over Trevor Lawrence. Like the teenage love that broke my heart, I no longer spend any energy daydreaming about what could've been or could be. It wasn't meant to be, and that's okay. I can admit it now.

Frankly I've been here for a few years with Trevor, but it still seems like I'm one of the only ones. I've said it a million times, but the best game Trevor Lawrence ever played was when he was 19 years old and throttled Alabama 44-16 in the Bay. That was the peak. Watching him for two more years at Clemson and four years in the pros, he's had plenty of moments to make you believe, but equally as many that leave you wondering.

I think the Jaguars made a mistake giving him the money, although I empathize with their position. But at what point can we all agree he's just an at best average QB and stop the speculation? Are his QBR rankings over the last three years enough to sway you?

2024: 16

2023: 17

2022: 17

You can't scream average any louder than that. So I'll tune in to watch Travis Hunter play 100 snaps a game, I'll tune it to hear the progression of Liam Coen's "Duuuvallll", but I'm not staying long. Trevor lost two of his three top targets in Kirk and Engram, his offensive line will be horrible, and I don't believe in him even if those weren't true. Record: 7-10

Tennessee Titans

This may not make sense given my projected record of this team, but I think this will be a very enjoyable season for Titans fans. Hear me out.

First off, I think Cam Ward is wildly interesting and equally talented. I like that they immediately revamped the offensive line by bringing in some veterans to pair with their recent (successful?) draft picks and made that priority one. I like that they kept the backfield of Pollard/Spears and still have a WR1 in Ridley. And they still have Jeffrey Simmons (but I’m sure what else) on defense.

Here’s why this will be fun, and take it from someone who was just in this position last season.

You don't expect to win games, so there's very little that can ruin your Sundays since the expectations are so low. All you're looking for is a glimpse of greatness in each game. It won't always be pretty, but a play here or there, a high level pass, a sack escape scramble for a first down, maybe a crunch time drive to win a game or two, is ALL you need.

This is a bridge year. Those moments will carry you. You’ll leave each game feeling more and more confident about next year and the year after that. And that’s what it’s all about when you’re in this spot.

Who cares about this year, you’re not winning anything. But if you get those moments, those magical plays like Drake Maye had in your home building last year, that’s everything. Then you can start dreaming.

To the Titans credit, they’re doing the right things to set up their young QB for success. As long as you know that won’t happen this year, you can enjoy the ride. Record: 5-12

Indianapolis Colts

Everything I just said about the Titans as far as expectations for team performance on the field this season apply to the Colts.

None of what I said about the future or fan sentiment, however, remotely applies.

I’m having a hard time thinking of a team in a worse spot than the Colts. There’s plenty of bad teams, but not many with NO plan past this year. Hell I don’t think the Colts have a plan past this month.

The Anthony Richardson debacle is genuinely sad to see. They never should’ve drafted him that high if the possibility of giving up on him after one full season of starting was on the table. The guy barely played a full season in college either. The similarities to this and the Trey Lance situation are eerie, and maybe can teach GMs a lesson: don’t draft QBs who haven’t played much QB in the top five.

What’s worse is they closed the book on AR for Daniel Jones.

Indiana Jones (his supposed new nickname) kind of falls in the same category as AR15. He was drafted way too high, didn’t live up to expectations, and quickly swaddled up by the vortex of New York.

I personally will root for Danny. I mean it’s not his fault he got drafted a full round or two above where he should’ve. I think he’s on the career trajectory of what I’d expect from him coming out of college. It’s just not the right path for the 6th overall pick.

I will root, but I’m prepared to be let down. He’s proven he’s not a good quarterback, and on a team that's as equally as average to below average as his Giant teams, I don't see a light shining in Indy. Maybe Jim Irsay will work some magic from above (RIP). Record: 4-13