Pro Football 2007-08 Season Preview: AFC South

Last season, the Colts ended up doing what had been considered the impossible and that was winning the Super Bowl. They are the defending champions going into the season and the team looks to have some of the key players that helped them win including Peyton Manning. There are 3 others that could come into contention like the Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, and of course the dark-horse candidate The Houston Texans. Each of these teams for the most part has actually proven to have something special as long as they stay healthy. The Titans have been on a decline and the Jaguars have been a slow rise but have injuries that stopped that team from being a threat. Houston is still trying to find out who they are. This season however is looking to become a repeat of last season based upon how they've played for the year.

Indianapolis Colts

Once known as the Baltimore Colts, the team had only won a Super Bowl in that city prior to just last season. Manning helped lead the team to the Super Bowl along with every other player. The goal finally happened as after all the years of being known as the team that could never win the big one finally did it. Repeating is going to be a very tough feat. With the team in tact and a year older together as a unit, the expectations are very high and this team is looking to repeat as AFC South Division Champions. Unless Jacksonville or Tennessee steps up to the plate to challenge this team, this one is going to be a run away for the Colts. Look for them to be a main challenger for the AFC Championship Game when it comes to past.

Projected Finish: 1st

Jacksonville Jaguars

This team finished with a .500 record but not making the playoffs at all, something that the team has missed. This is one of three teams that has never been to the Super Bowl when the Super Bowl Era was created and wasn't an existing franchise in the Pre-Super Bowl Era. The other teams being the Houston Texans and the New Orleans Saints being teams that have never been there or existed in the Pre-Super Bowl era, the NFL Championship era. The Jaguars have Leftwich as the Quarterback for the team and if he stays healthy, he could be a key to this team making a run at the playoffs. They have one major hurdle to get over and that is the AFC Championship game. This team is not expected to get that but a Wild Card spot is not out of the question.

Projected Finish: 2nd

Houston Texans

The David Carr had ended and it had become a new beginning for the team. Though they finished 6-10, the 2nd best record this club has had since its inception, they have yet to actually go to the playoffs. With the AFC South possibly being competitive as well like the AFC North, the team is going to really struggle to make it to the playoffs. They could finish 10-6 while the other teams could have a better record. They probably won't make the playoffs but they could seriously help build them into a future contender. As long as the effort is put into the team, they can go far and impress everyone. They will have a tough time but in an upset, they can take a 3rd place finish. This is the upset pick of the conference.

Projected Finish: 3rd

Tennessee Titans

The Titans have had a bit of a shaky and erratic run the last few years. One minute they are good, the next they are doing bad. No longer does this team have Steve McNair, the only Quarterback to take this franchise to the Super Bowl, even though they lost to the Rams that year. Given that it will be tough this year for them to be competitive without one of the main players and also with "Pacman" Jones in legal trouble, that could possibly be a distraction for the team. The team did finish .500 for the year, an improvement and a step in the right direction. Again, it will all depend on if anyone can distance themselves in that division and with it being short, it could very well be tough to really have a large lead. They will be a stunner but even if they are last, it won't have a below .500 record for sure.

Projected Finish: 4thThe AFC South is going to be an interesting division and could also be a tough one to pick a clear cut winner but the Colts are the most likely to take it but as far as 2nd to 4th, it could go to anyone since that will most likely a very short gap between them. If any team could possibly the Colts, most likely the Jaguars will give them a run for their money but that is about it. Coming up soon will be projections of the AFC East, then the West, and then moving along to the NFC.