Fische » For so very long, the AFC South easily ranked among

NASHVILLE Justin Layne Jersey , Tenn. (AP) — the NFL’s worst divisions.Not anymore.Both Jacksonville and Tennessee are coming off playoff berths, with the Jaguars a blown lead in the AFC championship game from playing in the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history. The Jaguars and Titans also have their rosters from those trips back largely intact. Deshaun Watson and J.J. Watt are healthy again in Houston. Even Andrew Luck is throwing passes and ready for the season in Indianapolis.“It’s crazy how nobody wanted to play in the AFC South a couple years ago,” Jaguars linebacker Telvin Smith said. “Now it seems like it’ll be one of the premier (divisions) in the league.”The Jaguars not only are defending division champs, they are looking for a second straight playoff berth for the first time since 1998-99. The Titans changed coache s after consecutive 9-7 seasons because sweeping Jacksonville last season wasn’t enough to win the AFC South, and another postseason would be their first back-to-back berths since 2007-08. If the Texans stay healthy, they are chasing their third division title in four years.The Colts have a lot of rebuilding ahead, but a healthy Luck is so good that Indianapolis always has a chance.Here’s what to look for out of the AFC South this season:SURGING JACKSONVILLEYes, the Jaguars not only are contenders, they are a popular pick to reach their first Super Bowl. That means dealing with high expectations from the start.“That’s a big jump http://www.steelersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-benny-snell-jr.-jersey , but I feel like we’re going to put ourselves in the right position to be an immediate contender,”defensive tackle Malik Jackson said. “I think with the defensive product that we put out there, the offensive product we put out there, and special teams, if we do anything less than what we did (last) year, it’d be a huge disappointment. I know we’re going to be consistent. I can promise you that.”All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey is keeping Jacksonville lively with his comments — positive and disparaging — on NFL quarterbacks. But Jaguars coach Doug Marrone has every key starter back, including 10 of 11 on one of the league’s stingiest defenses featuring six Pro Bowlers. Blake Bortles‘ right wrist has been surgically repaired , and he has an offense that led the NFL in rushing last season.CONFIDENT TITANSTennessee has a first-time head coach who won three Super Bowl rings playing linebacker in New England, Mike Vrabel . This franchise also has been busy building the past three years trying to compete not only in the division but the AFC. The Titans gave themselves a big confidence boost by rallying for a wild-card win in Kansas City before a divisional loss in New England . It was an eye opener.“To be able to experience that was huge,” quarterback Marcus Mariota said. “You understand that the postseason Zach Gentry Jersey , everything kind of intensifies just a little bit more, and to go through that, to experience that in year three was huge. I do believe that it was a good stepping stone for this season, hopefully for future years as well.”The Titans have new coordinator Matt LaFleur teaching Mariota his third offense in four seasons, and they replaced aging DeMarco Murray by signing Dion Lewis to work with Derrick Henry. They also bolstered the defense by signing cornerback Malcolm Butler and drafting linebackers Rashaan Evans and Harold Landry.HEALTHY TEXANSThis season has to be better for Houston if only because the Texans are healthier. When they finished their first losing season since 2013 at 4-12 last year, 22 Texans were on injured reserve. Losses of Watson , Watt and LB Whitney Mercilus were most costly. So even with the Texans’ run at a third straight division title over, coach Bill O’Brien got a new general manager and a contract extension .Watson was so thrilling while healthy. Yet the second-year quarterback will be tested if an offensive line anchored by center Nick Martin and featuring three new starters can’t protect Watson any better than a year ago, when the Texans gave up the second-most sacks in the NFL.As dominant as Watt was in winning the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award three times in four seasons, he now has to prove his body can survive a full season. Watt played only eight games combined over 2016 and 2017.COLTSFinally improving the offensive line has been a big key for general manager Chris Ballard in trying to end a three-year postseason drought. The Colts gave up a league-worst 56 sacks last season Joey Bosa Jersey , and Luck won’t stay healthy for long if they can’t protect him better. Ballard drafted guard Quenton Nelson at No. 6 overall, signed two free agents, and has center Ryan Kelly coming back off an injury.Owner Jim Irsay also fired Chuck Pagano and hired Frank Reich when Josh McDaniels decided to stay in New England . Reich now has watched Luck return to the field; Luck is feeling much more confident in his own throwing shoulder.“I feel like I can make all the throws I need to make with confidence,” Luck said.Safety Malik Hooker is back from knee surgery that ended his rookie season after just seven games. But not even Luck might be able to cover up the roster issues that Ballard needs more time, draft picks and money to fix.PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH: Jaguars, Titans, Texans, Colts. It’s been awhile since the NFL flexed a game to Sunday night. This week’s Bengals vs. Chiefs matchup a worthy choice.No games were moved from day to night last season, except for the final weekend, when all games are scheduled for the afternoon until the league and NBC figure out what is most attractive for prime time. In 2016 Nick Bosa Jersey , there were three flexed games, including Week 17. Not counting that, the last flex was Bucs at Cowboys on Dec. 18, 2016.So switching a pair of first-place teams made sense: Cincinnati (4-2) is at Kansas City (5-1).Some of the juicy plot lines involve offense, hardly a surprise in this year of points, points and more points. Kansas City has the league’s lowest-ranked defense and the Bengals rank 29th. Even worse, both are dealing with a slew of injuries on that side of the ball.100<button class="view-gallery">View Gallery</button> Gallery:View from the sidelines: NFL cheerleaders 2018Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports | Raj MehtaSo Patrick Mahomes throwing to Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce and Kareem Hunt could fill the screen. So might Andy Dalton connecting with A.J. Green and Tyler Boyd.“Any time you want to be one of the great ones on the defense or you want your defense to have a statement-type game, you have to do it against the best offenses in the league,” Cincinnati defensive end Carlos Dunlap said. “And right now, they’re putting up those points like they’re one of the best offenses in the league. So you’ve got to go out there and put it on ’em.”There are some caveats to this matchup L.J. Collier Jersey , however.Although the Bengals have won four straight in the series dating to Oct. 14, 2007, they are 3-15 on Sunday nights, losing eight straight. The Chiefs are 7-3 in games on Sunday nights.