Let me preface by saying I know how patently ridiculous the question sounds coming from a fan of a team that finished the season losing 15 straight games.

I get it.  Even if the division has vulnerabilities, it's a dubious proposition to suggest the Jaguars will be able to exploit them.

Nevertheless, I'm left to wonder if the division is potentially for the taking next year.

Why would I ask?

Starting from the bottom up:

  The Jaguars will likely start a new coach with a rookie QB, a bunch of draft picks and a lot of cap space with which to sign upgrades.  But even assuming everything goes smoothly, if nothing else, the rookies will take some time to adjust to the league and the new schemes, and the coaches will need to learn the players to best employ them within the schemes.

  Houston will start with a new coach, but perhaps without Deshaun Watson, and, as it stands now, no first or second round pick, either.  Add that to the likely departure of J.J. Watt, and the departures of DeAndre Hopkins, Kenny Stills, etc.  The Texans have lost a bunch of talented players over the past year or so, and it will take a while to replenish that talent.  It's way way way too early, but the Texans could be the division's last place team.

  Thanks to some shrewd trades and sound drafting, the Colts are a team with strong fundamentals.  They have one of the strongest defenses in the league, though I still don't see an abundance of splash players outside of Leonard and Buckner.  They also have a strong interior OL and a sound running game.  The question is what they will do at the most important position-QB?  Phillip Rivers may or may not be brought back next year.  If Rivers goes off into retirement, the Colts to go back to Jacoby Brissett, who was a so so at best replacement for Andrew Luck.  They could make a play for former Eagles Starter Carson Wentz, who was coached by current Colts' head coach Frank Reich.  Or they could draft a QB early in the next draft.  Either way, they could experience a fall off at the position.  But I have to think they will go with an experienced signal caller.  They have a good defense and running game.  I can't imagine them wasting them bringing along a rookie QB.

  As for the tacks, with all of this happening above, at this point, they seem to be the odds on favorite to win the division.  They have the least amount of change and holes coming out of this season.  They still have that formidable backfield of Derrick Henry and Tannehill.  AJ Brown is the best WR in the division, and their OL is solid.  The only question here is if they can retain OC Arthur Smith.  Defensively, they had a down year this year.  They seem perpetually in search of an edge rusher and bringing in Clowney and Beasley did not help them at all.

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Worst to 1st.  Curse Reversed!

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/20...an-as-g-m/

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Worst to 1st.  Curse Reversed!

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/20...an-as-g-m/

Knowing you made the wrong decision when on the cusp of making, most likely, the right decision must be tough to accept. Also knowing you paid $600K to lay such an egg adds a whole extra layer of stupid to the mess.

And another thing, why the hell is the team QB even remotely involved with this process? Is Cal McNair really that stupid?

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Honestly I do believe we have good long term prospects when we can vanquish the Titan effect on us.

I do think it is the Titans division to lose next year.

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The Khan Years

Patience, Persistence, and Piss Poor General Managers.

Next year lis prob not our year, but the year after. Yeah it’s looking good unless the colts find a way to draft a stud qb.

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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.

 

Just so happened that Vic addressed the same topic in today's post:

Vic to Jaguars: It's wide open for you. The Texans are a mess and the Colts and Titans don't have a quarterback. This is your chance, Jags. Don't screw it up!

Still, an uphill battle. I think whether Watson can be talked off the ledge or not will decide the team's fate; If Tannehill was a one-year wonder, the deal he signed could cripple the tacks in the long run, and if they lose their OC, will the replacement be able to hide his warts like Smith did? The colts strike me as one of those teams that just seems to be forever doomed to 7 to 9 wins per season, the sniff of the postseason and an early exit.

A lot is going to hinge on us hiring the right staff both on the sidelines and in the FO. Getting more than Rnd 1 Pick 1 right, and keeping the young talent that still happens to be on the roster.

This isn't as foreboding a task as say, winning the AFCw will be for a team like the Chargers, but I don't see any competition in the division as a doormat, yet. If Watson bolts, I imagine Watt will ask for a trade or his release, and pursue a ring elsewhere. if they are both gone, it will be a dark few seasons in Houston.

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Just so happened that Vic addressed the same topic in today's post:

Vic to Jaguars: It's wide open for you. The Texans are a mess and the Colts and Titans don't have a quarterback. This is your chance, Jags. Don't screw it up!

Still, an uphill battle. I think whether Watson can be talked off the ledge or not will decide the team's fate; If Tannehill was a one-year wonder, the deal he signed could cripple the tacks in the long run, and if they lose their OC, will the replacement be able to hide his warts like Smith did? The colts strike me as one of those teams that just seems to be forever doomed to 7 to 9 wins per season, the sniff of the postseason and an early exit.

A lot is going to hinge on us hiring the right staff both on the sidelines and in the FO. Getting more than Rnd 1 Pick 1 right, and keeping the young talent that still happens to be on the roster.

This isn't as foreboding a task as say, winning the AFCw will be for a team like the Chargers, but I don't see any competition in the division as a doormat, yet. If Watson bolts, I imagine Watt will ask for a trade or his release, and pursue a ring elsewhere. if they are both gone, it will be a dark few seasons in Houston.

I don't know if I agree with Vic on the tacks QB situation.  I think as long as Smith is there, and they have a viable Derrick Henry running the ball, I think Tannehill is a good QB for that system.

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Worst to 1st.  Curse Reversed!

Jags are going to be one year away. We should be much improved next year, but it's going to take a little bit of time. Luckily we have some pieces and skill players already which lessens a bit of the learning curve there. Defensive players are usually more developed from the start and I think we'll spend some money on fixing the defense in FA. Give Lawrence a year to adjust and 2022 should be the target to seriously compete. We should finish probably 3rd in the division in 2021.

Houston is a dumpster fire right now. They have Watson and that's all. And they may not even have him. With no draft picks and negative cap situation, they're in for a tough rebuild. They'll likely be last in the division in 2020.

Indy needs to address the QB situation but aside from QB, they're definitely the most "complete" team in the division. They could use some WR upgrades outside of an aging TY, but the cupboard isn't bare. The big question is QB. Do they try to get Wentz? Do they give Brissett another shot? Who knows honestly. They'll fight Tenn for the division.

Tenn needs to find a pass rush. Offensively they're great, and if Henry can give them a couple more years of being the workhorse, they should be good. Tannehill is a great QB for them. They're the favorites for the division until we find out Indy's QB situation.

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Jags are going to be one year away. We should be much improved next year, but it's going to take a little bit of time. Luckily we have some pieces and skill players already which lessens a bit of the learning curve there. Defensive players are usually more developed from the start and I think we'll spend some money on fixing the defense in FA. Give Lawrence a year to adjust and 2022 should be the target to seriously compete. We should finish probably 3rd in the division in 2021.

Houston is a dumpster fire right now. They have Watson and that's all. And they may not even have him. With no draft picks and negative cap situation, they're in for a tough rebuild. They'll likely be last in the division in 2020.

Indy needs to address the QB situation but aside from QB, they're definitely the most "complete" team in the division. They could use some WR upgrades outside of an aging TY, but the cupboard isn't bare. The big question is QB. Do they try to get Wentz? Do they give Brissett another shot? Who knows honestly. They'll fight Tenn for the division.

Tenn needs to find a pass rush. Offensively they're great, and if Henry can give them a couple more years of being the workhorse, they should be good. Tannehill is a great QB for them. They're the favorites for the division until we find out Indy's QB situation.

Agreed with this.

Best case scenario...Jaguars are a year away.

But will definitely have more than one win.

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Worst to 1st.  Curse Reversed!

It is all relative I guess, this division is not as wide open as the NFC East, but way more open than the AFC West. There is not a dominant QB in the AFC South and that makes it vulnerable in my opinion.

If we come out next year with a truly explosive offense, we could win this division. I wouldn't put money on it, but it is possible.

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Either Lawrence is the next goat or the division is basically a 2 team race between Indy and Tennessee. We are an actual dumpster fire from ownership on down. Houston is slightly better off, but not by much. Indy needs a QB and they're a very good team, same with Tennessee. We will always be perennial bottom feeders under Khan with the occasional outlier season, just like the Cowgirls and the Redsk.. I mean Woke Football Team.

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A good qb can make the jags offense look really good. The problem is on defense. If that gets fixed, then maybe things can get better faster

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Indianapolis is also going to have to address their LT situation. Yet, between the talent upgrades on the roster in recent seasons and the excellent job Frank Reich and his coaching staff have done, I think they have a bright future. They gave the high octane Buffalo Bills a heck of a battle the other day.

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Indianapolis is also going to have to address their LT situation.  Yet,  between the talent upgrades on the roster in recent seasons and the excellent job Frank Reich and his coaching staff have done,  I think they have a bright future.  They gave the high octane Buffalo Bills a heck of a battle the other day.

They left too many points off the board.  The Colts should have won that game.

Questionable coaching decisions on both sides of the ball in that game.

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Worst to 1st.  Curse Reversed!

Indianapolis is also going to have to address their LT situation.  Yet,  between the talent upgrades on the roster in recent seasons and the excellent job Frank Reich and his coaching staff have done,  I think they have a bright future.  They gave the high octane Buffalo Bills a heck of a battle the other day.

They left too many points off the board.  The Colts should have won that game.

Questionable coaching decisions on both sides of the ball in that game.

There's no question the Colts needed to execute better in the Red Zone. And that not settling for 3 points on 4th and Goal from the Bills 4 late in the 2nd QTR turned out to be a mistake by Frank Reich. The limited physical skills of Philip Rivers at this stage of his career caught up to the Bills on the 4th Down Incompletion.

When looking the landscape of the overall matchup against the Bills, the Colts margin of error appeared to be on the low side.  That much more with CB Rock Ya-Sin out with a concussion. As crazy as it sounds, holding the Bills to 27 points is a relatively speaking good performance by the Colts Defense.

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They left too many points off the board.  The Colts should have won that game.

Questionable coaching decisions on both sides of the ball in that game.

There's no question the Colts needed to execute better in the Red Zone. And that not settling for 3 points on 4th and Goal from the Bills 4 late in the 2nd QTR turned out to be a mistake by Frank Reich. The limited physical skills of Philip Rivers at this stage of his career caught up to the Bills on the 4th Down Incompletion.

When looking the landscape of the overall matchup against the Bills, the Colts margin of error appeared to be on the low side.  That much more with CB Rock Ya-Sin out with a concussion. As crazy as it sounds, holding the Bills to 27 points is a relatively speaking good performance by the Colts Defense.

Agreed.

Reich is an outstanding head coach in my estimation.  His coaching enabled the Colts to even reach this point in the first place.

I just think his decisions left much to be desired in this game.

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Worst to 1st.  Curse Reversed!

Update...Phillip Rivers has retired, as has Colts' LT Anthony Castonzo.  That's two premier offensive positions that will have to be replaced by the Colts this year.

Watson seems like he is not long for the Texans organization.

Tacks have lost OC Arthur Smith.

How much, if at all, can the Jaguars capitalize on this, now that we have Urban Meyer and Trent Baalke leading the turnaround?

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Worst to 1st.  Curse Reversed!

Update...Phillip Rivers has retired, as has Colts' LT Anthony Castonzo.  That's two premier offensive positions that will have to be replaced by the Colts this year.

Watson seems like he is not long for the Texans organization.

Tacks have lost OC Arthur Smith.

How much, if at all, can the Jaguars capitalize on this, now that we have Urban Meyer and Trent Baalke leading the turnaround?

Makes the Jaguars insane front office moves this offseason all the more painful. The team, had it decided to go with real nfl coaching and a great GM, would be in position to rule the division for 15 years. Now, with the moves the team is making they probably hover in the 8 or 9 win territory until Meyer quits, and never build a true contending team.

The Jaguars are blowing it.

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Hard to imagine one offseason to be enough for the Jags to fully right the ship, but they certainly could make the division much more competitive amongst itself.

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Update...Phillip Rivers has retired, as has Colts' LT Anthony Castonzo.  That's two premier offensive positions that will have to be replaced by the Colts this year.

Watson seems like he is not long for the Texans organization.

Tacks have lost OC Arthur Smith.

How much, if at all, can the Jaguars capitalize on this, now that we have Urban Meyer and Trent Baalke leading the turnaround?

Makes the Jaguars insane front office moves this offseason all the more painful. The team, had it decided to go with real nfl coaching and a great GM, would be in position to rule the division for 15 years. Now, with the moves the team is making they probably hover in the 8 or 9 win territory until Meyer quits, and never build a true contending team.

The Jaguars are blowing it.

Elaborate please.

I can understand the reluctance to embrace Meyer.  No NFL experience.  Questionable development of QBs.

But what's with the hostility towards Baalke?  I don't suggest there's nothing to it.  I know 49ers fans aren't exactly thrilled with him.

But I'm not totally sure why.

Seldom, what is your gripe with Baalke?

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Hard to imagine one offseason to be enough for the Jags to fully right the ship, but they certainly could make the division much more competitive amongst itself.

If we take Trevor Lawrence, and he is all we hope him to be, and we give him the help he needs, we can be competitive in the division-at least a "tough out," or not a guaranteed W on the schedule.

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Worst to 1st.  Curse Reversed!