The Indianapolis Colts peaked at the right time last season and enter training camp as clear favorites in the division. The passing game remains deep and dangerous. Tom Moore has the ability to create a lot of mismatches with various multiple receiver or tight end sets. Joseph Addai is the perfect fit for Moore’s scheme at running back. He displays excellent quickness and possesses a natural feel for the passing game. But what happens if Addai goes down? The Colts lack experienced depth. The front four is very active. Anthony McFarland looks re-energized with the Colts. Bob Sanders must stay healthy. Not only does he fill gaps against the run, but his presence takes this defense to another level. They lose experience at cornerback with the departures of Nick Harper and Jason David, but Marlin Jackson and Kelvin Hayden possess more upside.
An enigma hangs over the Jacksonville Jaguars. They have enough talent to contend for the playoffs, but there are a lot of questions and inconsistencies with this team. It starts at quarterback. Byron Leftwich is taking a great approach to his off-season and fits perfectly into Dirk Koetter’s offense, but injuries have always been a problem and there’s an underlying friction with Jack Del Rio. David Garrard was exposed in extended playing time last season. The Jaguars also lack playmakers in the passing game. Reggie Williams is just a guy. Matt Jones is a bust. Mercedes Lewis will be worth watching from the tight end position. His size could create matchup problems. The defense will again keep the Jaguars in a lot of games. They’ll get strong production from their front seven. Reshean Mathis makes a lot of plays at cornerback. The veteran presence of Donovin Darius will be missed, but the Jaguars have new leaders emerging on defense and Gerald Sensabaugh displays good physical skills and flashes the ability to make plays. Rookie Reggie Nelson should also make an early impact as a playmaker.
Matt Schaub helps the Houston Texans develop a fresh identity at quarterback. Schaub displays a good presence in the pocket and brings stronger leadership from the quarterback position. The offensive line remains a question with Charles Spencer trying to come back from a horrific knee injury. Eric Winston shows promise though and looks like a solid fit in Gary Kubiak’s zone scheme upfront. Ahman Green brings credibility to the run game, but lacks the same burst that made him a consistent playmaker in the past. To get out of the AFC South cellar, the defense must step forward. They have a young trio with Mario Williams, DeMeco Ryans, and rookie Amobi Okoye to build around among the front seven. Expect more production from Williams as a pass rusher in his second season. Dunta Robinson is establishing himself as a leader, but the rest of the secondary struggles to matchup against strong passing teams and struggles to create enough turnovers.
Vince Young has created a buzz around the Tennessee Titans. Young makes things happen on the field and sets the tone for the offense. But he’s also erratic in the passing game and needs a lot of work on making better decisions with the ball. There’s not much support behind Young either. David Givens faces an uncertain future. Brandon Jones has shown flashes as a solid intermediate target, but isn’t a playmaker. The backfield situation is more uncertain. LenDale White hasn’t shown any responsibility as a pro. Chris Henry is a phenomenal athlete, but lacks experience. Chris Brown is a good athlete with experience, but durability has always been a problem. The defense will play with a lot of effort as always, but there are a lot of limitations across the board. There’s very little pass rush behind the high motor of Kyle VandenBosch. Nick Harper will be a quality veteran stepping in for Adam Jones, but he’s not a matchup guy. The bottom line – the Titans lack playmakers on both sides of the ball. Only Jeff Fisher’s ability to squeeze wins from this talent base and get timely big plays from Young give the Titans any hope for another .500 finish.
The Colts will make the playoffs because of Peyton Manning but just like they didnt make it to and win the super bowl because of him they wont this year the wont even make it to the dance. Jags...8-8 maybe 9-7 Houston not top 5 but top 10 still. Titans will learn VY cant do it alone and maybe should put someone on offense around him
The colts will struggle a bit, but win the division. Leftawich is benched by week 3 and the jags end up 9-7 or 10-6. Houston skims the bottom, because they are houston. Tenn goes 4-12
Don't count the colts out just yet.Tony dungy has a knack for pulling things off.THEY DID WIN THE BIG ONE.We'll see.I won't sit here and talk alot of stuff.The season will tell the tale.
Last edited by naptownrider on July 1st at 7:53 PM.
- The Colts are the fave as long as they have the Peyton & Marvin show. But they aren't as strong as they were last year. Too many pieces were dropped and whether the replacement parts are as good as "original equipment" remains to be seen. I have my doubts.
- The Jags are as close as an NFL team can come to being schizo. One week they play like the Raiders the next week they play like the Chargers. And to start off 2007, Del Rio says Leftwich is the starter, no question. Four months later, he's eagerly waiting for Culpepper to be available. More schizophrenia.
- The Texans might surprise some people. Kubiak has dumped the dead wood (spell that David Carr & Domanick Davis-Williams & Eric Moulds) and has his players actually having to compete for their jobs. If Matt Schaub can make competent decisions and Ahman Green is 90% of what he was last year and Andre keeps on being Andre, the Texans won't be the automatic win people might think when they see them on the schedule.
- Tennessee is a shambles thanks to Adam Jones, few understandable off-season moves, and LenDale White coming to camp in sorry shape. Then again, they have Prince Vince. Maybe the dreaded "sophomore jinx" and the infamous "Madden Curse" will cancel each other out and Vince will have an All-Pro year. Orrrrr... maybe they'll multiply the effect and Vince will be really, really awful. What's more likely is they'll miss Jones's playmaking ability - he won more games for them than Vince did, IMHO. Should be interesting to watch either way.
It's my personal policy to never discount the previous year Super Bowl winner until they've given me fair reason to. In my opinion, the youthfulness of the team will be offset by the clear-headedness and poise of Manning: that guy could lead a team through a hurricane; so I expect the talent and athleticism of the new players to compensate for experience in this instance.
On another note, Schaub is going to be something to watch. No, I'm not saying he'll be great, nor am I saying he'll be horrible. There's just not enough data to make a decision on the kid. Personally, though, I'd like to see him and Grossman hit a nice stride, shut up the naysayers, and give us some new quarterbacks to talk about.
Colts have collapsed the last 2 regular seasons. Yes there was tragedy & glory to end respectively, but you cant have that many changes on D and gel. They always have tough division games no matter who the team is & this year it will hurt them (3-3).They have no depth on defense, & the Jags have had too much of their bad luck already. Jags take the division & their now seasoned offense will put it together. Watch out for Matt Jones this year. Talk whatever BLEEP you want, but Texans are moving forward while Fisher is soon to find out that Titan management better start looking for a bomb shelter.
What are yall talkin about? The colts didnt lose anybody! In fact they are a better team this year than last years team, I think the Jags will be a bust and the Texans well there the Texans, and the Titans will struggle all season.
as a hoosier and huge colts fan I have to say the colts will win the division and win a second super bowl. it will be hard but then again it was all over when we got rid of edge wasn't it. who the hell is joe addai??? oh yeah that's right the young rookie rb that made us ask who is edge??? anyhow bill polian and the colts staff have an uncanny ability to draft players that fit right into their scheme of things. division is in the bag, afc champ... in the bag patriots are so desperate they keep picking up these over the hill players that were amazing 5 years or even 10 years ago. it's all gravy baby go colts!!
I am not sure about the Colts Defence, but the offence will be better than last year. Brandon Stokely was badly missed last year and Gonzalez is a faster, younger version of Stokely, and the line will be better, and if Peyton has time....
The Houston Texans AND the Tennessee Titans will finish ahead of the Jags this year. Write this down, because you won't remember you heard it here first. Texans will have first winning season.(9-7)
Matt Jones is not a bust. He is entering the 3rd year of learning a new position. He was doing well last year until he got hurt then when he came back Garrard and Jones did not have a good chemistry. plus, Garrard really isn't that good of a passer. Give Matt Jones another year or 2 before he is labled a bust.
The Jags lose to the Texans every year. Until they can figure out who they are, they won't win more than 8 games. The Titans will be hurtin somethin fierce due to Henry leaving for Denver. Now everyone will be watching VY the whole game, and he won't be as good as last year. Hurts to say since I am a UT fan and he was the best we ever had, but the team as a whole just isn't that strong. Colts will win the division easily unless Peyton gets hurt for extended time. Texans, I'm hometown and just hoping for 9-7.
Lets be honest. The colts never prided them selves on playing solid defense last season. How much worse could our run d get? Our offense is going to carry us to another championship. I would like to see another running back. I think Addai can carry a full load but would be more effective if used as part of a one two punch. GO COLTS!!
Colts will win the division at 12-4
Jags will go 10-6 and make the playoffs
They will split the season series each team winning their home game
Vince Young will pull out some wins for Tenn. But they will find themselves 7-9
The Houston will be one of the laughing stocks of the league again with a 4-12.
Jags, now have two very GOOD wr's Northcut and super hands Walker. Running game will be even better.If we can only keep "Baby Huey" well for 16 games. The big Cats can run down those Poney Boys.
Matt Shuab is not the end all be all answer in Houston. As you said, the O-line is, has been, and will be the biggest problem for Houston. Carr was a solid quarterback with a weak supporting cast. If he had a line, Houston would have been in a lot better shape a lot soon. Even now, they focus more on the defense than building an effective offense.
Titans are in the battle of bad backs. Can't believe that they brought back Brown. Is there anybody else? With the criminal drauma taking its toll on the defense and spoiled rotten knuckhead problems behind the quarterback (White), they may wind up worse off than Houston.
we shall see....The Colts barely beat the Titans in the first matchup last year. The Colts have plenty of potential but??? The Jags...The Texans....The Titans, what a tough conference to compete in.
The Texans will not finish 4-12. Matt Schaub is not the be all end all, and everyone knows that. Give Kubiak a chance though, that line last year wasn't really his, yet he still had 5 rookies starting on opening day. "IF" Charles Spencer gets healthy and plays well with the other tackle Winston, they won't be terrible. Plus Ahman Green, with one leg, is better than Ron Dayne and what they had last year. They lost to at least 4 playoff teams, and ended the season with two straight wins. Which qualifies as hope in Houston.
I love a dominating defense! I do not like an inconsistent offense. This has been the Jags' MO over the last few years. The antithesis of this team formula is the Colts. I think that if Jax can show some sort of proficency on the offensive side of the ball, Indy will have some trouble. Wether the Jags can hold it together for more than 3 or 4 games at a time may be asking too much. I loved Darius, but I don't think he will be missed too badly especially by the end of the season.
Houston is a bad offensive team all-together with no hope of more than 2 TD per game all year, and V.Young is going to get pumelled in Nashville while the rest of his team plays lights out.
People say that time will tell...
Well, the colts have been consistant for the past 5 years at least by making the playoffs. A couple of years ago, their offense carried the whole team and Peyton broke the touchdown passing record. Think things will different now, NOPE.
Texans - their quarterbacks need stand up and stay standing up. You can't win if you can't score, you can't score if you can give the ball to another player besides the quarterback.
Jags - they need a real passing threat to score and they don't have one - at least not one consistant. They need another quarterback because of health issues. Their defense isn't that of the old Ravens that can win games.
Titans - they will come up as second in the division. Their defense will be so-so and their offense or should we say Vince will be good. Remeber the Rose Bowl - it was USC vs Vince? He'll calm down his throws and react better.
Here is why the Texans will come closer to 9-7 than 4-12...First, they were 6-10 last year with no offensive line and David "Shellshocked" Carr...ie they have improved over last year already. Let me preface by saying that I will admit that the Texans could have drafted better regarding the O-line, if you will be willing to admit that the line gave up fewer sacks last year than the playoff bound Seattle Seahawks, and the defending Super Bowl champs, Pittsburgh...IE they ain't that terrible.
1) The O-line will be respectable with Spencer back in the lineup, and with free agent acquisition of Jordan Black, plus the drafting of Brandon Frye, the Texans will have what they didn't have before...depth. And throw in Kasey Studdard to boot.
2) Running game- Ahman Green. Over thirty? Coming off of injury? Still a legit running back? Yes.Yes.Yes. Nuff said. Plus, Vonta Leach is the real deal at fullback.
3)Jacoby Jones and Andre Davis will help spread the defense for Andre Johnson. TE Owen Daniel will be the next Jay Novacek.
4) Defense is vastly improved- Okoye, and Mario Williams will provide pressure up front along with Weaver and Maddox, Demeco Ryans is the best linebacker you could wish for in a second year player, and Dunta Robinson gets some help from the draft in the secondary with a matching corner and a safety.
5) There hasn't been a personnel move that Kubiak has made that didn't make me say "What the heck was he thinking?" and there hasn't been one that didn't improve the team either. He thinks outside the box and he will win.
Last edited by Forgotten_Fan on July 2nd at 4:32 PM.
I'm surprised the Texans gave up on Carr so soon. They build the offense and bring in some blockers then release the guy for an unproven Matt Schaub. BLEEPs to be Carr, but he's in a better place now. If anything happens to Jake Delhomme, Carr will get his chance.
Agent- I was David Carr's biggest defender for five years. Yes, he got a raw deal for the first four years. Last year, Kubiak came in, placed confidence in him, put him in situations to succeed...and he failed miserably at times. I am still a Carr fan, but, he is what he is...a shellshocked QB. Everyone in Houston wishes him well, he is a great guy, but you just have to realize when something isn't working out and do something about it. I still want to believe that Carr can resurrect his career and go on to great things...It is mostly up to him. Will he be another Warren Moon, or Andre Ware?
The Texans finish 2-14 winning both games against the Jags, because the Jags always BLEEP when the two teams play. The good news is the Texans will once again with the first pick in the draft that they will waste on some unknown player from Idaho.
The Titans will end up 6-10 and Vince Young will be contained and exposed as a poor passer.
The Jaguars 9-7 will again post 400 rushing yards against the colts only to lose the next week to some JV High School team. Taylor gets hurt during the coin toss to open the season and leftawich again proves he is the most immobile player in the NFL.
The Colts 10-6 and prove the playoffs were a total fluke.
Yes the Texans brought in Kubiak, but it was the same old Texans. Carr was still getting destroyed everytime he dropped back to pass. In my opinion he never got a chance to prove what he is capable of. Carolina made a great move. I think he will be the starter by week 6. Jake Delhomme hasn't really done anything since the Superbowl loss.
What's with all the Colts bashing? They are the Super Bowl Champs the last time I checked. How many other teams have a Super Bowl win in this divison. Oh that's right. Go Colts!
Oh and to the Steelers fans. The only fluke worth talking about is your last Super Bowl win. Big Ben BLEEPs.
Brian DeLucia has been a widely respected NFL Analyst for several years including six-years on FOXSports.com
Brian analyzes players, coaches, and personnel guys from a unique front office perspective. You can email Brian DeLucia at bjd@enter.net
