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.

2-2 this week

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snowwolf titans owner in madden.

note titans owner means im undeafted againest them. 

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

These are my picks as well.

3-1 this week.
3-1 overall.

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"We believe in victory!"   - Gus Bradley
"I don't want to believe.  I want to know."   - Carl Sagan

chiefs
browns
chargers
saints

3-1

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The end of that game was awesome. Hubby thought for sure the Tinhorns won (as a Panthers fan he needed them to win) and I told him the game isn't over until the clock reads 0:00. Unless you're Miami.

(Emphasis added)

If you're Miami, the game is over when the clock reads 15:00!

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Chiefs
Browns
Chargers
Saints

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

3-1

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3-1, looks like the browns are the Jaguars of the North, now. Tons of talent, still can't even beat a one dimensional team like the titans.

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3-1, screw the tacks.

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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.

3-1.

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2-2

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3-1 this week

3-1 Overall

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

Jaguars
Browns
Chargers
Saints

2-2

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There are 10 kinds of people in this world.  Those who understand binary and those who don't.

Jags
Browns
Chargers
Saints

2-2 on the week. Jaguars defense was horribly exposed.

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Jaguars Fundamentalist

Jags
Browns
Chargers
Saints

2-2

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Looking to troll? Don't bother, we supply our own.

 

 

Jags
Tacks
Chargers
Saints

3-1

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

3-1 this week.

Nice to be on top of the AFCS

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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.

I am late to the party. I would have picked tacks and jags. But I am too late.
I will go Saints over texans tho and Chargers over colts.

2-0 on the picks I actually made.

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Yes, it's improvement, but it's Blaine Gabbert 2012 level improvement. - Pirkster

http://youtu.be/ouGM3NWpjxk The Home Hypnotist!

http://youtu.be/XQRFkn0Ly3A Media on the Brain Link!
 

Peyton must store oxygen in that forehead of his. No way I'd still be alive after all that choking.

 

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

3-1 this week.

Nice to be on top of the AFCS

I hate you.

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Worst to 1st.  Curse Reversed!

3-1 this week.

Nice to be on top of the AFCS

I hate you.

Haha nothing but love

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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.

KC
Browns
Chargers
Saints

3-1

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