Author- Amos Conway
The 2018 NFL Season is right around the corner with the HOF
(Hall Of Fame) Game set to kick off on Thursday, August 2nd 2018 at 8:00 PM on
NBC. A game that will showcase some new talent with the Chicago Bears playing the
Baltimore Ravens in Canton, OH to officially kick off the NFL Preseason.
Hang in there Football Fans, we’re almost there.
With that being said, every year we have the discussion
about the best division in football. Last year we had the NFC South have 3
representatives in the 2017 NFL Playoffs with the Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans
Saints and the Carolina Panthers all thrusting themselves into the postseason. In the AFC it looked like the AFC West may have 3 teams being the Kansas
City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders and the newly minted Los Angeles Chargers finding
their way as well, with only the Chiefs sliding in for a brief appearance.
So much can change throughout the season with the volatility
of the NFL. Teams have to overcome many obstacles from injuries to
suspensions, holdouts and so much more. This year, I believe one division that
sent 2 teams to the 2017-2018 NFL Playoffs will once again have multiple teams
represent them and take the title for the toughest and best division in
football. This division will be the AFC South who saw the Jacksonville Jaguars
and Tennessee Titans both make the playoffs last season; with both teams
falling to the New England Patriots who would go on to represent the AFC
and eventually fall to the NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles (41-33) in
Super Bowl LII.
All 4 teams in the AFC South have the potential, the
coaching along with the talent to all reach the 2018 playoffs. Let’s make the
case for the AFC South to tak the Crown for Best Division in Pro Football with
a team by team analysis.
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts struggles have been followed over the
last couple seasons from mistakes in the front office to the mismanagement of
their Star Quarterback, Andrew Luck. However, 2018 looks bright for this team
with new HC Frank Reich and 2nd Year GM Chris Ballard. With Andrew Luck being
healthy, the Colts will have a shot at the division title and its hard to
dispute that considering what we seen out of Andrew when he is healthy. They
get back 2nd year man and potential star Safety Malik Hooker, a potential break
out corner in Quincy Wilson from Florida along with a healthy Ryan Kelly and
they got arguably the best player in the draft with the 6th overall pick
in Guard; Quentin Nelson from Notre Dame. This team has a lot of young talent
on defense to blend in with some veterans like Jabaal Sheard, Jon Simon and
Jonathan Hankins. This maybe one of the best Colts defenses we have seen in the
last 17 years. Yes, there are questions on the offense at receiver outside of
T.Y. Hilton and the RB Position, but as mentioned before a healthy Andrew Luck
can mask a lot of those problems especially with his come from behind ability.
This Colts team has a mix of talent, and as the 2018 season progresses they
should gel together and become a formidable team and even have a chance to make
a push for the playoffs. Don’t underestimate these Colts; they definitely have
a horse in this race.
Houston Texans
The Texans are a team that have been hard to gauge over the
last couple of seasons, some critics argue they have underachieved or have
overachieved and a lot of that has been on the coach, Bill O’Brien whose
seemingly tried to win with a carousel of QB’s that he thought he could develop
in his system. Last year they moved up in the draft and struck gold with
Deshaun Watson and in a small sample size showed the mold of a Champion with
his flashes of brilliance in decision making, accuracy and arm strength that
surprised a lot of people. We all should have seen this coming, Nick Saban had
6 or so weeks over 2 seasons to prepare for him and Watson simply looked ready
for everything, along with edging the Tide in an epic 2nd half come back and
got the W over the feared Tide in his 2nd shot against them in the National
Title Game. The 2018 Season will show case a (hopefully) healthy Watson coming
off the ACL tear, Nuk Hopkins who is a top 3 receiver with a new contract that
was well deserved, Will Fuller who Watson hooked up with 5 tds over 3 games
with in the 2017 season including 2 against the Legion of Boom in Seattle and
maybe the most important of all a revamped defense that acquired Tyrann Mathieu
from the Cardinals, a healthy JJ Watt and a line backing core spewing with
talent with former 1st overall pick Jadaveon Clowney whose put it all together
and become a complete Linebacker, Whitney Mercilus is year after year an
underrated pass rusher if he can stay health and 2nd year man Zach
Cunningham is a tackling machine out of Vanderbilt. Get your Battle Red
out Houston; the Texans are set to explode onto the scene in this 2018 season.
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a 1 of 2 AFC South Teams that made
the 2017 playoffs and had one of the most memorable plays when QB Marcus
Mariota caught his own deflected pass and proceeded to punch in it the end zone
against the Kansas City Chiefs where en route to a 2nd half comeback that they
would complete and eventually advance and fall to the Patriots in the
divisional round. Speaking of the Patriots, the Titans seem to clearly trying
to model themselves after arguably the most successful Franchise since 2000,
and possibly in Sports History by adding former Patriot Linebacker ,Ohio
State and Houston Texans Defensive Coordinator and 3x Super Bowl Champion Mike
Vrabel to be their Head Coach, as well as bringing in Super Bowl 49 Hero
Malcolm Butler to play opposite of Adoree’ Jackson and Swiss Army Knife Running
Back Dion Lewis also acquired from the Patriots to split carries with battering
ram Derrick Henry. The best way to describe the 2018 Titans without actually
seeing them hit the field yet for the 2018 season is balanced. They are the
only team in the AFC South that have a reliable Quarterback, a Solid run game
and as long as Delanie Walker and 2017 top 10 draft pick Wide Receiver Corey
Davis stay health they should have a sound passing game. It’s the same story on
the on the defensive side of the ball, this team can stop the run with the help
of DT Jurrell Casey, and rush the passer with the likes Brian Orakpo and
Derrick Morgan along with Wesley Woodyard helping plug up the run as well. The
key to their success is with QB Marcus Mariota who is a dual threat; passing
the ball and being able to take off running, and more importantly he makes good
decisions when running the ball. This two tone tank should be carried into the
playoffs by a defense that will play sound, disciplined football under first
year Head Coach Mike Vrabel and an offense led by a QB who is looking to take
the next step along with a 2nd year RB in Derrick Henry who’s size, speed and
ability to finish games should be invaluable come December and January. The
hidden key to this team however; maybe the special teams that has starting corner
Adoree’ Jackson who has the ability to catch fire and change the outcome of any
game, on any given kick or punt return.
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jags are the team to beat in this division,
understandably so people will point to the 2 losses to divisional rival
Tennessee last year. This is a different season, another year that this defense
will be together led by their 2 Corners who are arguably, and in my mind the #1
and #2 corners in the NFL with Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye that both have the ability
and will shut down every duo of receivers they see in the upcoming 2018 season,
they also have a pair of instinctual safeties in Barry Church and Tashaun
Gipson that surprised last year by covering the middle of the field and helping
keep everything in front of them thrown to slot receivers and tight ends. At
the linebacker core you have Myles Jack that before the knee concern would have
been a top 5 pick but ultimately slipped to the 2nd round for Jacksonville to
grab and his counterpart Telvin Smith who is equally as talented and just
received a long term extension. Both of these guys have the ability to rush the
passer, stop the run, and drop in zone coverage and even play man coverage
against number of tight ends, running backs and even some slot receivers they
will encounter this upcoming 2018 season. Now, let’s talk about the bread
and butter of this defense, the extremely versatile defensive line led by
All-Pro DE Calais Campbell and includes talented pass rushers, along with run
stuffers like Yannick Ngakoue, former 3rd overall pick Dante Fowler Jr, Malik
Jackson, Marcell Dareus, Abry Jones and 2018 1st round pick Taven Bryan who
experts and scouts have compared the likeness of JJ Watt to if he is able to
stay health and motivated. This defense is unbelievably talented, and the
window for them is now. They could easily shatter records held by other
great defenses like the 85 Bears, 2013 Seahawks, 2015 Broncos and the Purple
People Eaters of the Minnesota Vikings. The Defense is clearly where this team
will find their dominant run with Malik Jackson already proclaiming “16-0”.
With that said, all the offense has to do is not make more mistakes then their
defense will create. Blake Bortles was efficient last year, and played
extremely well in the playoffs and probably should have beaten the Patriots in
New England in the Conference Title game. They drafted Leonard Fournette who is
coming off a 1000 yard and 9 touchdown rookie campaign last season behind a
revamped offensive line that in 2018 should be even better than they were in
2017 with Cam Robinson in his 2nd year, Andrew Norwell coming over from
Carolina and Jeremy Parnell from Dallas. At the skill positions they did lose
big time receiver Allen Robinson to the Chicago Bears, however they acquired
tight ends Austin Seferian-Jenkins from the New York Jets Niles Paul came over
from Washington to help in both the running and passing game. We should also
expect continuing progression out of WR Marqise Lee, Dede Westbrook, and Keelan
Cole along with Donte Moncrief who they stole away from the Colts and has a lot
of untapped potential. Jacksonville is relevant again thanks to Tom Coughlin,
Doug Marrone and this team has a 3-5 year window to claw, rip and tear through
the NFL led by their league wrecking defense. The Jaguars and their fans have a
lot to roar about.
As you can see, this Division is loaded with Super Start
talent, efficient players, great role players and guys hungry to win. The AFC
South will be competitive, hard-nosed and fun to watch for years to come but.
But the dominance will begin this year thanks to the patience of Owners, GM’s
and Head Coaches alike, the stars are aligned for the AFC South Division, once
this group of teams grabs the Crown for the Best Division in Football, it could
be a run for the ages before we see them relinquish it. Let’s just all
enjoy the ride, while it last.
