Arguably the strongest division before last season, the AFC South Division lost a bit of its luster when the Jaguars took an unexpected nosedive and the Texans again failed to get over the .500 hump.

But the top of the division was salty, with the upstart Titans going 13-3 and ending the 12-4 Colts’ reign.
Tennessee lost All-Pro defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth in free agency and Indianapolis bid adieu to coach Tony Dungy and Marvin Harrison, so those teams’ records might not be as gaudy, but the pecking order in the South probably won’t be disrupted too much.
The Jaguars are poised to make Maurice Jones-Drew their featured back and added a reliable, but aging, receiver in Torry Holt, while the Texans have a lot of firepower on offense and seem to be (slowly) making progress.
Next-level players
Maurice Jones-Drew, RB, Jaguars: There’s a lot of speed, power and talent packed into his 5-foot-7 frame, and he’ll get every opportunity to show it all now that all-time franchise rushing leader Fred Taylor is off to New England. Considering that Jones-Drew has scored 38 TDs and amassed 3,941 combined rushing and receiving yards in three seasons as a part-timer, it would be a surprise if he didn’t blow up this season.
Steve Slaton, RB, Texans: It seems like every year, despite the fact that small (or at least short) running backs have proven time and time again they can put up big numbers, a new one comes along and faces the same doubts. Last year it was the 5-foot-8 Slaton who left Houston no choice but to keep him on the field as he surpassed 1,600 total yards and had more than 100 total yards in each of the last five games in 2008.
Anthony Gonzalez, WR, Colts: He doesn’t have blazing speed or exceptional size, but neither did his predecessor, Marvin Harrison. That’s not to say Gonzalez is the second coming of the former Indy great, but he caught 57 passes last season, he’s in his third year as a pro and someone, after all, has to get some of the receptions Harrison used to.
Jason Jones, DT, Titans: He’s not as massive as Albert Haynesworth, but that’s whose role he has to fill in Tennessee’s 4-3 defense. He was slowed by a bone bruise suffered in the preseason opener, but returned to practice last week. When he got on the field last season, he made a mark, recording 31 tackles and five sacks as a backup.
Elite game
Colts at Titans, Oct. 11: A prime-time matchup that could set the tone in the South early, it will be interesting to see how Indianapolis handles itself in a hostile environment without the calming influence of Tony Dungy.
Elite player
Peyton Manning, QB, Colts: At some point the 12-year veteran’s production will start to fade, but it doesn’t look as if that will happen anytime soon. Last season Manning surpassed 4,000 passing yards for the ninth time and had 27 TD passes.