Mattie T’s 2009 NFL Season Preview: AFC South

The Colts’ run of five straight AFC South titles was ended by Tennessee last season. Can the Titans repeat as back-to-back division champs for the first time since becoming an NFL franchise in 1970?

(Teams are listed based on last season’s division standings)

1. Tennessee Titans (13-3 last season, lost to Baltimore in Divisional Playoffs)

Head Coach: Jeff Fisher (16th year with team)

Mattie T’s Analysis: Last season, Vince Young started the opener at quarterback. This season, he’ll be watching from the sidelines.

Kerry Collins took over for Young during their Week 2 win over Cincinnati & never looked back, while appearing in all 16 games for the first time since 2002, when he played for the New York Giants.

The Titans’ powerful twosome of Chris Johnson & LenDale White should be a powersome combo once again, as they combined to rush for 2,001 yards & scored 24 touchdowns last season.

Rookie wideout Kenny Britt will get an early chance to impress the coaching staff, as Nate Washington continues to recover from a hamstring injury.

The team is also working out former Jacksonville receiver Matt Jones, who is looking for a 2nd chance in the league after being arrested twice in a 9-month span from July 2008 to March of 2009.

Defensively, they must adjust to the loss of Albert Haynesworth, who was one of the NFL’s best run-stoppers last season.

Jason Jones will get first dibs to replace Haynesworth, providing that his bone bruise injury in his foot is fully healed.

Mattie T’s 2009 Prediction: 9-7

2. Indianapolis Colts (12-4 last season, lost to San Diego in Wild Card round)

Head Coach: Jim Caldwell (1st season with team)

Mattie T’s Analysis: This upcoming season will become sort  of an identity change for Indianapolis, as they will begin it without Marvin Harrison at wide receiver for the first time since 1995 & without Tony Dungy at head coach for the first time since 2002.

Anthony Gonzalez should benefit the most from Harrison’s depature, as the 3rd year receiver from Ohio State caught a career-high 57 receptions for 664 yards last season.

Dallas Clark is also looking to capitalize off a great season, as the 7-year veteran tight end caught a career-high 77 receptions for 848 yards in 2008.

Caldwell is planning to use Reggie Wayne in the slot at times this season, as he has caught over 75 receptions & surpassed the 1,000 yard receiving mark in each of his last 5 seasons.

Defensively, the Colts could have trouble stopping the run if All-Pro safety Bob Sanders is placed on the PUP List with his knee injury. This will cause him to miss the first 6 weeks of the season, as Indianapolis will have to face some lethal backs which include Maurice Jones-Drew, Chris Johnson & Ronnie Brown.

Mattie T’s 2009 Prediction: 12-4

3. Houston Texans (8-8 last season, missed playoffs)

Head Coach: Gary Kubiak (4th year with team)

Mattie T’s Analysis: Many people around the league think that Houston has what it takes to clinch a playoff berth for the 1st time in franchise history.

It all starts with quarterback Matt Schaub, who has never been a full 16-game starter in his 5-year NFL career.

If Schaub stays healthy, he should connect plenty of times with Andre Johnson, who led the entire league with 115 receptions last season for 1,575 receiving yards.

Steve Slaton will also look to build off an impressive rookie season in which he rushed for 1,282 yards & scored 9 touchdowns. However, Chris Brown will handle the goal-line duties, which will take some fantasy football value away from Slaton.

Owen Daniels is also looking to build off a nice 2008 season, in which he caught a career-high 70 receptions for 862 yards.

Former 1st overall pick Mario Williams is finally emerging into one of the league’s most dominant pass rushers, as he has recorded 26 sacks over the past 2 seasons.

Mattie T’s 2009 Prediction: 9-7

4. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-11 last season, missed playoffs)

Head Coach: Jack Del Rio (7th year with team)

Mattie T’s Analysis: Maurice Jones-Drew will begin the season as the team’s full-time running back with the depature of Fred Taylor to New England.

This will hopefully take some pressure off David Garrard, who did start in all 16 games for the first time in his career, but committed a career-high 16 turnovers & was sacked 42 times. (Garrard was sacked just 21 times in 2007.)

Jacksonville tried to trade for Kansas City backup quarterback Tyler Thigpen during the offseason, but the deal was nixed as Thigpen is now needed with the knee injury to Matt Cassel.

Garrard will also have a top-notch receiver to throw to, as 7-time Pro Bowler Torry Holt comes over after spending the previous 10 seasons with St. Louis.

Holt’s streak of 8 consecutive seasons of at least 80 receptions and over 1,000 receiving yards was snapped in 2008 with a disappointing 64 catch, 796 yard campaign with the Rams.

Troy Williamson will also try to provide Garrard some help at wide receiver, as he recently won the team’s #2 spot over Mike Sims-Walker.

Mattie T’s 2009 Prediction: 6-10

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