1. Houston Texans
2010 Record: 6-10
Projected 2011 Record: 10-6
The Offense
The Texans’ offense was great as usual last season, as the team had to put together a ridiculous amount of late game comebacks due to the fact that they always fell behind by double digits early in games. The previously nonexistent rushing attack exploded, with RB Arian Foster winning the league rushing title and All-Pro honors in his first season as full-time starter. Barring a nagging hamstring injury that has hampered him throughout training camp and the preseason, Foster, along with five returning starters on a good offensive line and quality backup backs in Derrick Ward and Ben Tate, should thrive again in Houston’s backfield.
2010 Record: 6-10
Projected 2011 Record: 10-6
The Offense
The Texans’ offense was great as usual last season, as the team had to put together a ridiculous amount of late game comebacks due to the fact that they always fell behind by double digits early in games. The previously nonexistent rushing attack exploded, with RB Arian Foster winning the league rushing title and All-Pro honors in his first season as full-time starter. Barring a nagging hamstring injury that has hampered him throughout training camp and the preseason, Foster, along with five returning starters on a good offensive line and quality backup backs in Derrick Ward and Ben Tate, should thrive again in Houston’s backfield.
Meanwhile, although QB Matt Schaub had a bit of a down year last season, the Texans still ranked third in the league in passing and will direct a high-octane attack again this year, with All-Pro WR Andre Johnson and TE Owen Daniels both coming strong seasons.
The Defense
Houston’s defense was atrocious last season, and may have been the most incompetent unit in NFL history in trying to stop the run. Gary Kubiak and Rick Smith’s strategy of “Let’s draft defensive backs and throw them out there” backfired, with CB Brice McCain and Kareem Jackson being humiliated time and time again last year. Enter long-time defensive guru Wade Phillips, who has installed his 3-4 scheme, along with free agent cornerback Johnathan Joseph and safety Danieal Manning, who should all play a role in improving a unit that has nowhere to go but up. After all, the defense still has playmakers in ILB’s Brian Cushing and DeMeco Ryans and OLB Mario Williams.
Houston’s defense was atrocious last season, and may have been the most incompetent unit in NFL history in trying to stop the run. Gary Kubiak and Rick Smith’s strategy of “Let’s draft defensive backs and throw them out there” backfired, with CB Brice McCain and Kareem Jackson being humiliated time and time again last year. Enter long-time defensive guru Wade Phillips, who has installed his 3-4 scheme, along with free agent cornerback Johnathan Joseph and safety Danieal Manning, who should all play a role in improving a unit that has nowhere to go but up. After all, the defense still has playmakers in ILB’s Brian Cushing and DeMeco Ryans and OLB Mario Williams.
The Key
Wade Phillip’s defense. It is playoffs or bust for head coach Gary Kubiak and the Texans, who will be entering their 10th season. The offense is playoff caliber, but Phillips must put together all the pieces on the other side of the ball for Houston to finally taste the postseason.
2. Indianapolis Colts
2010 Record: 10-6
Projected 2011 Record: 9-7
The Offense
My, oh my, Manning is not ready to start the season, and how many additional games will he miss? That is the million dollar question in Indy as the season begins, as QB Peyton Manning continues to recover from offseason neck surgery. Recently unretired veteran Kerry Collins will take the reins, for now, of an offense for at that led the league in passing yards last year, and was fourth overall, despite numerous injuries last year.
My, oh my, Manning is not ready to start the season, and how many additional games will he miss? That is the million dollar question in Indy as the season begins, as QB Peyton Manning continues to recover from offseason neck surgery. Recently unretired veteran Kerry Collins will take the reins, for now, of an offense for at that led the league in passing yards last year, and was fourth overall, despite numerous injuries last year.
As for the rest of the offense, the Colts used their first two draft picks in 2011 to shore up Manning’s blindside, getting Anthony Castonzo and Ben Ijalana, who are expected to start at LT and LG respectively.
At the skill positions, Indy returns its core set of playmakers, RB Joseph Addai in the backfield, WR Reggie Wayne, the frequently injured Anthony Gonzalez, and Pierre Garcon out wide, and TE Dallas Clark, who is also coming back from a season ending injury, across the middle.
The Defense
The 20th ranked defense from last year returns intact. DEs Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis remain one of the best combos in the league and the Colts also added former Bear DT Tommie Harris and third-round pick Drake Nevis to the line. The Colts struggled to stop the run at times last year, and the linebacking core of returning starters MLB Gary Brackett and OLB Clint Session, as well as new-starter Pat Angerer will need to play well to avoid being shredded by the likes of Foster, Johnson, and Jones-Drew in the division. The sometimes susceptible secondary hopes to get a return from injury by SS Melvin Bullett, while FS Antoine Bethea, and CB Jerraud Powers and Jacob Lacey should be solid.
The Key
Peyton Manning’s health. With him, the Colts are AFC Championship contenders. Without him, they are wildcard team at best.
The 20th ranked defense from last year returns intact. DEs Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis remain one of the best combos in the league and the Colts also added former Bear DT Tommie Harris and third-round pick Drake Nevis to the line. The Colts struggled to stop the run at times last year, and the linebacking core of returning starters MLB Gary Brackett and OLB Clint Session, as well as new-starter Pat Angerer will need to play well to avoid being shredded by the likes of Foster, Johnson, and Jones-Drew in the division. The sometimes susceptible secondary hopes to get a return from injury by SS Melvin Bullett, while FS Antoine Bethea, and CB Jerraud Powers and Jacob Lacey should be solid.
The Key
Peyton Manning’s health. With him, the Colts are AFC Championship contenders. Without him, they are wildcard team at best.
3. Tennessee Titans
2010 Record: 6-10
Projected 2011 Record: 6-10
The Offense
The Titans offense had a season to forget last year, with QB Vince Young going down in week one with an injury and then going semi-crazy. Veteran QB Kerry Collins and rookie Rusty Smith were not effective at all in replacing Young, and the team ended up 25th in the league in passing at the end of the year. To address the QB situation, new head coach Mike Munchak and the Titans drafted Jake Locker with their first round pick and also signed veteran Matt Hasselbeck, who will begin the season as the starter.
At the skill positions, RB Chris Johnson is one of the best in the league, and should be ready to go after the Titans gave him a four year, $53 million contract extension just last week. At WR, Kenny Britt had a nice breakout season, but other than that, the targets for Hasselbeck are average at best, with Nate Washington, Justin Gage, and rookie TE Jared Cook.
The Defense
Unfortunately for the Titans, their defense was not better last season, ranking 26th in the league. It shouldn’t be much better this season either, as Tennessee lost DE Jason Babin, who led the team in sacks last year, to the Philadelphia Eagles. They did add OLB Akeem Ayers with their second round pick and ILB Barrett Ruud from the Buccaneers, but there are just so many holes on the defensive line, and in the secondary other than punk CB Cortland Finnegan.
Unfortunately for the Titans, their defense was not better last season, ranking 26th in the league. It shouldn’t be much better this season either, as Tennessee lost DE Jason Babin, who led the team in sacks last year, to the Philadelphia Eagles. They did add OLB Akeem Ayers with their second round pick and ILB Barrett Ruud from the Buccaneers, but there are just so many holes on the defensive line, and in the secondary other than punk CB Cortland Finnegan.
The Key
The defense. Tennessee got to the playoffs in 2008 with a monster, shutdown defense. Most of the veterans from that unit are gone now, so for this team to even compete for a winning record this year, it’s on the young players on this defense to step up their game.
The defense. Tennessee got to the playoffs in 2008 with a monster, shutdown defense. Most of the veterans from that unit are gone now, so for this team to even compete for a winning record this year, it’s on the young players on this defense to step up their game.
4. Jacksonville Jaguars
2010 Record: 8-8
Projected 2011 Record: 6-10
The Offense
The Jaguars 15th ranked offense from a season ago was completely geared toward the run, as Pro-Bowl RB Maurice Jones-Drew produced week in and week out, helping Jacksonville rank 3rd in the league in rushing. The solid offensive line returns intact this year, and the running game projects to thrive again in 2011.
The passing game is another story. Minus the remarkable Hail Mary pass against the Texas last year, the Jags’ pass offense was mediocre last year, ranking 27th in the league. In response, Jacksonville took QB Blaine Gabbert with the 10th pick of the draft, and hope he will become the long-term starter under center. For now, however, journeyman Luke McCown is the starter, as 2010 starter David Garrard was released on Tuesday. Unfortunately for McCown, his down-field targets are average at best, with TE Marcedes Lewis probably the most consistent, as leading WR Mike Sims-Walker left for St. Louis, leaving Jason Hill and Mike Thomas as the starting wide-outs.
The Defense
The 28th ranked defense from a season ago really has nowhere to go but up. Acquiring linebackers Paul Posluszny and Clint Session should help solidify the run-stopping, while safety Dawan Landry will definitely help the secondary.
The Defense
The 28th ranked defense from a season ago really has nowhere to go but up. Acquiring linebackers Paul Posluszny and Clint Session should help solidify the run-stopping, while safety Dawan Landry will definitely help the secondary.
But there are still a lot of questions in the defensive line, which struggled to get consistent pressure on the QB last season, ranking 30th in sacks. Getting DE Aaron Kampman back from injury will help a little, but he’ll help from DT Tyson Alaulu and Travis Knighton, as well as opposite DE Aaron Roth.
The Key
The improvement of the defense. The Jaguars took advantage of a very easy schedule last season to finish 8-8. This year’s slate looks to be much tougher, and whether or not the Jaguars can stay in the playoff hunt will depend on their ability to rush the passer and improve in the secondary.
The improvement of the defense. The Jaguars took advantage of a very easy schedule last season to finish 8-8. This year’s slate looks to be much tougher, and whether or not the Jaguars can stay in the playoff hunt will depend on their ability to rush the passer and improve in the secondary.
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