Unstoppable: look for more of the same type of explosiveness this season from Peyton Manning and the Colts

Football Digest, Sept, 2005 by Larry Mayer

WITH TWO-TIME REIGNING NFL MVP Peyton Manning and an array of weapons at his disposal, the Indianapolis Colts continue to possess one of the most explosive offenses in league history. Last season Manning threw 49 touchdown passes to break Dan Marino's 20-year-old mark.

After becoming the first receiving trio in NFL history to each record at least 1,000 yards and 10 TDs, Marvin Harrison (1,113-15), Reggie Wayne (1,210-12), and Brandon Stockley (1,077-10) all return in 2005, making the Colts a prohibitive favorite to win their third straight AFC South title.

The Jacksonville Jaguars appear to be the best of the rest. The Jaguars improved from 5-11 in 2003 to 9-7 last season and figure to contend for a wildcard spot this year. Their fortunes rest on the continued development of third-year quarterback Byron Leftwich and running back Fred Taylor's recovery from offseason knee surgery.

With the Houston Texans entering their fourth season, the expansion honeymoon is over and expectations are high. Last season quarterback David Carr threw more touchdowns than interceptions for the first time since arriving in 2002 and now must take the next step for the Texans to contend for a wild-card position.

The Tennessee Titans will have difficulty weathering a salary-cap purge in which they were forced to release wide receiver Derrick Mason, cornerback Samari Rolle, defensive lineman Kevin Carter, right tackle Fred Miller, fullback Robert Holcombe, and kicker Joe Nedney.

Here's an in-depth look at the AFC South:

1. Indianapolis Colts

Where they left off: Picking up the pieces in New England. But despite being eliminated from the playoffs by the eventual Super Bowl champion Patriots for the second straight season, Indianapolis could make a case for being the second-best team in the NFL. The Colts appear primed to make another run at the franchise's first Super Bowl title since moving to Indianapolis in 1984.

New faces: The Colts bolstered the NFL's 29th-ranked pass defense by selecting cornerbacks Marlin Jackson and Kelvin Hayden in the first two rounds of the draft. But Indianapolis' most significant moves involved players who are already on the roster. Since last November, the Colts franchised Pro Bowl running back Edgerrin James and re-signed Harrison, Stokley, right tackle Ryan Diem, and backup running back Dominic Rhodes.

X's and O's: James led the AFC in 2004 with 2,031 yards from scrimmage (1,548 rushing and 483 receiving) and remains a focal point of the offense. Defensively, the Colts are determined to eliminate the same sort of big plays that Manning routinely produces. Indianapolis tied for third in the NFL in both sacks (45) and takeaways (36) but yielded an average of 243.3 passing yards per game. A strong pass rush is fueled by defensive ends Dwight Freeney, who led the NFL with 16 sacks, and Robert Mathis, who added a career-high 10 sacks last season.

Coaching/management: Tony Dungy owns a 64-32 regular-season record since 1999 (30-18 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and 34-14 with Indianapolis) and is the NFL's winningest coach during that span. He's also the only NFL coach to beat all 32 teams.

Why they'll finish first: With the incomparable Manning under center, the Colts are capable of scoring from any spot on the field. Plus, he hasn't missed a game due to injury in his career, a string of 112 straight regular-season starts.

2. Jacksonville Jaguars

Where they left off: Out of the playoffs for the fifth straight season. The Jaguars started 3-0 for the first time since 1998 and won three of their final four games, including road victories in Green Bay and Oakland to finish 9-7, but a three-game midseason losing streak was costly.

New faces: The Jaguars addressed their most pressing need by signing free-agent defensive ends Reggie Hayward and Marcellus Wiley. After registering 10 sacks last season for the Denver Bronocs, Hayward inked a five-year, $25 million deal that included a $10 million signing bonus. Jacksonville bolstered its offense in the first two rounds of the draft by selecting Arkansas quarterback Matt Jones, who will be converted to wide receiver, and Washington left tackle Khalif Barnes, who was projected by many experts as a first-round pick.

X's and O's: Hayward and Wiley will bolster a defensive line that already includes arguably the NFL's best tackle tandem in Pro Bowlers Marcus Stroud and John Henderson. Offensively, the Jaguars win continue to rely on Taylor, who isn't expected to work out until training camp after undergoing knee surgery. Leftwich will once again look for wide receiver Jimmy Smith, a five-time Pro Bowler who has topped 1,000 receiving yards in eight of the past nine seasons.

Coaching/management: Head coach Jack Del Rio and vice president of player personnel James Harris have a strong professional relationship that was forged when they worked together with the Baltimore Ravens from 1999 to 2001.

Why they'll finish second: Leftwich appears primed for a breakout year, but the Jaguars don't have the same firepower as the Colts. They'll have to survive a tough early-season schedule that begins with five of six games against 2004 playoff teams, including road contests against Indianapolis, the New York Jets, and the Pittsburgh Steelers.