Leach's Lists: 2013 NFL Team Preview Capsules-AFC South
By: Dan Leach
@dtmleach
As football fans can literally taste opening weekend of the NFL, I am going to run through all 32 teams and eight divisions to get you even more ramped up. I will take a look at who I think is going to win each division, who the surprises will be, and the best futures values for 2013. Let's continue with the AFC South.
HOUSTON TEXANS (2012 12-4 WON AFC SOUTH- LOST IN AFC DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS)
The Texans came oh so close to finally breaking through last season and getting to their first Super Bowl, but the pesky Patriots got in the way. This year, the Texans will look to build on the franchise's best season and take that next step towards winning a title. This is a team that is absolutely capable of getting to the SB and is one of the most balanced in the league.
Matt "Stump The" Schaub showed last year that he is ready to be considered one of the NFL's most reliable QB's, and the reemergence of WR Andre Johnson after a tough 2011 was huge for the club as well. The defense will once again be one of the league's best and is the main reason I have the Texans on my short list of best capable of getting to Super Sunday.
(Futures value scale 1-10)
-ODDS TO WIN AFC SOUTH -250 3.5
-ODDS TO WIN AFC +500 7.4
-ODDS TO WIN SUPER BOWL +1200 8
-OVER/UNDER WIN TOTAL 10
DTM BOTTOM LINE- The Texans were 10-2 against the AFC last year and should have a similar record in conference in 2013. With the many holes they filled in the draft and the signing of Free Safety Ed Reed, there is no reason to think this team won't win the AFC South again.
PREDICTION 11-5 AFC South Champs
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (2012 11-5 SECOND PLACE AFC SOUTH- LOST IN AFC WILDCARD)
The Colts were one of the NFL's most pleasant surprises last season and have firmly moved on from the Peyton Manning era. Led by second year QB Andrew "Pot" Luck, who is fast becoming one of the best in the league, this is a team that will be a contender for years to come. While I am not crazy about the Colts draft, I do believe they got a great player in DE/OLB Bjoern Werner from Florida State and he has a great chance to be a day one starter.
The defense still has some question marks, most notably at right DE, but could be even better than last season's unit. The offense is going to put up a lot of points and the team absolutely worships head coach Chuck Pagano, whose comeback from cancer last season was nothing short of remarkable. This is a team on the rise and one that should be back in the postseason.
(Futures value scale 1-10)
-ODDS TO WIN AFC SOUTH +250 6.5
-ODDS TO WIN AFC +1300 6
-ODDS TO WIN SUPER BOWL +3000 6.5
-OVER/UNDER WIN TOTAL 8.5
DTM BOTTOM LINE-The Colts have a tougher schedule than last season when they went 11-5 to qualify for the playoffs, but they have enough in all three phases to at least challenge the Texans for the divisional title. PREDICTION 9-7 AFC Wildcard Team
TENNESSEE TITANS (2012 6-10 THIRD PLACE AFC SOUTH- MISSED PLAYOFFS)
The Titans, much like the Jaguars, seem to be their own worst enemy, albeit the Titans have a lot more talent than their fellow AFC South mates. The QB situation is troubling at best as Jake Locker has never really found the consistency yet to be a viable starter, and free agent signing Ryan Fitzpatrick was the same when in Buffalo.
The Titans have a lot of talent on D, though, and should be able to hold teams to under 20 points on several occasions in 2013. The resurgence of RB Chris Johnson was huge for an offense that had been anemic in 2011 and the Titans have one of the more underrated WR cores in the NFL. They will be in a lot of games, but the problem will be their ability to close them out.
(Futures value scale 1-10)
-ODDS TO WIN AFC SOUTH +800 2.5
-ODDS TO WIN AFC +4500 2
-ODDS TO WIN SUPER BOWL +10000 1
-OVER/UNDER WIN TOTAL 6.5
DTM BOTTOM LINE-It will be déjà vu all over again as far as the Titans record goes in 2013, but this is a team that is moving in the right direction. The diehard fans in the Music City will have some great moments to celebrate, but in the end, they just are not ready for primetime yet.
PREDICTION 6-10
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (2012 2-12 FOURTH PLACE AFC SOUTH- MISSED PLAYOFFS)
Let's simply just face the facts, the Jags were bad last year and they are going to be bad this year. That does not mean they won't improve on last season's 2-14 record, as it would be hard for any team not to improve. The Jags are a franchise that seems to get in its own way more often than not, and there are some nice young pieces like former Michigan QB Denard Robison and first round draft pick OT Luke Joeckel, but there will be a lot of growing pains.
The Jaguars do not know if QB Blaine Gabbert is the future and this is likely his last chance to prove that. They will have trouble scoring and have a defense that overreaches and is undersized. This is a team that even new coach Gus Bradley, who I firmly believe will get this team on a winning track over the next several years, can't do much with this season.
(Futures value scale 1-10)
-ODDS TO WIN AFC SOUTH +3000 1
-ODDS TO WIN AFC +13500 0
-ODDS TO WIN SUPER BOWL +30000 0
-OVER/UNDER WIN TOTAL 5
DTM BOTTOM LINE-The Jags will have some exciting moments on offense with MJD and D Robinson, but that is where it will end. The success starved fan base will have to wait at least a couple more years before this team can even think about contending.
PREDICTION 4-12
