The AFC South may be one of the more predictable and boring divisions to review. Or is it?
Houston Texans
Offense Overview: Have the Texans found their franchise QB in CJ Stroud? Time will tell. He gets the keys to the Texans after being selected 2nd overall in the 2023 draft. To help him, he has Dameon Pierce at running back, who put up 939 yards and 4 touchdowns before going down with an ankle injury. I expect the Texans to rely heavily on him to ease Stroud into the NFL. The receiving core could be better overall. Nico Collins, Robert Woods, and John Metchie III are okay but not great for a rookie QB. The offensive line is fine. It is led by Pro Bowler Laremy Tunsil, who should be a good left tackle for Stroud. The rest of the offensive line should be able to hold its own.
Defense Overview: Will Anderson Jr. leads the pass rush after the departure of Ogbonnia Okoronkwo. Jerry Hughes will still be alongside him as one looks to crack double-digit sacks. Christian Harris should be an instant impact player in the run defense alongside Denzel Perryman. Derek Stingleyy Jr was average last year, but he was misused. I expect Demeco Ryans to use him correctly. Alongside him is Steven Nelson, coming off his best year, free agent acquisition Jimmie Ward and Jalen Pitre, who was great in coverage and led the team in tackles last year. The secondary is easily the best part of this team.
Overall Assessment: This team made good moves, but more still need to be made. They need a true WR 1, the right side of the offensive line, and a better pass rush outside of Will Anderson. Trading their 2023 first for Anderson better payoff because this team needs more talent before I take them seriously. However, Demeco Ryans was a good hire and can help steer this team in the right direction. Projected Finish: 3-14, 4th in the AFC South
Indianapolis Colts
Offense Overview: Anthony Richardson is a very raw prospect at Quarterback, but he has the tools to succeed in the NFL. That being said, the growing pains will be there. To help him, maybe, is Jonathan Taylor, who is a top 5 running back in the NFL. He is a great north-to-south runner and should help establish the ground game if he sticks around. Michael Pittman is the primary wideout and should see more action downfield. The offensive line needs to turn it around fast. They are the highest-paid unit in the league and gave up 60 sacks last year. This is surprising, considering they have Quentin Nelson to help anchor this unit.
Defense Overview: The defensive line is pretty good. Deforest Buckner had 8 sacks last year and looks to be the main threat to get to the passer. Kwity Paye will have the chance to break out with the departure of Yannick Ngakoue. Shaq Leornard is a huge turnover threat if he can stay healthy this year. The secondary could be better. Kenny Moore is the stand-out man who should be fine, but The rest of the secondary needs a lot of work.
Overall Assessment: This team has the blueprint to do well, but I need to see Richardson take a considerable step before considering the Colts for the playoffs. This team should be exciting to watch, but I don’t expect the Colts to make noise this year with a very inexperienced quarterback and bad overall defense. Projected Finish: 5-12, 3rd in the AFC South
Tennessee Titans
Offense Overview: Ryan Tannehill will have the keys for now as he enters his 5th season as the Titans quarterback. Tannehill isn’t some game changer, but he isn’t a game wrecker either. He’ll have to prove to be a game-changer if he wants to stick around after this season. Derrick Henry is 29 and would put a 2000 Honda Civic to shame with the miles he has run for the Titans in his career. He’s built different, but you have to wonder how much longer he can do this. The addition of Deandre Hopkins is immense but only moves the bar a little for me. Chigoziem Okonkwo could be a sneaky target for Tannehill. The offensive line could be better. Peter Skoronski is a solid addition, but he might be the best offensive lineman, which is not too much to brag about. Hopefully, this unit can turn it around in 2023.
Defense Overview: Jeffery Simmons is the league’s most underrated interior defensive lineman. He had 7.5 sacks last year and was an unstoppable force for the Titan’s run defense. Teair Tart complements Simmons very well. Coming back from injury, Harold Landry III should provide a great pass rush option for the Titans. Gibbens and Al-Shaair should be a solid linebacker duo. Kevin Byard is an excellent free safety, but the rest of the secondary lacks.
Overall Assessment: This team, on paper, is a 4-5-win team. They have good pieces here and there, but overall, this team is not that good. However, Mike Vrabel always gets his team to perform above expectations, and this year will be another example. Projected Finish: 7-10, 2nd in the AFC South
Jacksonville Jaguars
Offense Overview: Trevor Lawrence has established himself as a top-10 quarterback after putting up 4,113 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions. After their week 11 bye, he looked very impressive, going 6-1 and capturing the AFC South title. I could easily see him putting up 4,000+ yards and over 35 touchdowns this season. To help him accomplish that is former Clemson teammate Travis Etienne Jr. coming off his 1,125 yards season. I think Etienne could hit that mark again this season. Calvin Ridley joins Christian Kirk and Zay Jones to create a serious receiving core. Evan Engram has made huge strides and looks to have another big year at Tight End. Anton Harrison and Brandon Scherff should make up a solid right of the offensive line after the departure of Jawaan Taylor.
Defense Overview: DaVon Hamilton is the leading run stuffer in this 3-4 defense, with Josh Allen and Travon Walker rushing off the edge. Devin Lloyd and Foyesade Oluokon make up a solid linebacking duo after putting up 115 and 184 tackles, respectively. This front 7 has the potential to do severe damage. Tyson Campbell and Darious Williams make up a good cornerback duo, while Rayshawn Jenkins and Andre Cisco make up a good safety duo.
Overall Assessment: This team turned it on at the end of last year, and I see them coming out of the gate firing. Doug Pederson has turned this team around fast, and they are serious contenders. The defense is good, and this offense has a chance to be very special. There is no reason they can’t win the AFC South and make a Super Bowl run. Projected Finish: 11-6, 1st in the AFC South.
The CloudZeroSports Team Division Predictions:
Stephen’s Prediction: Jaguars This team is without question the best in the division. The Colts and Texans are in the beginning stages of their rebuild, and the Titans might be entering one soon. Doug Pederson has these boys playing well; there is no reason it should change this year.
Dante’s Prediction: Jaguars The Jacksonville Jaguars have endured their fair share of struggles, but those days may be over. Trevor Lawrence came into the league with hype unmatched by any quarterback since Andrew Luck, and he seems poised to live up to expectations in year three. Doug Pederson was brought in to be the steady veteran hand to guide Lawrence, and his Super Bowl pedigree should provide dividends. The defense made significant strides last season, and potential breakout stars like Josh Allen, Travon Walker, and Devin Lloyd could take this unit to elite status. Meanwhile, the rest of the division is filled with question marks. Ryan Tannehill’s play has been too up and down to trust. There will probably be growing pains for CJ Stroud, and the Colt’s roster looks solid on paper but is held back by the uncertainty with Richardson at quarterback. So, while the Jags have been basement dwellers for years, the stars seem aligned to rise to the top of the AFC South in 2023 behind their franchise QB Trevor Lawrence.
Puggy’s Prediction: Jaguars In all seriousness, this division is putrid. All the teams either have a new quarterback, a new coach, or a team that cannot compete with everyone else. However, there is one team that completely demolishes all the other teams in this division, and that team is the Jacksonville Jaguars. Last season, the Jaguars won their division and a playoff game on top of it, but they also have a promising offense with Trevor Lawrence, Travis Etienne, and the new addition of Calvin Ridley. Overall, I expect this Jaguars team to breeze through the competition and the division.
Zach’s Prediction: Jaguars There are many unknowns in the AFC South, but the team that feels the most complete at the moment is the Jacksonville Jaguars. Duval County lost the likes of Marvin Jones and Jawaan Taylor, but the additions of Calvin Ridley and Anton Harrison offset those departures. Let’s not leave out their newly drafted tight end Brenton Strange, who will make a formidable duo alongside Evan Engram. Travis Ettiene, Tanks Bigsby, Zay Jones, and Christian Kirk are alongside them. These are great weapons for Trevor Lawrence. Not having Cam Robinson for the first few games will undoubtedly hurt the shaky offensive line. However, that will not hurt them in the long run on their way to obtaining a second straight division title. The Titans could threaten the Jaguars if Derrick Henry stays healthy, but with Ryan Tannehill still at QB, that could hurt them, even with the addition of DeAndre Hopkins. Both the Colts and Texans will struggle this season. The Colts drafted Anthony Richardson, who can quickly develop into an outstanding QB with head coach Shane Steichen leading the charge, but I expect that Richardson will show growing pains early on. The Texans selected CJ Stroud and Will Anderson in the 2023 draft and picked up Dalton Schultz, who could easily aid Stroud this year. However, they are one of the worst teams in the NFL as they continue to rebuild. I don’t expect much from them, but they could always surprise me.
Ryan’s Prediction: Jaguars The AFC South division winner will be the Jaguars, assuming they keep the ball rolling just like the end of last season. Having Trevor Lawrence as their quarterback will help, especially with Calvin Ridley as his primary target. The defense is not too much to brag about. They are physical and fast but have room to develop, especially with Travon Walker and Devin Llyod. While the Jaguars will win, a very close second will be the Titans. Ryan Tannehill has some great stats to back him up, but Trevor Lawrence still dominates in every regard. The AFC South division will be an offensive-heavy division.
Micky’s Prediction: Jaguars I believe the Jaguars will win the AFC South. The entire division is mediocrity, but Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars will take a step forward now that he has even better weapons around him. The defense should continue to improve as well. Houston is too deep in the rebuild to challenge anyone and has too many holes to fill until I take them seriously. The Titans are on a steady decline, and Henry will be a workhorse again, but for how much longer? Finally, the Colts will boom or bust with Richardson, but he’ll have decent Wide Receivers to work with as he gets used to NFL football.
Dustin’s Prediction: Jaguars While the AFC South might be the worst division going into the 2023 season, the Jaguars are one bright spot. They played top-notch playoff football and even gave the Kansas City Chiefs a run for their money. Trevor Lawrence anchors their offense, establishing himself as a top QB and one of the reasons why the Jaguars should take this division easily. Most betting outlets give them the only negative money line in the division. The Titans should be good enough to finish second with the likes of Derrick Henry. As for the Texans and Colts, there isn’t much to be said. They have a long way to go before becoming serious competition for any team in the AFC.
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