Notes From Lombardi: AFC South

FROM MICHAEL LOMBARDI:

In today’s installment of our division-by-division breakdown of team needs, we examine the AFC South. Here are five questions teams must answer as they head into next month’s NFL Draft:

Click HERE for a breakdown of the NFC North

Click HERE for a breakdown of the NFC East

Click HERE for a breakdown of the AFC East

Click HERE for a breakdown of the AFC North

AFC SOUTH

            HOUSTON

1.    Can anyone besides Mario Williams play in the defensive line?  I know the Texans signed Antonio Smith, but they need more help.  They struggled to slow anyone down and last year ranked 31st in allowing four-yard gains on first down.  They have three No. 1s in the line and, besides Williams, no production. 

2.    SPEED, SPEED SPEED.  Will the Texans find some team speed in their defensive back seven?  They struggled to make plays in space. 

3.    Is Jacques Reeves really a starting NFL corner? 

4.    I know they love former Denver players, but they can only get you in trouble.  Who will be Houston’s starting strong safety? 

5.    Are the Texans tough enough of offense, or are they just a good team that will turn the ball over when they play bigger, stronger teams?  Last season, they were 29th in turnover/takeaway differential. 

            INDIANAPOLIS

1.    How can the Colts improve their third-down defense?  Last year, they were 31st in the NFL in this category. 

2.    How do they improve their run game?  Is it their line or their back?  They need to find a way to run the ball better than their 3.4 yards per attempt last season.

3.    Who will replace Marvin Harrison and his 60 catches?  He might not have been the same Marvin, but he did average five catches a game; someone needs to step up. 

4.    Can they find someone else, other than Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis, to pressure the passer?  Combined, those two had 22 of 30 team sacks. 

5.    Special teams -- especially the return game -- has always been a deficiency.  Can the Colts find a returner who can help vertical field position?  

            JACKSONVILLE

1.    Do the Jags really think Tra Thomas is their answer at left tackle?  They must find some long-range answers to solve their offensive line problems. 

2.    Wide receiver always seems to be a concern for the Jags.  Who’s going to be the No. 1 wideout?

3.    The defensive line is getting older and did not handle the run last year.  Who will they add to increase the depth of their line and improve their talent base?  Three starters in the D-Line are over 30 years old. 

4.    How can they improve their pass rush? The lack of one resulted in their defense giving up more than eight yards per pass attempt last season.  

5.    Who’s the back-up quarterback?  If David Garrard doesn’t rebound, whom do they go with? 

            TENNESSEE

1.    Losing Chris Carr might not seem like much, but he averaged 28 yards on kickoff returns and 10 yards on punt returns.  Who will handle these jobs?

2.    Will the addition of Nate Washington allow the Titans to make big plays down the field and improve their passing game?

3.    Who will be the new Albert Haynesworth?  No one player is going to replace him, but who will be the player to create mismatches? 

4.    Who will be the third corner?  Nick Harper is getting older, and this means a third corner might have to be a second corner at some point during the season. 

5.    The Titans will need to add more speed and youth to their linebacker corps.  Who will fill that role? 

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