NFL Divisional Previews: AFC South

 


We're rapidly approaching the 2023 NFL Season, which means it's time for some previews. I'm going to be looking at each division, one-by-one, continuing today with the AFC South. Let's dive in.

Jacksonville Jaguars:
2022 Record: 9-8, First in the AFC South. Lost in Divisional Round
2023 Outlook: The Jaguars came on at the end of the 2022 season as new coach Doug Pederson got Trevor Lawrence and the young Jaguars moving in the right direction. The Jaguars won't surprise anyone in 2023, but the team is certainly still strong. They welcome back Calvin Ridley this season and brought back Evan Engram and tight end. With Travis Etienne and Tank Bigsby in the backfield, the team has a strong offense. The AFC South isn't a tough division but I suspect the Jaguars are the class of the division. 
2023 Prediction: I think the Jaguars win the AFC South again.

Tennessee Titans:
2022 Record: 7-10, Second in the AFC South
2023 Outlook: The Titans are a team in flux. They had a big fall off in 2022 and it's hard to say how the team will shake out in 2023. They're no longer the class of the division. Ryan Tannehill is still there, but the team took Malik Willis and Will Levis in consecutive years. That indicates the Titans are looking toward the future. The team doesn't have great depth at receiver, but the addition of DeAndre Hopkins is an interesting wrinkle. The team also still has a great workhorse back in Derrick Henry and a good young prospect in Treylon Burks. That gives them some potential under a tough head coach in Mike Vrabel.
2023 Prediction: The Titans will play hard, and I think their win range is anywhere from six to nine. They could well be in the playoff hunt again.

Indianapolis Colts:
2022 Record: 4-12-1, Third in the AFC South
2023 Outlook: The experiment of bringing in Matt Ryan didn't work. The Colts flamed out and missed the playoffs. Coach Frank Reich was dismissed mid-season and it left the team floundering. Enter a new coach in Shane Steichen and a new franchise quarterback in Anthony Richardson. There's potential but I suspect this will be a growing season for the Colts.
2023 Prediction: The Colts might be more fun to watch, but four to seven wins feels like the right range.

Houston Texans:
2022 Record: 3-13-1, Fourth in the AFC South
2023 Outlook: The Texans were bad again in 2022, leading to another new coach in Demeco Ryans. The team also snagged a new franchise quarterback in C.J. Stroud. The rest of the roster continues to be a work in progress. The addition of tight end Dalton Schultz is interesting but it's a thin and weak receiving corps. In addition, the team is young on defense as well. There are some pieces but it remains to be seen if the team can make major progress. I suspect it's a multi-year effort.
2023 Prediction: I think the Texans, too, have a four to seven win range.

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