Why I like them: Their running game is money - Chris Johnson is about as dangerous a back as there is, and LenDale White is, well, a pretty damn good number 2. Their o-line is about as strong and experienced as they come. Their defense is tough, athletic and physical. Oh, and the don't turn the ball over. They're Miami, but with a lot of talent. Collins manages the game, and avoids mistakes. When you can control the pace of a game, and avoid giving the other team easy points, you'll put yourself in position to win a lot of games.
Why I hate them: They really aren't as talented as the AFC's elite teams (by which I mean New England, Pittsburgh, Baltimore and San Diego). While Collins is a great game-manager, he isn't going to make many big plays. You aren't going beat Collins, but he's pretty easy to contain. They have NOTHING at wideout that would do anything to pull that 8th guy out of the box, and against a really good defense, they're pretty vulnerable.
As for their defense, it's really strong, and there isn't much you can say about it. However, something of note from Week 1: Tennessee can't get pressure from a 4-man rush anymore. When they were only bringing 4, even the Steelers line could set up a nice pocket. Albert Haynesworth provided a lot of penetration up the middle.
The loss of Haynesworth is going to hurt this team's pass defense more than anything.
Most likely to get arrested: Who knows... I kept trying to write this part, and Steve McNair references kept creeping in, and really, no one needs that.
So, enjoy something uplifting in this spot for a change.
Prediction: 10-6, 1st in AFC South, #4 seed in AFC Playoffs
2. Indianapolis Colts
Why I like them: Peyton Manning. A team can only be so bad with a guy this good at the helm. He's throwing to Reggie Wayne. If Anthony Gonzalez can get healthy, he is a grade-A legit #2. Dallas Clark is a superb TE, as well. No worries about their passing game.
Addai and Brown should offer a pretty solid 1-2 punch, if they can both stay healthy. This team is going to score points, and Manning will account for 4 wins just by himself.
Why I hate them: Well, as good as the passing offense is, we don't really know which, if either, running back is gonna be a factor this year. Addai hasn't been able to stay off of the injured lists recently, and even if he can, I'm not sure what he has left.
Their defense is super-suspect. I don't get it. Bob Sanders is their best player, but he's horribly overrated. Dwight Freeney is good, but you need more, and the Colts don't have it.
Plus, once we start talking playoffs, this team just straight-up can't finish. Yeah, they won the SB in '06. But that was a much better defense, and it was the defense that really stepped up and took this team to the next level. Peyton can't do it by himself, just ask Dan Marino. They need some people to start making plays, or else it's going ot be another mid-20s pick for the Colts in 2010.
Most likely to get arrested: I'm going to use this space to talk about Nick Harper. Yes, I know that Nick Harper doesn't play for the Colts any more. In fact, he now plays for the divisional arch-rival Titans. But I want to talk about something that happened in 2005. On the evening of January 14, 2005, Danielle, Nick Harper's wife, stabbed him in the leg during a domestic dispute. In doing so, she set into motion a series of events which would lead every Colts fan to forever fucking hate the Steelers so, so, so, so bad.
Actually, let's go backwards.
In 1995, the Indianapolis Colts rode the strong arm of present-day Stanford head coach Jim Harbaugh.
The 9-7 Colts (enjoying their best season in a while, I think), made the playoffs and marched past the 13-3 Chiefs, and into the AFC Championship. Well, the Steelers won that game and went on to the Super Bowl. Colts fans still believe it was under suspicious circumstances - related to Kordell Stewart, but not involving the Shenley Oval.
Anywho, flash forward to 2006. With a 21-18 lead, and after sacking Peyton Manning on 17 consecutive plays.
TIMES 17!
Well, then this happened...
Ben's Tackle
Now, no one will ever know whether the stabbing hampered Harper. He looked pretty fast moving down field, but Ben is big and slow. Not Byron Leftwich slow, but he definitely shouldn't be making plays on defensive backs.
So, anyhow, I vote for Danielle Harper.
Prediction: 10-6, 2nd in AFC South by tiebreaker, #5 seed in AFC. And those 10 wins are all Peyton Manning...
3. Houston Texans
Why I like them: On paper, man, they look awesome. Matt Schaub is a pretty solid QB. Of course, he has Andre Johnson, perhaps the most gifted wideout in the game, to throw to. He also has Owen Daniels, a pretty solid TE. Steve Slaton proved last year that he is ready to be a starter in this league, and so it finally looks like Houston has an offense.
Their defense isn't bad, and has some pretty solid pieces. Mario Williams is a bad, bad man, and I think that a lot of people are picking them to make a jump last year. They lost a handful of close games, and with a little more focus and consistency, have a chance to make a playoff run.
Fortunately for them Sage Rosenfels is long gone.
For those who don't know, the Titans had a late lead on the Colts when Rosenfels tried to jump over the whole Colts defense, hoping to travel 50 yards in the air, and land in the end zone.
Well, the ball will be out before he hits the ground, and the Texans will take one of the sadder losses of the season.
But if they can avoid crap like this, maybe they have a shot, right?
Why I hate them: They're inconsistent. Why? I dunno... Bad coaching? Bad team attitudes? No leadership? Hard to say, but their Week 1 performance isn't encouraging - getting torched for 450+ yards by a team starting a true rookie QB. They gave up 190 on the ground and close to 270 in the air. That just won't cut it. The offense didn't help either, only putting up about 180 total.
They started terrible last year - 0-4, following two blowouts and two nailbiters. They lose to Baltimore by 4 touchdowns, and then come home and almost beat Indy. They beat the Packers and then lose to the Raiders. Who can figure them?
So, if they can't be more consistent, and I'm not the first person to say this, they're looking at another 7-9/8-8-kind of season.
Most likely to get arrested: Dan Orlovsky. I just see him breaking some really obvious rule because he wasn't paying attention. Like, I can see him being that person who sits at a red light for 2 minutes, and then, because they had completely drifted off, sees the crossing signal change, and blows through the light because he thought it had turned green. Not sure why I would think that, but I just do...
Prediction: 10-6, 3rd in AFC South, no playoffs. Sorry boys, but there's just too much talent in the AFC this year.
Jacksonville Jaguars:
Why I like them: Well, they did go 11-5 a few years back, right? Went to the second round of the playoffs? Played New England tough. Their defense should be pretty solid. Garrard can manage a game, and MJD might be the most versatile back in the league. It LOOKS like they should be a playoff team. Torry Holt should help on offense, but who really knows what he has left in the tank.
Why I hate them: They have nothing on offense. In reality, Garrard is fucking terrible, and I don't understand how they gave him that much money. I've seen the guy in person, and he throws the most feeble football I have ever seen from an NFL QB. MJD is great, but who else is there? I don't see anyone to take the strong safety out of the box, and so they just simply don't have much on offense.
Oh, and they have Jack del Rio. He isn't very good. I dunno, they had one great year and invested in the guys who were not the reason for their great year. That spells trouble to me.
Most likely to get arrested: Is Matt Jones still on the team? Cause that would have been the easy one...
Hm, let's see...
Prediction: 5-11, 4th in the AFC South. They just suck...
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