All told, 2022 proved to be a year of streaks for the teams in the AFC South. Owners of a 4-8 record with five games to go, the Jacksonville Jaguars ran the table and won a division title for the first time since 2017. For good measure, Doug Pederson’s club rallied from 27 points down to knock off the Chargers in the playoffs before succumbing to the Chiefs in the divisional round.
Then there’s the other side of the story. Both the Tennessee Titans and Indianapolis Colts closed out the season by dropping their final seven contests. For Mike Vrabel’s club, it was a bitter pill to swallow after a 7-3 start. Despite the fact that the club won two of its final three contests, the Houston Texans endured a midseason nine-game skid.
The four teams in this division were busy over the last few months, some more than others. What issues do the Jaguars, Titans, Colts, and Texans still have ahead of them?
Jacksonville Jaguars
Can QB Trevor Lawrence pick up from where he left off in the second half of 2022?
The Jaguars finished dead last in the AFC South for four straight years from 2018-21. It looked like it was going to be another long year for the club this past season under new head coach Doug Pederson. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence threw 15 TD passes and just two picks and the club won seven of its final nine games. He did have his interception problems in the playoffs. Which Lawrence will we see in 2023?
Tennessee Titans
Do the Titans have answers when it comes to their pass defense?
Why drive when you can fly? This past season, no team allowed fewer rushing yards per game. Of course, the Titans also gave up the most passing yards per contest in the league. The Titans gave up 38 offensive touchdowns, 29 of those through the air. New GM Ran Carthon added experience cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting (Buccaneers) in free agency, but Mike Vrabel’s team generated only 39 sacks a year ago.
Indianapolis Colts
Will QB Gardner Minshew be a season-long starter?
Chris Ballard has been the team’s general manager since 2017. The Colts have opened the season with a different starting quarterback every year during his tenure and 2023 will be no exception. The club used the fourth overall pick in April on quarterback Anthony Richardson (Florida) but signed Gardner Minshew in free agency. Can he take the helm and hold it for all 17 games while the talented rookie goes to school?
Houston Texans
Can the Texans’ porous run defense make a dramatic turnaround?
There’s a lot of excitement regarding a team that owns an 11-38-1 record over the past three seasons. Former Texans’ star linebacker DeMeco Ryans is the new head coach. The team has done well recruiting veteran talent. The rookie class includes quarterback C.J. Stroud but the team’s biggest issue in recent seasons has been a defense that has been horrendous vs. the run and finished last in the NFL in 2022.
More must-reads: