To get you ready for the 2023 NFL season, we are diving into every team around the league, including the AFC South, the new home to rookie QBs Anthony Richardson, C.J. Stroud and Will Levis.
Below we look at the scouting report for every team in the division along with one interesting fact for each as well as the best and worst fan moments in each of the franchise’s history.
Team’s most important players:
2023 scouting report: The Titans’ run of overachieving under Mike Vrabel came to a screeching halt in 2022 as they lost their final seven games. Expectations are low, but if the triplets of Ryan Tannehill, Derrick Henry and DeAndre Hopkins can stay healthy (a big IF) Tennessee could absolutely make noise in one of the weakest divisions in the NFL.
Interesting fact to know for 2023 season: You might say passing is kind of important in the NFL, which makes the Titans’ 2022 shortcomings so alarming. They were the first team since the 2005 49ers to finish bottom three in both passing offense and defense last year.
Best fan moments in team history — Music City Miracle: The Bills went ahead 16-15 after a field goal by Steve Christie with just 16 seconds remaining in the wild-card playoff game on Jan. 8, 2000. However, on the kickoff return following Buffalo’s score, the Titans turned to a trick play, making this one of the most memorable moments in playoff history. Tight end Frank Wycheck threw a lateral pass to Kevin Dyson, who took it 75 yards to the house, giving the Titans an improbable 22-16 win.
Honorable mention: Comeback against Chiefs: The Titans were the sixth seed in the AFC and were set to face the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium, not an easy task. Their first playoff appearance in nearly 10 years started off rough, going down 21-3 at halftime. The Chiefs would not score again and through a string of wild plays, including quarterback Marcus Mariota throwing a touchdown to himself, the Titans won 22-21 and stunned the home team for their first playoff win in 14 years.
Worst fan moment in team history — One Yard Short: The Titans advanced to the Super Bowl to conclude the 1999 season. With mere seconds remaining, and down 24-17, the Titans were on the Rams‘ 10-yard line and had one more chance to get in the end zone. Wide receiver Kevin Dyson caught a slant pass from quarterback Steve McNair, but was met by Rams linebacker Mike Jones at the 3-yard line. Even with a reach from Dyson, the football was still one yard short as the clock ran out.
Team’s most important players:
2023 scouting report: The most recent news out of Indianapolis is running back Jonathan Taylor requesting a trade. The team is considering placing him on the non-football injury list. The other major news of the offseason was drafting quarterback Anthony Richardson with the No. 4 overall pick. The Colts desperately need consistency at quarterback, something they have not had in recent years. The team did not add enough depth to its offense to warrant too much optimism for the season.
Interesting fact to know for 2023 season: The Colts could have one of the most dynamic QB-RB rushing duos in NFL history if they hold onto Jonathan Taylor. Taylor led the NFL in rush yards (1,811) and touchdown rushes (18) in 2021. Richardson led all FBS QBs in yards per rush last year (6.3) and broke QB combine records with a 4.43-second 40-time and 10-foot, 9-inch broad jump.
For fun I looked up all the teams in NFL history to have a running back with 1,500 rush yards and a QB with 500 rush yards in the same season. Only one did it, Washington in 2012 with Robert Griffin III and Alfred Morris, who were both rookies. They set the bar for dangerous QB-RB combos. Their 2,428 combined rush yards are the most by a QB-RB duo in a season ever, according to SportRadar research. That Washington team made the playoffs before RG3’s knee injury in the wild-card loss to the Seahawks. If they remain teammates, don’t be shocked if Richardson and Taylor follow suit and join them as one of the league’s most dangerous QB-RB rushing tandems ever.
Best fan moments in team history — Peyton Manning Era: The Peyton Manning Era was a time of success in Indy. Manning and Co. held up the Lombardi Trophy after defeating the Chicago Bears 29-17 in Super Bowl XLI. Indianapolis came back from a 14-6 halftime deficit with three Adam Vinatieri field goals, a Dominic Rhodes 1-yard touchdown and a 56-yard interception return for a touchdown by Kelvin Hayden. Colts head coach Tony Dungy became the first Black head coach to ever win a Super Bowl.
Honorable mention — Andrew Luck comeback: The Colts overcame a 28-point deficit to beat the Chiefs 45-44 in the 2013 wild-card round. It was the second-largest comeback in playoff history.
Worst fan moments in team history — Super Bowl XLIV loss: The Colts were favored in this one and even took a 10-0 lead in the first quarter against Drew Brees and the Saints. However, they were outscored 31-7 for the remainder of the game. Peyton Manning threw a pick-six late in the fourth quarter — a 74-yard return by Tracy Porter — that sealed the deal for the Saints en route to a 31-17 win.
Honorable mention I — Big Ben’s season-saving tackle: The Colts lost 21-18 to the Steelers in the 2005 divisional round on a heartbreaking sequence. Jerome Bettis had a chance to put the game on ice with a touchdown in the final two minutes but instead fumbled at the goal line. Colts defensive back Nick Harper scooped it up and looked primed to make a house call until he decided to cut it back with only Ben Roethlisberger to beat. Of course, Big Ben made the tackle and Mike Vanderjagt missed a potential OT-forcing 46-yard field goal on the ensuing drive to lose the game.
Honorable mention II — Luck retires from football: Quarterback Andrew Luck retired in 2019, but how it went down was a bit unusual. The news broke during the fourth quarter of a 27-17 preseason loss against the Chicago Bears. The retirement did not sit well with the Lucas Oil Stadium crowd, who booed the team’s longtime star signal-caller. After the game, Luck confirmed he was retiring, saying, “I felt stuck and the only way out of it is to no longer play football, it’s taken my joy away from the game.”
Team’s most important players:
2023 scouting report: The Jaguars are poised to build off one of the best turnarounds in NFL history as electric WR Calvin Ridley was reinstated from a gambling suspension this offseason. If Jacksonville sustains their level of play from last year’s second half and Ridley plays like a No. 1 WR then the Jaguars might just make another leap in 2023. We haven’t even seen 2022 first overall pick Travon Walker break out yet.
Interesting fact to know for 2023 season: The 2022 Jaguars were the first team in NFL history to win a playoff game after having the worst record in the NFL in the previous season. They did it thanks to a massive Year 2 leap from Trevor Lawrence, who sported the largest passer rating jump from Year 1 to Year 2 by any No. 1 overall pick QB since Terry Bradshaw.
Best fan moments in team history — Jaguars’ inaugural season: The first season was not great in terms of team success; the Jaguars went 4-12, but it was obviously an important year that kick-started the franchise. Despite a rocky first year, they made the playoffs in four of their first five seasons, including two AFC Championship appearances.
Honorable mention — Miami Massacre: In the 1999 divisional round against the Miami Dolphins, the Jaguars had a dominant win after a dominant season. They won 14 games in the regular season for the first time in franchise history and were set to face the great Dan Marino, in what would be the last game of his legendary career. The Jaguars defeated the Dolphins 62-7, holding Miami to just 21 rushing yards, while Jacksonville had 257. The Jaguars forced seven turnovers, including two interceptions by Marino.
Worst fan moment in team history — AFC Championship loss vs. Patriots: The Jaguars met the Patriots at Gillette Stadium for the AFC Championship in 2018. It was Blake Bortles vs. Tom Brady in what ended up being a close 24-20 win by the home team, which trailed by 10 points in the fourth quarter. Neither team had a touchdown longer than 10 yards, and it was New England that used two late TD receptions from Danny Amendola to take the lead and win. The teams were pretty even across the board, but it was Brady, Bill Belichick and Co. who made just a few more plays to get the win and head to the Super Bowl.
Team’s most important players:
2023 scouting report: The Texans were the talk of the NFL Draft, selecting quarterback C.J. Stroud with the No. 2 pick and trading up with the Arizona Cardinals for the No. 3 pick as well, and taking EDGE Will Anderson Jr. Along with fresh, young talent, Houston also has a new head coach in DeMeco Ryans to help turn the team around.
Interesting fact to know for 2023 season: Have the Texans FINALLY found some continuity on their coaching staff? With DeMeco Ryans, Houston will be the fourth team in the Super Bowl era (since 1966) to have a different head coach in Week 1 in four straight seasons. Prior to Ryans, they went from Bill O’Brien to David Culley and Lovie Smith.
Best fan moments in team history — J.J. Watt Era: He’s one of the most well known and successful players to come out of Houston. He not only was a star player, but also helped the city off the field as well with fundraisers and relief efforts for the natural disasters that hit the city. Watt played for the Texans from 2011-2020, before playing for the Cardinals from 2021-2022. With the Cardinals, he earned three NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards, was named Walter Payton Man of the Year, had five first-team All-Pro honors and was named to the Pro Bowl five times.
Honorable mention — franchise’s first playoff win: The Texans’ first postseason win was a 31-10 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals during the 2011 playoffs. In the win, Watt had a 29-yard interception returned for a touchdown to take their first lead of the game at 17-10. Houston would hold the lead for the remainder of the game.
Worst fan moments in team history — 14 straight losses: The Texans started the 2013 season with two wins and what followed was not quite as positive. They lost the next 14 games of the season, ending 2-14 and finishing last in the AFC South. They were coming off a successful 2012 season, where they posted a 12-4 regular-season record, but could not keep the momentum up through the next season.
Honorable mention — David Carr’s 76-sack season: The Texans drafted QB David Carr with the first overall pick to kick off their inaugural season in 2002. He proceeded to get sacked an NFL-record 76 times as Houston went 4-12. A bad time for the offense, and an even worse time for the QB.
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Author: Douglas Clawson
August 1, 2023 | 1:56 pm
