big american NFL preview: AFC South

So why has it taken me so long to make with the rest of the AFC previewing? It's honestly because I was trying to talk myself into calling Indianapolis not willing the AFC South this year. I mean, the AFC South should field four playoff caliber teams this season. Since I have Pittsburgh and Cleveland in the playoffs, though, two worthy teams are going to get left out. Could I man up and make the upset call rather than making my AFC predictions a boring sweep of last year's division winners repeating?

AFC South

4. Tennessee - Look, I think that the Titans are going to be a very good football team this year. They're returning a defense that will keep you from running the ball and have given Vince Young some quality targets to throw the ball at. The problem I see for them is a lazy running back and all of the talk of Vince Young(who threw nearly twice as many interceptions as he did touchdowns) being improved coming from specialty coaches on the team. As a Bears fan, I know that if the only people talking about how great the QB position are the coaching staff, you're screwed.

3. Texas - Texas is going to show us a beastly front seven that I'm going to enjoy watching on Sundays this season no matter who they're playing(unless it's the Bears - who are on the schedule). The offense should be improved through some additions to the O-line, but it will still be a pretty one-dimensional, Schaub-to-Johnson as their main weapon, offense. That won't be enough to win the big games in most cases. Texas will finish just out of wild card contention.

2. Jacksonville - The Jaguars picked up some receivers via free agency and some pass rushers via the draft. This should make them better than they were last year, having addressed their chief deficiencies. The receivers are good, but not big-time playmakers. The pass rushers will still just be rookies. I can't pull the trigger on this being the year they finally overtake the Colts.

1. Indianapolis - I'm a wuss. The Colts are sporting the same ridiculously talented team they always have, but this year they seem kind of injury-prone. Since I can't predict injuries, though, I have to make them the favorites for this division yet again. I expect, much like New England, that they'll be feeling the effects of a long season when the playoffs get here. Then again, all of the would-be injuries I have dancing around my barin may just be me having watched too much NFL Live over the past month. If that's the case, the Colts have to be considered the AFC's front-runners.