2008 NFL Sneak Peek – AFC South

2008 NFL Sneak Peek – AFC South

 Welcome to week six of your 8-week series taking an off-season look at the National Football League. This week we drop in on the AFC South where the league’s top offensive production at 24.1 points per game, top defensive stinginess at 19.5 points per game, and top record at 42-22 during the 2007 regular season failed to yield more than a single playoff win. Let’s see if they can get over the top this campaign…

Indianapolis (13-3 regulars, 0-1 playoffs) The Colts have plenty to prove in their first season at Lucas Oil Stadium after being dispatched from the ‘07 playoffs by San Diego, 24-28. Bill Polian sat out free agency, bringing back only RB Dominic Rhodes (FA-OAK), and focused on resigning key players plus building offensive line, linebacker, and tight end depth through the draft. G Jake Scott is gone (FA-TEN) from a group that yielded 23 sacks but Indy grabbed 3 athletic college centers with Mike Pollack (2^nd round Arizona State) to back up RG Johnson, Steve Justice (6^th round, Wake Forest) backing C Saturday, and Jamey Richard (7^th round Buffalo) backing re-signed LG Lilja. Manning is back for his 11^th season (in case you haven’t felt old today) as is re-signed backup QB Sorgi plus re-signed TE Dallas Clark joined by 4^th and 6^th round picks TE Jacob Tamme (Kentucky) and TE Tom Santi (Virginia). WR Marvin Harrison is still rehabbing his knee plus WR Crophonso Thorpe (FA-JAX) and TE Ben Utecht (FA-CIN) sought greener pastures so it’s critical WR Anthony Gonzalez backs up his fine rookie season (37 for 576 yards and 3 TD) opposite Wayne. Luke Lawton’s trade to Philly leaves the Colts without a fullback so look for re-signed DT Darrell Reid to fill the short-yardage role he held in 2006. Defensive losses of DT Dan Klecko (FA-PHI), LB Rob Morris (cut), DT Anthony McFarland (cut), and LB Rocky Boiman (FA-PHI) are negligible compared to the re-signings of starters DT Ed Johnson and S Bob Sanders plus key backups SS Matt Giordano and LDE Josh Thomas while incoming 6’2” 230 Philip Wheeler (3^rd round, Georgia Tech) and 6’1” 237 Marcus Howard (5^th round, Georgia) fit the Indianapolis mold of edge-rushing linebackers perfectly. The health of DE Freeney, MLB Brackett, and S Sanders concerns us as much as facing a schedule that finished 152-104 in 2007.

Jacksonville (11-5 regulars, 1-1 playoffs) Other than draft weekend, GM Skip Richardson did Coach Del Rio few favors this off-season, letting a crew that posted a franchise-best record get absolutely gutted. 5 starters were allowed to move on in RCB Terry Cousin (FA-CLE), SS Sammy Knight (FA-NYG), DT Marcus Stroud (Trade, BUF), G Chris Naole (cut), and WR Ernest Wilford (FA-MIA) – in addition to key backups CB Glenn (FA-NO), QB Gray (FA-HOU), DE McCray (FA-NO), T McDougle (not tendered), CB Roberson (not tendered), and DE Orr (FA-CLE) – while re-signing exactly zero of his own first-stringers with free agency options. He focused on re-inking a slew of 2^nd-stringers in FS Jamal Fudge, MLB Tony Gilbert, RDE Jeremy Mincey, FB Montell Owens, OL Tutan Reyes, SS Gerald Sensabaugh, and LG Maurice Williams. OK, we get the approach but for a squad this close? Anyway, WR Jerry Porter (FA-OAK) and WR Troy Williamson (FA-MIN) join WR Williams (38 for 629 and 10 TD), WR Northcutt (44 for 601 yards and 4 TD), WR Jones (24 for 317 yards and 4 TD), and TE Lewis (37 for 391 and 2 TD) to give starting QB David Garrard, backed up by Todd Bauman (FA-STL) and Cleo Lemon (FA-MIA), plenty of options when not riding the NFL’s 2^nd-best rushing game (149.4 yards at 4.6 yards per) which will see 2^nd-year LG Uche Nwaneri replacing Naole. The Jags defense, which slipped to 12^th last season, replaced Cousin with RCB Drayton Florence (FA-SD) plus scored from the college ranks. 8^th overall selection LDE Derrick Harvey (Florida) is getting rave reviews, 2^nd round 6’3” 250 LB turned RDE Quentin Groves broke Auburn’s career sack mark with 4.43 speed, and RCB Trae Williams (South Florida) was a steal in the 5^th round compared to fellow Bull’s CB Mike Williams (1^st round to DAL) with whom he is nearly on par.

Tennessee (10-6 regulars, 0-1 playoffs) The Titans faced major challenges this off-season along their lines. On offense starter RG Benji Olsen (retired) was replaced by Jake Scott (FA-IND), Eugene Amano moves up for lost LG Jason Bell (FA-STL), while GM Reinfeldt re-inked starters RT Stewart and LT Roos plus key backup T Looper. On defense the franchise tag held DT Albert Haynesworth, Tennessee replaced lost starters LDE Antwan Odom and LDT Randy Starks plus backup DE Travis LaBoy by expanding LDT Tony Brown’s role, picking up LDE Jevon Kearse (FA-PHI), and drafting explosive DT Jason Jones (2^nd round, Eastern Michigan) who has impressed despite “tweener” size. On draft picks, East Carolina’s RB Chris Johnson was stolen at 24^th overall. No one will miss Chris Brown (FA-HOU) and the fat, lazy, and injured LenDale While will get all the rest he wants when this powerful (375# bench press) and blazing (4.25 40-yard time) kid hits the NFL with a unique combination of rushing, receiving, return, and blocking skills. QB Young needs all the help he can get and the losses of TE Ben Troupe (FA-TB), TE Ben Hartstock (FA-ATL), WR David Givens (cut) plus injury to TE Bo Scaife were bolstered by free agent pickups Algae Crumpler (ATL) and WR Justin McCareins (NYJ), the re-signings of WR Justin Gage and FB Ahmard Hall, plus draft grabs TE Craig Stevens (3^rd round, Cal) and WR Lavelle Hawkins (4^th round, Cal). Behind the defensive line, the Titans starters will return intact. The Departure of backups LB Gilbert Gardener (FA-DET) and CB Mike Waddell (FA-OAK) plus the house-cleaning of CB Kelly Herndon (cut) and CB Adam Jones (trade to DAL) was handled by free agent snatches of CB/S Chris Carr (FA-OAK) and SLB Josh Stamer (FA-BUF) plus the re-signing of FS Fuller, LCB Hill, and SS Nickey. Challenges met but Young’s performance is critical.

Houston (8-8 regulars, missed playoffs) Coach Kubiak squeezed plenty from his talent last season and we love the off-season work of GM Rick Smith. Cut are LB Shawn Barber, T Jordan Black, S Curome Cox, and TE Jeb Putzier plus injury plagued centers Mike Flanagan and Steve McKinney. At center, the Texans plug Chris Meyers (trade from DEN) plus re-signed RG Weary to assemble an experienced front line that started 76 of 80 games in 2007 while LT Duane Brown (Virginia Tech) with the 24^th overall selection under whelmed us. Numerous weapons are in camp for QB Matt Schaub with re-signings of WR Anderson, TE Bruener, WR Davis, and RB Walker plus acquisitions of RB Chris Brown (FA-TEN), WR Tim Carter (FA-CLE), TE Ryan Krause (FA-GB), and RB Steve Slaton (3^rd round, West Virginia) to go with RB Green, WR Johnson, WR Walter, and TE Daniels while only WR Jerome Mathis (FA-WAS) was lost. WOW! Houston’s defensive front 7 that includes recent 1^st round NFL Draft picks RDE Mario Williams, RDT Amobi Okoye, and LDT Travis Johnson plus 2006 Defensive Rookie of the Year MLB DeMeco Ryans was bolstered by re-signings of linemen Cochran, Kalu, and Maddox, the free agent grabs of WLB Kevin Bently (FA-SEA), SLB Chaun Thompson (FA-CLE), and DE/LB Rosevelt Colvin (FA-NE), plus the draft steals of All-SEC LB Xavier Adibi (4^th round, Virginia Tech) and All-Big 12 DT Frank Okam (5^th round, Texas) – each of whom had a great camp. Behind them, the re-inking of starting safeties Brown and Demps plus pickup of FS Nick Ferguson (FA-DEN), CB Jacques Reeves (FA-DAL), and CB Jimmy Williams (FA-SEA) exceeds the loss of CB Von Hutchins and S Michael Boulware. We dislike draftees CB Antwaun Molden (3^rd round, Eastern Kentucky) and S Dominique Barber (6^th round, Minnesota) but…WOW!