Ho hum, just another uneventful offseason/preseason in the AFC South! 

Are you kidding me?!? 

Since the last episode of this post at the end of last season:

The Texans won the division, then promptly lost at home to the Colts, who won the last playoff spot after starting the season 1-5.

The Jaguars finished the purge of five or so assistant coaches, replacing the offensive coordinator, offensive line coach, the RBs coach, the DL coach and the secondary coach.  Among the new coaches brought in was former Eagles QB coach John DeFillipo, who coached Nick Foles in Philly.  The same Nick Foles who QBed the Eagles to a Super Bowl win a couple of years ago.    The Jaguars signed that same Nick Foles to a four year deal to be the new Jaguars’ QB, and cut ties with their old QB, former first round pick Blake Bortles.  Meanwhile, former Pro Bowl LB Telvin Smith decided to take the 2019 season off for reasons unknown to most.  Also brought in as a consultant is veteran defensive coordinator Dom Capers, who has extensive work in the Steelers’ 3-4 zone blitz attack.

The tacks, who missed the playoffs after losing Mariota for the last game of the season, acquired former Dolphins’ first round pick QB RyanTannehill.   As of this writing, it is unclear who the starting QB for the tacks will be to open the season.  However, it IS clear who the starting LT for the tacks will NOT be:  Taylor Lewan, as the stud LT will miss the first four games of the season for violating the NFL’s policy on performance enhancing drugs.

The Texans went into the offseason desperate for OL help.  After getting outmaneuvered in the draft for prised pass blocking LT Andre Dillard, they drafted two young Ts in Tytus Howard and Max Scharping in the first three rounds, and promptly moved them inside to G.  They added Matt Kalil from Minnesota to play LT so they wouldn’t be totally devoid of experience on the edge.  However, they lost an endge to their formidable defense by trading away former first overall pick Jadeveon Clowney to Seattle for a 3rd round pick, Barkevious Mingo, and another linebacker.  But they weren’t done.  Later, they announced a trade sending two first round picks and a 2md round pick to Miami for LT Laremy Tunsil and WR Kenny Stills.  Texans fans are not happy.  Many on their boards seem to think they got fleeced in both deals.  Their offense should be very good now that they have a LT and a WR opposite Hopkins, but their defense should fall off retty quickly after a year or so.  They are still a viable unit with Watt and Mercilus for this year.  But Watt is 30, Mercilus is 29.  Without premium picks to restock that defense, they won’t be able to stop many teams before long.

But the biggest news came from Indy, where former 2012 first overall pick, QB Andrew Luck, has decided to call it a career at age 29, just two weeks before the season.  Indy fans clearly are not happy.  They do have an experienced hand at QB with Jacoby Brissett and a better overall team around him than the last time the Colts had to go without Luck.  But that development seems to bode well for the remaining 3 teams in the AFC South that don’t have to defend against Luck’s aerial attack.

We are not going to talk about individual picking records from last year.  Let’s leave the past in the past, shall we?
 
Anyway, on the first picks of the year for 2019.
 
Kansas City (0-0) at Jacksonville (0-0)-In the first of a lot of interesting week one matchups, the insanely explosive offense of the Kansas City Chiefs travels to Jacksonville to face the stern defense of the Jacksonville Jaguars.  The Chiefs were one Dee Ford off sides penalty from reaching the Super Bowl last year.  They have a scary good offense, that somehow managed to get better than they were last year.  Tyreek Hill was not suspended by the NFL for child abuse allegations, so that alone makes them dangerous.  Add to that rookie WR Mycole Hardeman, who runs a 4.3 forty, TE Travis Kelce, WR Sammy Watkins, and waiver wire pickup LeSean McCoy, who still has tread on his tire.  Oh yeah, there is the league MVP in QB Patrick Mahomes.  As loaded as they are offensively, they are almost the opposite defensively.  They have scrapped the 3-4 they had run for years and is implementing a 4-3.  They have two really good players in their front four with DT Chris Jones and DE Frank Clark, acquired via trade from Seattle.  But I am far from sold on the rest of their defense.  Jacksonville is like the mirror image of the Chiefs, with a stellar defense and a questionable offense.  If any offense defense can slow down the Chiefs, it’s the Jaguars, who offer three good pass rushers in Yannick Ngakoue, Calais Campbell, and rookie DE/OLB Josh Allen.  Allen’s size and versatility enables the Jaguars to do something they have never been able to do in their 25 year history, and that’s offer a legitimate 3-4 look.  They have speed and athleticism in the back seven with Myles Jack and controversial rookie Q. Williams, and stud CBs in Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye.  The key will be pressuring Mahomes and keeping him contained in the pocket.  His arm is so strong and can throw from so many different angles, he makes plays most QBs can’t make.  Offensively, the Jaguars will have to be able to run the ball and control the clock, and that means avoiding the 5 turnovers that doomed the Jaguars in KC last year.  Enter a healthier and better offensive line than we had in KC last year, and Nick Foles.  Maybe it’s a matter of everyone being a contender before the season starts (okay maybe not Miami), but I kinda like our chances here for an upset.  Jaguars 27-24.

Tennessee (0-0) at Cleveland (0-0)-The Browns had an infusion of talent, having added OBJ, Jarvis Landry, and a few other guys.  The arrow seems to point straight up for this franchise.  To me, there are two questions.  One, Freddie Kitchens as a head coach.  He did wonders as the OC for Mayfield at the end of last year, under Gregg Williams as interim coach.  But can he run the whole show?  Second question is their offensive line, specifically their tackles.  Otherwise, this has the look of a playoff team.  The tacks are a solid team with questions, but less star power than Cleveland.  U also think they have questions.  Do they have a QB?  Is it Mariota or Tannehill, or none of the above?  How will their offensive line fare without Taylor Lewan for the first four weeks?  I think Tennessee is going into a buzz saw in Cleveland against a hungry and talented team with a winning starved and passionate fan base.  Cleveland wins 24-14.
Indianapolis (0-0) at Los Angeles Chargers (0-0)-I just heard talking heads on the radio saying Indy will still win the AFCS even without Andrew Luck.  While I won’t go that far, I think they will make it close against a Chargers team missing three key players in holdout RB Melvin Gordon, starting LT Russell Okung (injury) and starting S Derwin James (injury).  Chargers 23  Colts 17

 Houston (0-0) at New Orleans (0-0)-In a Monday night game the new look Texans go into New Orleans to face the Saints, who are off of the disappointing NFC championship game loss to the Rams.  I expect the Saints to blitz Houston heavily considering there are two new guys on the left side of the OL, and another rookie on the right side.Houston’s defense will still be good, but not quite as good as they were with Clowney.   But there were whispers that Brees was showing signs of decline at the end of last year.   But I’m betting his arm is fresh.  Saints 30 Texans 24
  
Last year-I said no comment!!!!

This year?  We shall see.

Please be safe in this hurricane!

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Worst to 1st.  Curse Reversed!

Ho hum, just another uneventful offseason/preseason in the AFC South! 

Are you kidding me?!? 

Since the last episode of this post at the end of last season:

The Texans won the division, then promptly lost at home to the Colts, who won the last playoff spot after starting the season 1-5.

The Jaguars finished the purge of five or so assistant coaches, replacing the offensive coordinator, offensive line coach, the RBs coach, the DL coach and the secondary coach.  Among the new coaches brought in was former Eagles QB coach John DeFillipo, who coached Nick Foles in Philly.  The same Nick Foles who QBed the Eagles to a Super Bowl win a couple of years ago.    The Jaguars signed that same Nick Foles to a four year deal to be the new Jaguars’ QB, and cut ties with their old QB, former first round pick Blake Bortles.  Meanwhile, former Pro Bowl LB Telvin Smith decided to take the 2019 season off for reasons unknown to most.  Also brought in as a consultant is veteran defensive coordinator Dom Capers, who has extensive work in the Steelers’ 3-4 zone blitz attack.

The tacks, who missed the playoffs after losing Mariota for the last game of the season, acquired former Dolphins’ first round pick QB RyanTannehill.   As of this writing, it is unclear who the starting QB for the tacks will be to open the season.  However, it IS clear who the starting LT for the tacks will NOT be:  Taylor Lewan, as the stud LT will miss the first four games of the season for violating the NFL’s policy on performance enhancing drugs.

The Texans went into the offseason desperate for OL help.  After getting outmaneuvered in the draft for prised pass blocking LT Andre Dillard, they drafted two young Ts in Tytus Howard and Max Scharping in the first three rounds, and promptly moved them inside to G.  They added Matt Kalil from Minnesota to play LT so they wouldn’t be totally devoid of experience on the edge.  However, they lost an endge to their formidable defense by trading away former first overall pick Jadeveon Clowney to Seattle for a 3rd round pick, Barkevious Mingo, and another linebacker.  But they weren’t done.  Later, they announced a trade sending two first round picks and a 2md round pick to Miami for LT Laremy Tunsil and WR Kenny Stills.  Texans fans are not happy.  Many on their boards seem to think they got fleeced in both deals.  Their offense should be very good now that they have a LT and a WR opposite Hopkins, but their defense should fall off retty quickly after a year or so.  They are still a viable unit with Watt and Mercilus for this year.  But Watt is 30, Mercilus is 29.  Without premium picks to restock that defense, they won’t be able to stop many teams before long.

But the biggest news came from Indy, where former 2012 first overall pick, QB Andrew Luck, has decided to call it a career at age 29, just two weeks before the season.  Indy fans clearly are not happy.  They do have an experienced hand at QB with Jacoby Brissett and a better overall team around him than the last time the Colts had to go without Luck.  But that development seems to bode well for the remaining 3 teams in the AFC South that don’t have to defend against Luck’s aerial attack.

We are not going to talk about individual picking records from last year.  Let’s leave the past in the past, shall we?
 
Anyway, on the first picks of the year for 2019.
 
Kansas City (0-0) at Jacksonville (0-0)-In the first of a lot of interesting week one matchups, the insanely explosive offense of the Kansas City Chiefs travels to Jacksonville to face the stern defense of the Jacksonville Jaguars.  The Chiefs were one Dee Ford off sides penalty from reaching the Super Bowl last year.  They have a scary good offense, that somehow managed to get better than they were last year.  Tyreek Hill was not suspended by the NFL for child abuse allegations, so that alone makes them dangerous.  Add to that rookie WR Mycole Hardeman, who runs a 4.3 forty, TE Travis Kelce, WR Sammy Watkins, and waiver wire pickup LeSean McCoy, who still has tread on his tire.  Oh yeah, there is the league MVP in QB Patrick Mahomes.  As loaded as they are offensively, they are almost the opposite defensively.  They have scrapped the 3-4 they had run for years and is implementing a 4-3.  They have two really good players in their front four with DT Chris Jones and DE Frank Clark, acquired via trade from Seattle.  But I am far from sold on the rest of their defense.  Jacksonville is like the mirror image of the Chiefs, with a stellar defense and a questionable offense.  If any offense can slow down the Chiefs, it’s the Jaguars, who offer three good pass rushers in Yannick Ngakoue, Calais Campbell, and rookie DE/OLB Josh Allen.  Allen’s size and versatility enables the Jaguars to do something they have never been able to do in their 25 year history, and that’s offer a legitimate 3-4 look.  They have speed and athleticism in the back seven with Myles Jack and controversial rookie Q. Williams, and stud CBs in Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye.  The key will be pressuring Mahomes and keeping him contained in the pocket.  His arm is so strong and can throw from so many different angles, he makes plays most QBs can’t make.  Offensively, the Jaguars will have to be able to run the ball and control the clock, and that means avoiding the 5 turnovers that doomed the Jaguars in KC last year.  Enter a healthier and better offensive line than we had in KC last year, and Nick Foles.  Maybe it’s a matter of everyone being a contender before the season starts (okay maybe not Miami), but I kinda like our chances here for an upset.  Jaguars 27-24.

Tennessee (0-0) at Cleveland (0-0)-The Browns had an infusion of talent, having added OBJ, Jarvis Landry, and a few other guys.  The arrow seems to point straight up for this franchise.  To me, there are two questions.  One, Freddie Kitchens as a head coach.  He did wonders as the OC for Mayfield at the end of last year, under Gregg Williams as interim coach.  But can he run the whole show?  Second question is their offensive line, specifically their tackles.  Otherwise, this has the look of a playoff team.  The tacks are a solid team with questions, but less star power than Cleveland.  U also think they have questions.  Do they have a QB?  Is it Mariota or Tannehill, or none of the above?  How will their offensive line fare without Taylor Lewan for the first four weeks?  I think Tennessee is going into a buzz saw in Cleveland against a hungry and talented team with a winning starved and passionate fan base.  Cleveland wins 24-14.
Indianapolis (0-0) at Los Angeles Chargers (0-0)-I just heard talking heads on the radio saying Indy will still win the AFCS even without Andrew Luck.  While I won’t go that far, I think they will make it close against a Chargers team missing three key players in holdout RB Melvin Gordon, starting LT Russell Okung (injury) and starting S Derwin James (injury).  Chargers 23  Colts 17

 Houston (0-0) at New Orleans (0-0)-In a Monday night game the new look Texans go into New Orleans to face the Saints, who are off of the disappointing NFC championship game loss to the Rams.  I expect the Saints to blitz Houston heavily considering there are two new guys on the left side of the OL, and another rookie on the right side.Houston’s defense will still be good, but not quite as good as they were with Clowney.   But there were whispers that Brees was showing signs of decline at the end of last year.   But I’m betting his arm is fresh.  Saints 30 Texans 24
  
Last year-I said no comment!!!!

This year?  We shall see.

Please be safe in this hurricane!

this week im going to go with these teams winning.  

Saints
Browns
Chargers
jags

I think all the home teams will win.

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snowwolf titans owner in madden.

note titans owner means im undeafted againest them. 

Chiefs
Browns
Chargers
Saints

AFCS starts out 0-4

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Ah, finally back to this time of the year.

For the Jags vs chiefs I'll take the chiefs. Foles looked terrible in the preseason and the team is facing practice interruption thanks to a hurricane, meanwhile the chiefs have the MVP QB the Jaguars should have. I don't think the chiefs blow us out, and around the middle of the third quarter I expect the score to be something like 10-3 chiefs with the Jaguars 3 points coming on a drive where the defense gets them the ball in scoring range from a turnover. The final score will be more lopsided as the defense realizes in the fourth quarter that is not happening with a final score of something like 24-10, the jaguars TD coming in garbage time.

24-10 Chiefs.

I'll take the browns over the tacks, Mariota probably doesn't finish the game, whether it's injury or the coach pulling him.

27-13 browns.

For the colts game I'll take the opponent. Colts lose their first of many en route to another QB tank effort, and the chargers love to run up the score on bad teams.

Chargers 35-9

Finally the Texans at saints. The saints are pretty good at home, and Michael Thomas is a tough cover.

Saints 27-17

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i am so ready for the season to finally drop ....and The Jaguars can get on with the business of football.

Got to think the home crowd will help us stun the chiefs ..Jags in a squeaker
Browns over the hapless tacks
chargers will also hand the clots a loss
saints will destroy the 'horns
We come out #1 in the division

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"Stay tight, stay close. Great things are going to continue to happen for this football team."  - Doug Peterson

I'm in agreeance with the last two posters, AFCS starts out 0-4

Chefs 30-20, a dumb turnover is the deciding factor
Browns 24-17, Browns let off the gas, thumbtacks make it look closer than it'll be
Chargers 19-10, A conservative win for the Chargers
Saints 35-13, Brees making a statement early.

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Jags - homerism
tacks - not buying the browns. Tacks run the ball and play good D.
Chargers - brisket can't get it done
Aint's - lol @ houston.

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Chiefs
Browns
Chargers
Saints

Everyone is talking about the Browns offense but that defense is absolutely loaded. With no Lawan, Myles Garret is going to be a problem for the tacks.

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My favorite thread!

I'ma go with...

JAGS- UPSET! Last time Jags played a game in an area that just got hit by a Hurricane we destroyed the Texans and shocked everyone! It's also week 1 so I have to be a homer by default.
BROWNS- I am buying the hype. On paper this team is disgustingly good.
COLTS- I'ma go with the Colts in this one because I feel like their team as a whole will take their effort to another level with everyone doubting them.
SAINTS- I kinda want to go with Texans here, but we will go with the home team.

GO JAGS!

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Chiefs
Browns
Chargers
Saints

Everyone is talking about the Browns offense but that defense is absolutely loaded. With no Lawan, Myles Garret is going to be a problem for the tacks.

They have one of the best pair of CBs in the AFC.  Greedy Williams falling to them in the draft was a steal for them.  Of course Myles Garrett is a stud DE.  If they are decently coached and healthy, they are a playoff team.

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Worst to 1st.  Curse Reversed!

chiefs
browns
chargers
saints

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Jags over Chiefs - Combination of running game, defense and heat contribute to upset. Nobody will remember 0-4 pre-season.

Browns over Titans- Mayfield/Beckham lead Browns to easy win.

Chargers over Colts- Colts will be better than many expect, but will have to wait for 1st victory.

Saints over Texans- High-scoring game; Saints have a little too much offense.

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I agree with most others, AFCS starts 0-4.

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Jags
Browns
Chargers
Texans

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Chiefs over Jaguars
Browns over Titans
Chargers over Colts
Saints over Texans

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We learned in the Sunday School who made the sun shine through.  I know who made the moonshine too, back where I come from.

Somehow, I always get in on these threads at the beginning of the season, then at some point in the middle of the season, I forget to post picks. Then I just give up altogether because of ensuing cf with my picks not matching the quantity of anyone else’s. Also I suck at picks. So, let’s get this year started too.

Jaguars - Chiefs

Believe it or not, I’d love for the Jaguars to win this one. I do not enjoy the plethora of Chiefs fans I deal with now, which were apparently living under a rock for the last 20 years. But man, they seem so unstoppable. Plus, I think the Jaguars may have the worst offense in the league.

Chiefs 17
Jaguars 3



Titans - Browns

All of my homer instincts want me to take the Titans in this game. I want to say NEVER Browns. Betting on the Browns is a lot like betting against the Patriots. But I do believe Baker may become one of the next great quarterbacks. Their team seems so stacked, you almost feel like they have to fail. I don’t think they will though. I think the Titans make it ugly like always.

Browns 17
Titans 15



Colts - Chargers

I feel like this is going to be one of those weird week one trap games. Everybody is expecting the Colts to just lay down and let everyone walk over them. But not this week. They have a decent defense and IMO the best Oline in football. Brissett and Mack have some fight in them and the Colts get a victory against a pretty good Chargers team in California.

Colts 31
Chargers 28



Texans - Saints

So the the Texans got rid of Clowney and sold the farm for a good left tackle, and now they have to put it on display for Monday night football. I think the Texans are going to miss Clowney. He commanded a lot of attention from offensive lines. I remember him missing the first game against the Titans last season. JJ Watt was a complete nonfactor against backup tackle Kelly because we had lost Lewan the week before. The Titans won that game with Gabbert under center. But Watson is one of the best QB’s in the league and this offense is built for a shootout now. And a shootout they will get on Monday night.

Saints 39
Texans 33

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Chiefs
Browns
Chargers
Saints

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You know trouble is right around the corner when your best friend tells you to hold his beer!!

Gotta go with the Jags out of blind homerism. Actually I think we stand a pretty good shot playing them early in the Jax heat.

Jags
Browns
Chargers
Saints

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Jags
Browns
Chargers
Saints

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Jaguars Fundamentalist

Chiefs
Browns
Chargers
Saints

For what it’s worth, I honestly think the Jags have the best chance to pull the upset.

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