AFC South Preview: New coaches, new quarterbacks … except in Tennessee

1. Tennessee Titans

Coach: Mike Vrabel (fourth twelvemonth — 29-19 regular season, 2-2 playoffs).

2020 record: 11-5 (first successful AFC South; mislaid to Baltimore successful Wild Card round).

Defensive play-caller: Shane Bower (first year).

Best player/best newcomer connected defense: S Kevin Byard/OLB Bud Dupree. Third connected the league’s information wage illustration ($14.1 cardinal average), Byard has 18 interceptions and 431 tackles successful 80 games. Dupree was connected his mode to a 2nd consecutive double-digit sack twelvemonth for Pittsburgh erstwhile helium tore his ACL.

Key statistic: 51.2% — third-down defence past year, worst successful the NFL.

Why they’ll decorativeness first: Because idiosyncratic has to triumph the AFC South. The Colts shouldn’t beryllium arsenic highly regarded arsenic they are due to the fact that backmost Carson Wentz invites nary optimism. The Titans volition thin connected NFL rushing champion Derrick Henry (2,027 yards) and the play-action passing of backmost Ryan Tannehill. But to contend successful mid-to-late January, they request to get amended defensively. They request much sacks and much third-down stops. A premier campaigner to suffer their first-round location playoff game.

2. Jacksonville Jaguars

Sam Greenwood, Getty Images

Eric Saubert of the Jacksonville Jaguars is announced earlier the crippled against the Chicago Bearsat TIAA Bank Field connected Dec. 27, 2020 successful Jacksonville, Fla.

Coach: Urban Meyer (first year).

2020 record: 1-15 (fourth successful AFC South).

Defensive play-caller: Joe Cullen (first year).

Best player/best newcomer connected defense: OLB Josh Allen/CB Shaquill Griffin. A large twelvemonth for Allen, who had 10 1/2 sacks arsenic a rookie, but lone 2 1/2 successful 2020. Griffin was Meyer’s archetypal large free-agent summation (three years, $40 million) aft intercepting six passes successful 57 games for Seattle.

Key statistic: 18 — sacks past year, second-fewest successful the league.

Why they’ll decorativeness second: Because Indianapolis kept losing players successful grooming camp. This is simply a rebuilding occupation of the highest bid and they mislaid their last 15 games to get successful presumption to draught backmost Trevor Lawrence archetypal overall. But the Jaguars volition beryllium improved offensively (30th successful scoring) and they utilized resources to get Griffin, antiaircraft tackle Malcom Brown and information Rayshawn Jenkins.

3. Indianapolis Colts

David Richard, The Associated Press

Indianapolis Colts cornerback Isaiah Rodgers (34) celebrates with teammates aft Rodgers returned a kickoff for 101-yard touchdown during the 2nd fractional of an NFL shot crippled against the Cleveland Browns, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020, successful Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Richard)

Coach: Frank Reich (fourth twelvemonth — 28-20 regular season; 1-2 playoffs).

2020 record: 11-5 (second successful AFC South; mislaid astatine Buffalo successful Wild Card round).

Defensive play-caller: Matt Eberflus (fourth year).

Best player/best newcomer connected defense: LB Darius Leonard/DE Kwity Paye. Three years, 3 Pro Bowls, 3 years of astatine slightest 121 tackles for Leonard, a second-round find from South Carolina State. A first-round pick, Paye played 4 games past twelvemonth for Michigan (two sacks).

Key statistic: 90.5 — rushing yards allowed, second-fewest successful the league.

Why they’ll decorativeness third: Nobody should beryllium picked down Houston. The Colts are flawed … and past they mislaid overrated backmost Carson Wentz to aboriginal August ankle surgery, leaving them with Jacob Eason to start, and past mislaid all-world defender Quenton Nelson to the aforesaid benignant of injury. Wentz should beryllium backmost but it feels similar the Colts’ play was doomed earlier the pads went on.

4. Houston Texans

Matt Patterson, The Associated Press

Houston Texans backmost Deshaun Watson (4) looks to walk during an NFL shot crippled against the Tennessee Titans, Sunday, Jan. 3, 2021, successful Houston.

Coach: David Culley (first year).

2020 record: 4-12 (third successful AFC South).

Defensive play-caller: Lovie Smith (first year).

Best player/best newcomer connected defense: LB Zach Cunningham/S Terrance Mitchell. A second-round prime successful 2017, Cunningham is simply a tackle machine, including a league-best 164 past year. Mitchell has lone 1 afloat play arsenic a starter (’20 for Cleveland) and had 13 walk break-ups and 65 tackles.

Key statistic: Nine — takeaways past year, fewest successful the league.

Why they’ll decorativeness fourth: The Texans person stripped down their roster and opted to commencement implicit with bargain signings. Coach Bill O’Brien near this enactment successful tatters and caller unit main Nick Caserio didn’t commercialized backmost Deshaun Watson earlier his ineligible troubles. Houston won’t spell 0-17; heck, it mightiness bushed Jacksonville successful Week 1, but the Texans are the runaway favorites to decorativeness 32nd successful the league.