Divisions to watch in the 2017 Season Part 1 AFC South

Divisions to watch in the 2017 season Part 1 AFC South

Robert Knuckles

Were only a couple of months until football starts. It’s only May but it will get here as fast as we know it. I want to talk about the divisions that will be very competitive after the draft and we are going to start off with the AFC South.

Many people have looked at the AFC South as the worst division in football for the past couple of seasons but after the draft and free agency I believe this will be a very competitive division.

1. Houston Texans.

The Houston Texans won the division with 9-7 with Quarterbacks Brock Osweiler and Tom Savage but the Osweiler experiment failed miserably. The only positive thing you can say about the Texans is the defense being number 1 in the league even without their star defensive end J.J. Watt. The Texans drafted Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson. This could potentially solve Houston’s quarterback issue that they’ve been dealing with for a very long time. He’s the most experienced quarterback in this draft and he’s a winner. Watson will also be around great teammates with running back Lamar Miller, Wide Receivers DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller and a pretty decent offensive line. Watson will be competing for a starting job against quarterback Tom Savage. Houston’s defense will still be dominant. It all depends on their quarterback.

2. Indianapolis Colts

The Colts have won the division in 2013 and 2014 but the past couple of seasons they’ve fallen short. Colts have been having a bad defense and this year they could be a good defense drafting Safety Malik Hooker from Ohio State was a great move. Hooker is a play maker with seven interceptions and a pick six. The Colts also drafted another defensive back Quincy Wilson from Florida in the second round. This will help the secondary now they are young but it’s better to start young. The Colts signed giants Defensive Tackle Johnathan Hankins who believes this defensive can be the best in the AFC. They also signed nose tackle Al Woods, Outside Linebacker Jabaal Sheard, Linebacker Barkevious Mingo, Defensive End Margus Hunt and Linebacker Sean Spence to add more depth to their front seven.

My only concern with the Colts is the offensive line. QB Andrew Luck had one of the worst offensive lines in football. They still have weapons in T.Y. Hilton and Frank Gore who’s getting up there but the offensive line is a problem. They might get better but against Houston’s defensive line and Jacksonville defensive line will be a challenge.

3. Jacksonville Jaguars

Now i did say this team will bounce back in 2017 and will win the division. The Jags drafted running back Leonard Fournette. He’s a power back that will help them in the running game and also help out quarterback Blake Bortles. Their defensive is top 10 and free agency adding cornerback A.J. Bouye lining up on the other side with last year’s rookie cornerback Jalen Ramsey could be a great pair of cornerbacks. Adding veteran safety Barry Church will give the secondary leadership and getting defensive tackle Calais Campbell another veteran will really help the front out. But it all comes down to Bortles. He needs to play better this season or he’s done in Jacksonville.

4. Tennessee Titans

Marcus Mariota was coming across a great season until he suffered a broken right fibula. A lot of people argue that if it weren’t for the injury the Titans would’ve won the division. Running Demarco Murray had a bounce back season after the debacle in Philadelphia. Murray rushed for 1,287 yards averaging 4.4 yards per carry. The Titans offense tends to get better by drafting Wide receiver Cory Davis from Western Michigan giving Mariota a special weapon. People could make the argument that Davis was the best receiver in this year’s draft next to Mike Williams. Davis is 6’2. A very tall and lengthy receiver, great route runner and good speed. He didn’t show the speed at the combine but he’ll definitely show it on game day.

Titans had another first round pick and they got cornerback Adoree Jackson from USC. Jackson is a great playmaker, great athlete, great speed, good punt returner. Jackson can locate the ball as well. Don’t be surprised to see Jackson line up against number one receivers. Jackson will be up for the challenge. Now getting Jackson is a good start to help out the secondary that was 30th against the pass but Mariota is only going to get better and will keep his defensive off the field as much as potential.

With all that said about every team I truly believe the AFC South will be a very tough division. Colts and Texans always get love for Sunday and Monday Night Football but now the Jaguars and Titans might get some of that love too and not only play Primetime Thursday Night Football. I’m very excited to see where this division is going to go in 2017.