2012 NFL Divisional Previews - AFC North

The AFC North had long been dominated by the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens. The Cincinnati Bengals have had flash in the pan type seasons, while the Cleveland Browns have been consistently awful. This season the pecking order doesn't figure to change much. That being said there are questions surrounding the Steelers and Ravens. Pittsburgh is bringing in a new offensive system, led by Todd Haley. Baltimore will be without Defensive Player of the Year Terrell Suggs for most of the season after he injured himself under mysterious circumstances in the offseason. Cincinnati will be looking to prove that last year's playoff run wasn't just because they were able to load up on wins against teams with losing records. The Browns are starting another new era, with a 29-year old rookie at quarterback and a bruising runner from Alabama.

1. Pittsburgh Steelers

2011 Record: 12-4, 2nd place AFC North
Head Coach: Mike Tomlin (6th season Pittsburgh, 60-28 career)
Key Additions: TE Leonard Pope, G David DeCastro, ILB Brandon Johnson

Key Losses: QB Dennis Dixon, RB Mewelde Moore, WR Hines Ward, G Chris Kemoeatu, DE/DT Aaron Smith, ILB James Farrior   

2012 Outlook: After a slow start, many people, including that idiot Warren Sapp were declaring the Steelers old and finished. Despite the naysayers and an inconsistent offensive line and running game, the Steelers went 10-2 in their final 12 games to reach the playoffs as a Wild Card at 12-4. But then they ran into Tebowmania in the playoffs and were upset by the Broncos. This season, they start new on offense as longtime offensive coordinator Bruce Arians is in Indianapolis and in his place is Todd Haley. They also will see a change at running back. Rashard Mendenhall tore his ACL in the regular season finale and it is not clear how much time he will miss in 2012. He will be replaced by Isaac Redman. Redman played very well against Denver and the Steelers aren’t too concerned as Mendenhall struggled most of last season. Roethlisberger had an up and down season, throwing just 21 touchdown passes. The Steelers are hopeful that under Haley’s offense Roethlisberger can increase that total. It would help his cause if the Steelers could get his number one receiver, Mike Wallace into camp. Wallace got off to a strong start but his play tailed off a bit as the season wound down. The Steelers aren’t a team that typically caves into holdouts, so Wallace will probably have to sign his franchise tender at some point if he is looking to play this year. Second receiver, Antonio Brown had a very solid year but the Steelers aren’t sure how he would respond to being the main guy if Wallace continues to hold out. Longtime receiver Hines Ward retired, but the Steelers won’t notice his absence much, he had become injury prone and was a shell of his former self. Heath Miller continues to be one of the most dependable TEs in the league, and is a great safety valve for Roethlisberger when he is avoiding pressure. The Steelers are lucky to have Roethlisberger as his large frame and ability to evade pressure have made a pretty bad offensive line not look nearly as terrible as it could. They used their first round pick on G David DeCastro and their second round pick on tackle Mike Adams. They are hoping some youth can improve the line. With an improved line Roethlisberger could be incredibly effective as he would be given time to throw the ball for a change. The Steelers defense faced their fair share of criticism last year on defense, and while some of that may have been hyperbole; they did struggle to pressure the quarterback. A lot of their defensive players were aging so they said goodbye to Aaron Smith and James Farrior. They are hoping that Brett Keisel and Casey Hampton can avoid the injury bug this year. James Harrison is starting to get up there in age and has had a hell of a time adjusting to the NFL’s new rules about safety. The Steelers secondary is strong with Troy Polamalu and Ryan Clark at safety and William Gay and Ike Taylor at the corner positions. Shaun Suisham is back despite his struggles in 2011, but he will be on a short leash. Jeremy Kapinos is good enough for government work at punter. The Steelers have some question marks but they have excellent coached, especially head coach Mike Tomlin. It also helps that they get to play the Browns and Bengals four times. I expect them to do just enough to win another division crown.

Prediction: 11-5

2. Baltimore Ravens

2011 Record: 12-4, AFC North Champs
Head Coach: John Harbaugh (5th season Baltimore, 49-24 career)
Key Additions: WR/KR Jacoby Jones, G Bobbie Williams, DT Ryan McBean, CB Corey Graham, DE/OLB Courtney Upshaw
Key Losses: WR Lee Evans, G Ben Grubbs, DE/DT Cory Redding, DE/OLB Jarrett Johnson, CB Chris Carr, SS Tom Zbikowski

2012 Outlook: The Baltimore Ravens were a Lee Evans reception, and then perhaps a Billy Cundiff kick from reaching the Super Bowl for the first time since 2000. Despite getting older their defense continues to excel, while the offense is good enough to make the team championship contenders. QB Joe Flacco likes to think of himself as being better than he is. You can’t take away that in his four seasons he has led the Ravens to the playoffs each year. However, a lot of that has been because of a strong running game, led by Ray Rice. Rice signed a contract extension this off-season and should continue to provide great relief to Flacco not only through running the ball, but also as a pass catcher, as Rice led the team in catches last year. That can be looked at in a negative light though as outside of Anquan Boldin the Ravens have a ton of question marks at receiver. Even Boldin saw his numbers dip last season and he is starting to get older. Torrey Smith had a pretty good rookie year, including his memorable game winning catch at Pittsburgh. However, like most rookies he could be very inconsistent so the Ravens need him to become more reliable this season. At tight end, Dennis Pitta and Ed Dickson are serviceable but nothing special. The offensive line is filled with question marks. Starting left guard Ben Grubbs left for New Orleans, and left tackle Bryant McKinnie is always a question mark when it comes to his weight and commitment to the game. Michael Oher struggled in his switch to right tackle in 2011, so the Ravens have to count on him doing better in 2012 with some more familiarity at the position. The biggest storyline for the Ravens this season will be how much the absence of Terrell Suggs will affect the defense. Of course, anytime you lose the Defensive Player of the Year it isn’t a good thing, but the Ravens have to try to avoid letting it completely cripple them. They drafted Courtney Upshaw out of Alabama and there will be high expectations on him, even as a rookie. Old reliables, and I do mean old, Ray Lewis and Ed Reed are back for another season. They haven’t shown any real signs of slowing down yet but it is something to watch. One of the most awe inspiring players to watch in football is Haloti Ngata. He is a dominant, monster of a man. The Ravens are strong in the secondary, with Jimmy Smith and Ladarius Webb making a strong duo at corner. Billy Cundiff is still on the team despite his huge miss last year against New England. He is in a battle with rookie Justin Tucker. Sam Koch returns as the punter. I thought last year would start the decline of the Ravens but they had a very strong season. They are another excellently coached team. I think their win total will decline a bit because of the absence of Suggs, but expect them make it to the playoffs for a fifth straight season.

Prediction: 10-6

3. Cincinnati Bengals

2011 Record: 9-7, 3rd place AFC North
Head Coach: Marvin Lewis (10th season Cincinnati, 69-77-1 career)
Key Additions: RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis, G Travelle Wharton, CB Jason Allen, CB Terence Newman, CB Dre Kirkpatrick
Key Losses: RB Cedric Benson, WR Jerome Simpson, WR Andre Caldwell, G Bobbie Williams, DE Frostee Rucker, OLB Keith Rivers, CB Kelly Jennings, S Chris Crocker

2012 Outlook: The Cincinnati Bengals squeaked into the playoffs last season with a rookie quarterback, Andy Dalton, and a rookie wide receiver, A.J. Green carrying them there. It also helped that all nine of their wins came against teams with losing records, helping them overcome going 0-4 against Pittsburgh and Baltimore. Coach Marvin Lewis has never been able to string together back to back winning seasons, and many expect the Bengals to revert back to their typical loser ways. Dalton was a nice surprise last season, as he had hardly any time to prepare in training camp because of the lockout, but still threw 20 touchdowns to just 13 interceptions, and coming just two yards shy of 4,000 yards passing. The running game had a new face. Cedric Benson was allowed to walk, and replaced with former Patriots back BenJarvus Green-Ellis, “the law firm”. Green-Ellis never had consistent touches in New England, and it remains to be seen if his success was simply a product of being part of a juggernaut offense. Green was tremendous in his rookie season. He and Dalton developed an instant chemistry and it has to excite Bengals fans to have it appear their team hit on those crucial draft picks. Tight end Jermaine Gresham has shown flashes of his potential, but hasn’t lived up to the hype bestowed upon him coming out of college. The rest of the receiving corps is a bunch of unknowns and never beens, as Jerome Simpson and Andrew Caldwell are both gone. Dalton’s season was helped tremendously by the effective play of his offensive line. Another pick that it appears the Bengals hit on was Andre Smith who has really started to blossom. The Bengals also have a talented defense. It may not be filled with tons of big names but a guy like Geno Atkins has provided them with consistent quarterback pressure and top notch play. The linebackers are led by Ray Maualuga, and Manny Lawson. Cornerback Leon Hall looks ready to get back from his torn Achilles and resume his place as a premier corner. The Bengals also added cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick out of Alabama. Mike Nugent and Kevin Huber are back as the kicker and punter. Nugent had a very strong season last year and made the Bengals look smart to move on from their former franchise player Shayne Graham. I don’t have a ton of confidence in Marvin Lewis as a head coach and have too often seen him teams struggle in years following a winning season. I don’t think the Bengals will suffer a complete collapse, but I do think they will have a losing season.

Prediction: 7-9

4. Cleveland Browns

2011 Record: 4-12, last place AFC North
Head Coach: Pat Shurmur (2nd season Cleveland, 4-12 career)
Key Additions: RB Trent Richardson, QB Brandon Weeden, DE Frostee Rucker
Key Losses: RB Peyton Hillis, OT Tony Pashos, G Eric Steinbach, S Mike Adams

2012 Outlook: The Cleveland Browns are consistently awful. They have a new owner and it appears after this season another new era and new regime will start in Cleveland. A new era has started at quarterback as Brandon Weeden has been named the starter. Many people are already assuming that Weeden will be like Chris Weinke. Weinke was an older, successful college quarterback that was saddled with a bad team and struggled mightily as a pro. It won’t help Weeden’s cause that the Browns don’t have a ton of weapons for him to use. They did try to provide him some support at the running back position by drafting Trent Richardson. However, in typical Browns fashion Richardson is already dealing with injuries and having his durability questioned. Greg Little is the Browns number one receiver, but would be most teams number two and on some teams number three receiver. Mohammed Massaquoi is their number two receiver and again is a player that isn’t anything special. Cleveland has some hope at offensive line where they have the highly talented and productive Joe Thomas and Alex Mack. The rest of the lineman are average at best and will have a lot of pressure on them to get better and provide Richardson with holes to run through and time for Weeden to throw. The Browns defense is alright, terrible against the run last season but one of the best teams in the league against the pass. Now some of that was because teams knew how bad they were stopping the run so they didn’t try to pass much. They added Frostee Rucker from Cincinnati in hopes of improving their pass rush. One of their starting linebackers, Scott Fujita, will miss the first three games of the season due to his bounty related suspension. Cornerback Joe Haden is one of the best in the league but is facing the possibility of a four game suspension. This is going to be a very long year for the Browns and I expect them to finish with the worst record in the league. They have hardly any stars on offense, which will put a ton of pressure on their defense. Maybe someday things will get better for Cleveland, but those days appear far away right now.

Prediction: 3-13   

2012 NFL Divisional Previews - NFC North

The Green Bay Packers are clearly the class of the NFC North after winning the division by five games last year, including going 6-0 within the division. The Chicago Bears knew that and finally made the moves necessary to upgrade their wide receiving corps. The Detroit Lions are hoping to build off their first playoff season in over a decade, but instead made news for all the wrong reasons in the offseason, becoming the new Cincinnati Bengals of arrests. The Minnesota Vikings will be counting on the continued development of QB Christian Ponder, and the miraculous healing abilities of RB Adrian Peterson.

1. Green Bay Packers

2011 Record: 15-1, NFC North champs

Head Coach: Mike McCarthy (7th season Green Bay, 68-36 career)

Key Additions: RB Cedric Benson, C Jeff Saturday, DE/DT Phillip Merling, DE/DT Tony Hargrove, LB Nick Perry

Key Losses: QB Matt Flynn, RB Ryan Grant, OT Chad Clifton, C Scott Wells, S Nick Collins 

2012 Outlook: The Packers ran roughshod over the NFL in 2011, going 15-1, scoring points at an amazing rate and looking primed to defend their Super Bowl title. Then the playoffs happened, and they ran into the suddenly hot New York Giants. The Packers played their worst game of the season, and were besieged by turnovers and lost to the Giants 37-20. Some of the Packers still believe that loss was a fluke and they will go right back to dominating the league again this season. Looking at their roster there is no reason why they shouldn’t. There will be some new faces on this season’s team and they did have to say goodbye to some of their veterans. However, the top performers still remain. Aaron Rodgers took the mantle last season as the best quarterback in the league. He was superb in every imaginable way en route to winning the MVP award. The Packers season rests on his health because they no longer have a capable backup, as Matt Flynn signed as a free agent with the Seahawks. The Packers running game was up and down last year and remains a question mark. Longtime Packer Ryan Grant was shown the door, but after incumbent James Starks struggled with injury and poor play, they brought in Cedric Benson. Benson isn’t flashy but is pretty much consistent every year in churning out 1,000 yard seasons. The Packers still have the deepest, most talented wide receiving corps in the league. The whole gang is back, Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson, old ass Donald Driver, James Jones and TE Jermichael Finley. Second year man Randall Cobb is also expected to emerge as a consistent threat. The Packers offensive line saw some change as C Scott Wells left via free agency and OT Chad Clifton retired. Longtime Colt C Jeff Saturday was brought in to replace Wells, so the Packers shouldn’t really miss a beat. It didn’t seem to matter much last season because the offense was so explosive, but the defense was terrible for Green Bay in 2011. They did create a lot of turnovers but they also gave up just as many big plays. The Packers secondary was lit up because their defensive front could hardly get any pressure on opposing quarterbacks. LB Nick Perry was drafted out of USC in hopes of clearing up some space for Clay Matthews. Longtime CB Charles Woodson might move to safety to make room for new CB Casey Hayward. The Packers have all the names to be a strong defense, but for whatever reason it didn’t come together last year. At some point defense does matter, and Green Bay will need a stronger effort from that side of the ball in 2012. The Packers special teams were consistent led by K Mason Crosby and P Tim Masthay, who didn’t have to do too much thanks to the proficiency of the offense. It is impossible to expect the Packers to rack up 15 wins for a second straight year but as long as Rodgers stays healthy, there is no reason to believe they won’t once again win the NFC North.

Prediction: 12-4

2. Detroit Lions

2011 Record: 10-6, 2nd place NFC North
Head Coach: Jim Schwartz (4th year Detroit, 18-31 career)
Key Additions: CB Jacob Lacey, SS Sean Jones, OT Riley Reiff
Key Losses: QB Drew Stanton, OLB Bobby Carpenter, CB Eric Wright

2012 Outlook: The Detroit Lions should have been able to celebrate this offseason. They had just finished making the playoffs for the first time since 1999. Quarterback Matthew Stafford had a wonderful season and cemented himself as the Lions future. But instead, a host of players ran afoul from the law and that is all that has really been talked about in regards to this team. Stafford was finally healthy for a full season and was able to turn the promise he had shown into actual results. It was even more amazing he had the year he did because the Lions were a mess at running back. Jahvid Best is still out with a concussion and no one knows, when, if ever, he will return. RB Mikel LeShoure missed his rookie year after getting hurt in the preseason and then was arrested this past off-season. Kevin Smith returned last year when the Lions had no one left. For coming off the streets he did pretty well but he also has had injury issues. The Lions will probably have to go by running back by committee until someone can stay healthy and take command of the position. The Lions aren’t hurt as much as most teams by their poor running game because they have the best WR in football, Calvin Johnson. Johnson was amazing last season, seemingly making highlight reel catches each week. There is some concern with how he will perform this year since he was voted to grace the cover of Madden. Whether real or not, it seems that whoever lands the cover suffers through a terrible season. Johnson won’t fall to that as long as he stays healthy. Titus Young showed promise as a rookie and will be asked to contribute more this season. Nate Burleson is still around but might see his role decrease with the emergence of Young. Tight end Brandon Pettigrew had a very nice season last year and turned into a reliable target for Stafford.  The Lions offensive line did a good job of keeping Stafford healthy last year and added some depth by drafting Riley Reiff. Much like the Packers, the Lions were terrible defensively despite having the personnel that you would think would lead to a stout defense. The front did well rushing the quarterback, led by Ndamukong Suh and Kyle Vanden Bosch, but they struggled against the run. Cliff Avril was the Lions best pass rusher and signed his franchise tender in the offseason, and will be highly motivated to secure a long term deal. Nick Fairley had a highly disappointing 2011 and then was arrested twice this off-season. The defensive unit was also undisciplined and was penalized often.  The secondary was a problem last season, glaringly so in the playoff loss to the Saints. Eric Wright left via free agency so the Lions are counting on the tandem of Dwight Bentley and Jacob Lacy to replace him. Jason Hanson is once again back as the Lions kicker, and he might be reaching Hall of Fame status with how long and consistent his career has been. The Lions are hoping for a better season this year from punter Ryan Donahue, who statistically was one of the worst punters in the league last year. The Lions have had a lot of distractions this off-season so it will be interesting to watch the chemistry of the team. I think the Lions should be back in the playoffs though as the offense will remain outstanding. Their season really rides on the health of Stafford and Johnson.

Prediction: 10-6 

3. Chicago Bears

2011 Record: 8-8, 3rd place NFC North 
Head Coach: Love Smith (9th season Chicago, 74-60 career)
Key Additions: QB Jason Campbell, RB Michael Bush, WR Brandon Marshall, WR Alshon Jeffery, G Chilo Rachal, DE Shea McClellin
Key Losses: QB Caleb Hanie, RB Marion Barber, DT Amobi Okoye, S Brandon Merriweather

2012 Outlook: The Chicago Bears were 7-3 and right in the thick of things. But then bad news struck when they found out they had lost QB Jay Cutler for the year. They had to turn to Caleb Hanie which was a complete disaster. It didn’t get any better when they also lost their star player and biggest offensive contributor, RB Matt Forte in Week 13. The Bears would end up losing 5 of their last 6 and miss out on the playoffs. To the Bears credit they at least appeared to have learned from their mistakes. They cleaned house with their front office, they finally got Cutler a suitable backup they can trust, and they gave Forte the extension he was seeking. Jason Campbell is now Cutler’s backup. I never believed in Campbell as a starter but he is more than capable as a backup. Should Cutler be injured this season, the Bears season won’t fall off a cliff like last year. Cutler also has some weapons to throw to for a change, as the Bears traded for his old Broncos teammate Brandon Marshall, and drafted Alshon Jeffery out of South Carolina. The Devin Hester experiment of turning him into a wide receiver has seen its ups and downs, and it was clear that he was nowhere near a number one receiver. The additions of Marshall and Jeffery can also take some pressure off of Forte. Forte was responsible for over half of the Bears offense. He is more than capable of being the man, but for his long term prospects they need to find ways to slow down his touches. Mike Martz is gone as offensive coordinator so we may see a reemergence of the tight end in the Bears offense. If so, expect to see more of Kellen Davis and Matt Spaeth this season. An issue that is still looming for the Bears is their leaky offensive line. Gabe Carimi is returning from injury to provide some help, but left tackle J’Marcus Webb has to play much better this season as he was a revolving door last year. Right tackle will be competed between last year’s starter Lance Louis and new player, Chilo Rachal. On defense, the Bears aren’t sure when they will have Pro Bowl LB Brian Urlacher who suffered a knee injury in their meaningless season finale last year. They will hope to have him back as soon as possible so he can resume teaming with Lance Briggs to form one of the better linebacking units in the league. Julius Peppers was outstanding last season and looked worth the big money contract the Bears gave him. The Bears drafted Shea McClellin to add even more depth to their pass rush.  The Bears were strong against the run last year but pretty awful against the pass. They did a decent job at stopping teams from scoring through the air but put a lot of pressure on themselves by giving up lots of passing yardage. The secondary remains mostly in tact from last year with Charles Tillman, Major Wright, and Tim Jennings, with only Brandon Merriweather leaving. The Bears have a manageable schedule but having to play the Packers and Lions four times will be challenging. I suspect the Bears will be sort of up and down all season, but in the thick of things for a playoff spot right until the end.

Prediction: 9-7

4. Minnesota Vikings

2011 Record: 3-13, last place NFC North
Head Coach: Leslie Frazier (2nd season Minnesota, 6-16 career)
Key Additions: FB Lex Hilliard, WR Jerome Simpson, TE John Carlson, OT Matt Kalil, G Geoff Schwartz, CB Chris Carr
Key Losses: QB Donovan McNabb, TE Visanthe Schiancoe, G Steve Hutchinson, G Anthony Herrera, ILB E.J. Henderson, CB Cedric Griffin, CB Asher Allen, K Ryan Longwell

2012 Outlook: Last season was a disaster for the Vikings. They thought the group that got them to an NFC Championship game in 2009 might have a little something left despite struggling in 2010. The signing of Donovan McNabb was a disaster as he was ineffective from the start and released before the season even ended. Adrian Peterson had some struggles behind an aging line and then suffered a torn MCL and ACL late in the season that might sideline him for the beginning of this season. If Peterson does miss time then Toby Gerhart finally has to show something. He hasn’t had a ton of chances but he hasn’t looked all that impressive when has had carries. Christian Ponder was thrown into the fire as a rookie and showed some promise but mostly struggled. His backup Joe Webb looked better than Ponder in relief and I am kind of surprised the Vikings didn’t open up the job to competition this season. WR Percy Harvin came to camp unhappy and requested to be traded, but hasn’t made much noise since preseason started so hopefully whatever the issue was has been laid to rest. They added Jerome Simpson to be their number two receiver but will be without him for the first three games while he serves a suspension for a drug violation. They also signed John Carlson to try to bolster their tight end production with incumbent Kyle Rudolph. The offensive line saw some major changes as the Vikings recognized the unit was aging. Left tackle Matt Kalil will start right away out of USC, while Charlie Johnson moves from left tackle to right guard to replace Steven Hutchinson.  The Vikings defense struggled against the run but was pretty good against the pass in 2011. DE Jared Allen almost broke the single season sack record and has been a tremendous addition since coming to Minnesota. Kevin Williams is still pretty dominant up front, although the Vikings did miss having him and Pat to completely close off that interior. The linebacking corps is pretty strong with Erin Henderson and Chad Greenway. The secondary is the big question mark, Chris Cook ran into legal troubles last year, so the Vikings hope those are behind him and he stay on the field, where has been a reliable player. Antoine Winfield has been injury prone lately and is getting up there in age so the Vikings can’t rely on him like they used to. Chris Carr was signed to provide some help and depth to the cornerback position. The Vikings said goodbye to kicker Ryan Longwell and gave the starting job to rookie Blair Walsh, rookies at kicker positions can be a recipe for disaster. At punter is Chris Kluwe, who when he isn’t making outlandish comments off the field is pretty reliable on the field. The Vikings have some winnable games on their schedule, combine that with the progress Ponder should show at quarterback and I think the Vikings can double their win total from last year.

Prediction: 6-10

2012 NFL Divisional Previews - AFC South

Last season, the AFC South was defined by the rise of the Houston Texans and the sudden fall of the Indianapolis Colts. That means high expectations for the Texans this season, while the Colts have started a new era, the Andrew Luck era. The Tennessee Titans are barely talked about but may prove to be the class of the AFC South when things are all said and done. The Jacksonville Jaguars continue to be irrelevant, new owner, coach and all.


1. Tennessee Titans

2011 Record: 9-7, 2nd place AFC South
Head Coach: Mike Munchak (2nd season Tennessee, 9-7 career)
Key Additions: WR Kendall Wright, G Steve Hutchinson, DE Kamerion Wimbley
Key Losses: TE Daniel Graham, G Jake Scott, CB Cortland Finnegan

2012 Outlook: The Titans were an up and down team in 2011 and because of that finished 9-7, just missing out on the playoffs. Veteran QB Matt Hasselbeck played pretty well for the Titans but it is looking more and more like his time has passed, and that second year man Jake Locker will be taking the reins. Locker didn’t see much action last season but when he did play he looked more than capable of leading the Titans. One of the most shocking stats from 2011 is the Titans finished 31^st in the league in rushing and Chris Johnson played most of the season. Johnson did seem affected by his holdout, so the Titans are hopeful that a full training camp and preseason can get him back on track. Johnson is only 26 so he shouldn’t be breaking down yet or anything. The Titans have some weapons at their disposal in the receiving corps, although the status of their #1 receiver Kenny Britt is up in the air. Britt missed most of last year with a torn ACL, and then got arrested again over the summer, and could be facing a suspension. In Britt’s absence Nate Washington had a fantastic season and made the Titans look smart for signing him in free agency a few years ago. The Titans used their first round draft pick on Kendall Wright. Wright will get some opportunities but rookie wide receivers tend to not make too big of an impact in their first season.  The Titans added Steve Hutchinson to their offensive line, which already did a pretty good job protecting their quarterbacks last season. The Titans are hoping Hutchinson can improve their run blocking. The Titans hope that the strong play tight end Jared Cook showed at the end of last season is a harbinger of things to come. For the Titans to become a playoff team, they will have to get improved play from their defense. The biggest weakness of the defense was their inability to pressure the quarterback, so the Titans signed DE Kamerion Wimbley to rectify those problems. They also will need improved play on the defensive line, as they were one of the worst units against the run in 2011. They lost longtime CB Cortland Finnegan but believe that Jason McCourty and Alterraun Verner can pick up the slack. Kicker Rob Bironas continues to be one of the better kickers in the league, especially from long range. Punter Brett Kern struggled last season, which put pressure on the Titans defense. I liked what I saw out of Locker last season and think his time is now. The Titans are well coached by Mike Munchak and will be competitive. I think with the Texans faltering a bit, the Titans will surprise many and end up winning the AFC South.

Prediction: 9-7

2. Houston Texans

2011 Record: 10-6, AFC South champs
Head Coach: Gary Kubiak (7th season Houston, 48-50 career)
Key Additions: QB John Beck, RB Justin Forsett, DE/OLB Whitney Mercilus, ILB Bradie James
Key Losses: QB Matt Leinart, WR/KR Jacoby Jones, TE Joel Dreesen, RT Eric Winston, G Kasey Studdard, G Mike Brisiel, DE Mario Williams, ILB DeMeco Ryans, K Neil Rackers

2012 Outlook: The Houston Texans finally had a winning season and with that also earned a division title and a playoff win. Their patience with Coach Gary Kubiak seemed to pay off. However, the problem for Kubiak now is that the Texans have huge expectations entering 2012, probably too high for a team that lost a lot of key pieces in the off-season. What was most amazing about the Texans 2011 was the amount of injuries they overcame. They lost DE Mario Williams, and the defense still had an incredible turnaround under coordinator Wade Phillips. They saw both Matt Schaub and then his backup Matt Leinart go down with injuries, and won a playoff game with third string rookie T.J. Yates starting for them. Their best wide receiver Andre Johnson played just seven games last year. Texans fans are hoping the injury Gods had their fun with the team in 2011 and they will be much healthier in 2012. One reason they were able to overcome all the injuries at quarterback was the amazing play of RB Arian Foster. Foster has come from obscurity two years ago to becoming one of the best running backs in the game. He also has a more than capable backup in Ben Tate, who nearly rushed for 1,000 yards last season.  The Texans are thin at wide receiver after Johnson, so Johnson staying healthy this year will be something to watch. The Texans also saw upheaval on the offensive line, as right tackle Eric Winston and guard Mike Brisiel left via free agency. Tight end Owen Daniels will once again be a favorite target of Schaub and Daniels will need to be more consistent and healthy to take pressure off the Texans other less than stellar receivers. The Texans defense went from pretty much the worst in the NFL in 2010, to one of the best in 2011, and did most of that work without Mario Williams. Because of that, the team allowed Williams to walk via free agency. Also, LB DeMeco Ryans was shipped off to Philadelphia, although the Texans are pretty stacked at linebacker and should be ok. J.J. Watt was tremendous in his rookie season and made the play that shifted the playoff game against Cincinnati when he intercepted Andy Dalton and scored. The Texans pass defense was also a strong unit in 2011 and didn’t see any major changes so should be strong once again. Special teams will be an area to watch as Houston let Neil Rackers leave, and are counting on rookie Randy Bullock to take over. They will have a battle at the punter position between Donnie Jones and Brett Hartmann.  There is a lot of Super Bowl talk surrounding the Texans but I just don’t see it. The schedule isn’t all that challenging but I feel like the team had a lot of turnover from last year, and that can’t be ignored.

Prediction: 9-7

3. Indianapolis Colts

2011 Record: 2-14, last place AFC South

Head Coach: Chuck Pagano (1st season Indianapolis, 0-0 career)

Key Additions: QB Andrew Luck, RB Mewelde Moore, WR Donnie Avery, OT Winston Justice, DE/DT Cory Redding, SS Tom Zbikowski 

Key Losses: QB Peyton Manning, QB Dan Orlovsky, RB Joseph Addai, WR Pierre Garcon, TE Dallas Clark, TE Jacob Tamme, G Ryan Diem, C Jeff Saturday, DE Tyler Brayton, DT Eric Foster, ILB Gary Brackett, S Melvin Bullitt

2012 Outlook: When it turned out that Peyton Manning’s neck injuries were much more serious than first believed, there were many, including myself that felt all the other talented players on the Colts would be enough to keep them competitive. Instead, it turned out that Manning made just about everyone around him look much better than they actually were. The result, a 2-14 season, and a complete housecleaning of most of the veterans from the roster and robot head coach Jim Caldwell. The new coach is former Steelers defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano, and the new quarterback is number one draft pick, the can’t miss prospect Andrew Luck. Hype around Luck was already considerable, but grew even more after his impressive preseason performance last weekend against the Rams. The question is, how much help will Luck have on offense this year? Joseph Addai is gone, now the job is Donald Brown’s, who hasn’t always shown he can be trusted to do the other things a running back needs to do, such as block. They also added RB Mewelde Moore to compete with Brown. WR Reggie Wayne was expected to be part of the housecleaning but he re-signed. He is starting to look a little long in the tooth, but I think it was smart to bring him back and give Luck a reliable option to throw to. Austin Collie is now the number two receiver, although he might be one or two more concussions away from having to retire. Unfortunately for Luck and the Colts, the offensive line is a complete question mark and could get Luck killed. Eagles fans can attest when Winston Justice might be your best offensive lineman, you have some real problems. At tight end the Colts drafted Luck’s teammate out of Stanford Coby Fleener and are hopeful that their chemistry can help both players in their adjustments to the NFL. Defensively, the Colts said goodbye to longtime players Gary  Brackett and Melvin Bullitt. Returning are the bookends of their defensive line, Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis. Both players aren’t what they used to be but still could have a couple good seasons left in them. Corey Redding was brought over from Baltimore to try to help a defensive line that was terrible against the run last year. Former Notre Dame star Tom Zbikowski was added and should start at safety. Future Hall of Famer Adam Vinatieri is back as the kicker and party animal Pat McAfee will once again handle punting duties. I have the Colts making a major turnaround with 7 wins this year. A lot of that is because I believe in Luck and think he can have the kind of instant impact Cam Newton had. It also helps that the schedule is pretty easy and there are many wins to be had.

Prediction: 7-9 

4. Jacksonville Jaguars

2011 Record: 5-11, 3rd place AFC South
Head Coach: Mike Mularkey (1st season Jacksonville, 14-18 career)
Key Additions: QB Chad Henne, WR Justin Blackmon, WR Laurent Robinson, WR Lee Evans, CB Aaron Ross
Key Losses: DE Matt Roth, DE Aaron Kampman

2012 Outlook: The Jaguars were once again under the radar last year and suffered through another irrelevant season. Their rookie quarterback, Blaine Gabbert looked terrible and the only saving grace on the offense was RB Maurice Jones-Drew. Knowing that he was such a vital part of the offense, Jones-Drew is holding out to get a new contract and without him the Jaguars will be even worse offensively. Behind Jones-Drew are a bunch of guys I’ve never heard of so at some point you have to think the Jaguars will cave. Jack Del Rio finally lost his job due to Jacksonville’s struggles last season, so Mike Mularkery receives a second chance as an NFL coach. The Jaguars aren’t sure what they have in Gabbert so they brought in former Dolphins QB Chad Henne as his backup. Henne would show flashes in Miami but was never consistent and hasn’t proven he can lead a team to wins. The Jaguars knew they didn’t help Gabbert’s cause last year by giving him almost no weapons at wide receiver. To solve that, they signed Laurent Robinson from Dallas. Robinson had a nice season but was also the Cowboys number three receiver and a had a good quarterback in Tony Romo. The Jaguars drafted stud WR out of Oklahoma State Justin Blackmon. Now they have to wonder about Blackmon’s off the field behavior as he was busted for DUI over the summer. Prior to last season they gave TE Marcedes Lewis a ton of money and then he promptly looked terrible in 2011 and didn’t even score a touchdown. Another problem for Gabbert was that he doesn’t have a good offensive line. The Jaguars didn’t make any changes to it in the off-season so they are just counting on experience helping the group. One bright spot for Jacksonville is their defense, which was in the top ten against both the rush and pass. They don’t have any real big names or guys you’ve heard outside of maybe LB Paul Posluszny but they play well together as a unit. Kicker Josh Scobee remains awesome and might be the best kicker in the NFL. Jacksonville’s punting was so bad last season that they spent a third round pick on their new punter Bryan Anger. This will be another season in Jacksonville that will largely go unnoticed by the general public and even the 5 fans they have in Jacksonville. It will also be another season with double digits in losses.

Prediction: 4-12