In one of the strongest overall divisions in the league, the AFC South has been the Colts’ division for quite a while now, thanks mostly to the right arm of Peyton Manning. With the Texans seemingly on the rise, let’s take a look at the division as we head into the 2010 season.

Tennessee Titans:
Many still doubt that Vince Young can be a successful quarterback in the NFL. Though he significantly struggles to read defenses at times and has had major issues with maturity, Young came out of nowhere last year to salvage the Titans’ season and get them to 8-8. The Titans receiving corps isn’t particularly appealing, but Young has proven that he has the athleticism and playmaking ability to keep the Titans in the game.

The Titans also, of course, have arguably the most dynamic single talent in the league in running back Chris Johnson. Johnson has the rare combination of blazing speed, durability and exceptional field vision, making him a threat to go the distance every time he touches the ball. Johnson also gives Young a very good safety valve. Their defense has some talent but also was very badly exposed at various times last season, particularly in the secondary. Considering that every team has holes, though, the Titans have enough talent to make them a playoff contender in 2010.

Indianapolis Colts:
It isn’t too difficult to figure out why the Colts have been so successful over the years. In quarterback Peyton Manning the Colts have the quintessential leader, one who demands hard work from the rest of his team. The Colts have also been unbelievable at finding late-round players that can plug holes and make an immediate impact. Last season, Pierre Garcon rose to the cusp of stardom even though no one had ever heard of him before the season.

On defense, the Colts still have a premier pass-rusher in Dwight Freeney and they are very tough to move the ball on when safety Bob Sanders is in the lineup. The problem, however, is that Sanders is so seldom on the field, which makes the Colts defense fairly mediocre. Still, the precision and efficiency of the Colts offense puts considerable pressure on opposing offenses to score, which in turn makes it easier on the Colts defense. It should be the same again in 2010.

Jacksonville Jaguars:
The Jags are another difficult team to figure. David Garrard is a decent quarterback but not as good as it seemed like he might be some day. Maurice Jones-Drew is an unbelievable talent at the running back position but the Jags are severely limited outside of his explosive abilities, though Mike Sims-Walker did step up in 2009. On defense, the Jags bulked up by drafting defensive tackles in both the first and third rounds, which should get them back to playing smash-mouth football. If Garrard can get back to ball control as well in 2010, the Jags should be in the playoff hunt deep into the season.

Houston Texans:
If there’s a team that can take down the Colts, it would have to be the Houston Texans. For the past few seasons, it has seemed that the Texans were on the verge of breaking out and 2009 was the franchise’s first winning season. Quarterback Matt Schaub isn’t as well known as Peyton Manning or Drew Brees but he is a top-tier signal caller who deserves to be in the discussion of the elite quarterbacks in the league. Last season, Schaub had a 98.6 QB rating with 4,770 yards and 29 touchdowns.

It’s also helpful that Schaub predominately is throwing to Andre Johnson, their stud wideout who sells tons of NFL tickets. Defensively, the Texans have Pro Bowler Mario Williams and reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year Brian Cushing, which is a great combination to build a team around. DB Kareem Jackson was also a very good value in the first round and gives them an athletic playmaker at each level of their defense. After going 9-7 last season, an 11-5 season and a playoff berth is definitely a possibility.

Overall:
Until the Colts show signs of slowing down, the AFC South is theirs. The Texans are nipping at their heels but need to put it together for a full season before they could challenge for a division title. The Titans and Jags also have plenty of talent, which should make the divisional race interesting, but neither seems to have enough to overcome either the Texans or the Colts at this point.

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