AFC South Blog: Midseason Report

by Bill Young

TWO UP:

The Indianapolis Colts remain the team to beat in the division despite their myriad of injuries to the secondary and wide receivers. Its about time to recognize what they still have instead of focusing on what they have lost. The Colts still have Freeney and Mathis to rush the passer and Peyton Manning to lead the offense. These players are irreplacable for this current Colts' team. If the Colts go far in the playoffs, it will show the individual greatness of these players. If the Colts fail to do well this season, the legacy of Manning is in danger of taking a hit. Quarterbacks like Tom Brady have done well with less while Manning had future hall of famers like Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne to throw to for the entirety of his career. In addition, Pro-Bowl TE Dallas Clark is a weapon that most QBs have never had. If Manning wants to elevate himself above quarterbacks like Troy Aikman and make it to the level of those like Tom Brady, he needs to prove he can perform well in the playoffs regardless of the supporting cast.
The Jacksonville Jaguars were the beneficiary of good fortune when Mike Thomas caught David Garrard's Hail Mary pass to defeat the Houston Texans. After getting destroyed by the Chiefs a month ago, the Jaguars have responded to win their next two games against the Cowboys and Texans. This coupled with their upset victory over the Colts makes the Jaguars a dangerous team in the AFC South. If they can maintain this level of play, a playoff berth is a possibility.

2 DOWN:

The Tennessee Titans took a chance on Randy Moss. Now they will have to live with the effect he will have on the lockerroom if they start to lose. The loss to the Dolphins was not the start the Titans were envisioning. However, RB Chris Johnson will have more room to run if Randy Moss is capable of behaving like a professional on the field. Unfortunately, this is not likely to happen as Randy Moss may end up having his career abruptly as his conduct is no longer tolerable if he is no longer a top receiving threat in the NFL.
The Houston Texans started well. However, injuries to key players have significantly affected the Texans playoff chances. The injury to Pro Bowl LB Demeco Ryans specifically destroys any semblance of defense the Texans had. In addition, Andre Johnson is banged up. Unlike a certain QB, there will be no press conferences to address his ankle injuries, but they are definitely hindering his play. That being said, Texans coach Gary Kubiak has the opportunity to revamp the offense by focusing on the emergence of RB Arian Foster. Foster, an undrafted player from Tennessee, has done an admirable job when given enough carries. Playcalling has been the best defense against Foster as he is sometimes forgotten about in bigger games like the debacle in the second game versus the Colts where the Texans failed to establish the run against a pitiful run defense. If the Texans hope to turn their season around and keep star WR Andre Johnson, they need to emphasize the running game to minimize the time their defense is on the field and provide more open opportunities for WRs off of play-action passes.