1. Indianapolis Colts: 12-4
Will it be 9 straight playoff appearances & 8 consecutive seasons of at least 12 wins?
2. Houston Texans: 9-7
When will it be “the year” for Houston?
3. Tennessee Titans: 8-8
Can Vince Young continue what he started last year?
4. Jacksonville Jaguars: 5-11
Is this the end of the Jack Del Rio era in Jacksonville?

Coaches

Jeff Fisher – Titans
He’s the longest tenured head coach in the NFL (16 years) and has had an amazing level of consistency throughout his tenure.  His teams have only had four losing seasons in his 16 seasons.  Only occasionally have the Titans been considered favorites to win it all.  This is a similar time in which there is only one advantage they have and that’s with RB Chris Johnson.  Fisher’s teams though are always competitive and that will be the recurring theme this year.  Finally with stability at quarterback and the defense getting a year of experience under their belt, the Titans should be competing for a playoff spot.  The division might be for another year.

Jim Caldwell – Colts
Yes, anyone who has Peyton Manning as their quarterback doesn’t have to do a lot of coaching, but Caldwell was the quarterback coach for Indianapolis since 2002 before being anointed the head coach in ’09.  That has to count for something.  His calm demeanor goes right along with what the Colts were used to with Tony Dungy.  It did work as their Super Bowl title in ’06 proves it.  Not a lot of turnover on the roster has affected this team as they look to finish with a title this time around.  But as history has shown lately, it’s very difficult for the Super Bowl loser to get back to the Super Bowl let alone the playoffs.

Gary Kubiak – Texans
The Texans have been a good team, but they haven’t been able to get into the playoffs to show their potential.  Last year they won their last four games to finish with a 9-7 record, but there were too many scenarios to fall in their favor to clinch a playoff spot.  Kubiak has turned the Houston offense into a passing powerhouse, but hasn’t been able to create that magic from Denver in the running game.  The defense has steadily improved, but is not at an elite level to keep up with other great offenses.  Namely their own division rival the Colts.  This will be a make or break year for Gary Kubiak.  He did receive an extension in the offseason only to not have him be a “lame duck” coach.  If Houston doesn’t reach the playoffs this year, the Texans will be looking for their third head coach in the franchise’s history.

Jack Del Rio – Jaguars
Entering his 7th season, Del Rio is on the bad end of his tenure.  He’s only had three losing seasons, but two have come in the last two years.  Jacksonville did improve last year with a 7-9 record, but with a young team, primarily on defense they will be expected to improve on that record.  Del Rio is a defensive minded coach which should end with positive results on that side of the field.  However, there is a lot of inconsistency on offense.  Del Rio’s choice at quarterback, David Garrard, has regressed and Del Rio will be looking to pull the trigger at the first sign of trouble.  Without a true number one receiver, Jacksonville will have to count a lot on the running game.  Jacksonville has only had two coaches in its 16 year history.  They might be looking for their third very soon.

Best Acquisition: DE Aaron Kampman – Jacksonville Jaguars
He averaged 12 sacks a season from ’06-’08 for the Green Bay Packers.  The injury bugged took him out for most of last season, but he wasn’t very comfortable in Green Bay’s 3-4 defense.  Now that he’s in a 4-3 base defense, he should be able to get at least 10 sacks if not more in Jacksonville.  He isn’t the key to their success on defense, but getting a decent pass rush from their line is something they haven’t had since they traded Marcus Stroud to Buffalo.  Del Rio hardly blitzes and it will be a big plus for the pass defense if there is more pressure from the defensive line.

Quarterback – Grade
Colts – A
Texans – B
Titans – B
Jaguars – C

Peyton Manning is in a class by himself.  A three time MVP.  Super Bowl Champion.  What else can he accomplish in his career?  He will eventually hold most of the NFL passing records, assuming Brett Favre ever retires.  One thing is absolutely certain about the Colts quarterback.  If Manning goes down, the Colts are barely a 4 win team.
Matt Schaub was a highly touted backup in Atlanta.  When given a chance he has proven that he is one of the best passing quarterbacks in the league.  It helps to have one of the best wide receivers in the league in Andre Johnson, but you have to have someone throw him the ball.  When healthy, Schaub can put up Pro Bowl type stats; 4,770 yards & 29 TD.  As with most teams, Houston doesn’t have a reliable backup should Schaub miss a few games.
Tennessee knew what they had when they drafted Vince Young in 2006.  The Titans didn’t know that it was going to take a little longer for Vince to develop.  Starting the ’09 season 0-6 Tennessee had no where else to turn.  Vince showed a side of his ability that no one had seen in his pro career.  Had the Titans turned to him sooner they maybe would’ve clinched a playoff spot.  With the all the confidence in Vince the Titans should have a much better start to the season.
Jacksonville has had success with David Garrard.  Lately it has been an up and down ride.  He is only second to Mark Brunell in almost every major passing category in franchise history.  Garrard’s success for the 2010 season depends entirely on his composure in the pocket.  He has been forcing too many passes and it has resulted in his gradual downfall.

Running Back – Grade
Titans – A
Jaguars – B
Colts – C
Texans – D

Chris Johnson became only the sixth running back in NFL history to rush for over 2,000 yards last season.  Usually when a back does that, he is appointed the best back in the game.  I would absolutely agree with that.  He does it all.  Catch, block, take a hit.  What more could ask for from your running back?  One thing Tennessee will do is ask that he keep it up and not worry about his contract.  He will get paid, just not for one season.
Jacksonville’s one saving grace is their undisputed star Maurice Jones-Drew.  He has gone out of his way to prove that he should have been a first round pick in 2006.  His level on consistency is unmatched and for his size, his toughness is above all others.  Jones-Drew will be counted on to once again carry the load for Jacksonville’s average offense.
Indianapolis doesn’t run the ball very much.  They do have arguably the best quarterback in the game, but they are lacking a short-yardage solution.  Joseph Addai is getting old quick.  Donald Brown was injured often most of his rookie year and didn’t get off to a fast start in the offense.  Either one if not both will need to get up to speed to help the Colts get back to a more balanced attack.
Houston has only had three seasons in which they had a 1,000 yard rusher.  The last was by Steve Slaton in his rookie of ’08.  Slaton had some serious problems with ball control last year and lost the starting gig.  It was a disaster since.  Houston’s three replacements didn’t fare any better.  This year they will give Slaton another chance, but he has 2nd round pick Ben Tate competing for playing time.  Tate will be given ever opportunity to win the job, but Slaton is a better pass catching option.  Houston’s playoff hopes depend on their running game.

Wide Receiver – Grade
Colts – A
Texans – B
Titans – C
Jaguars – C

Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark and Anthony Gonzalez were the regulars going into the ’09 season.  With Gonzalez going down with a leg injury, entered Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie.  Both were instrumental in keeping the Colts passing attack one of the best in the league.  With Gonzalez healthy, this unit has only gotten stronger with Peyton at the helm.
Matt Schaub had to have bought a lot of dinners for Andre Johnson last season.  Johnson is by far the best receiver in the game.  Coming off back-to-back 100 catch 1,500 yard seasons, there is no stopping what he and Schaub have going in Houston.  The scary thing is Schaub also has a Pro-Bowl tight end in Owen Daniels to throw to.  Kevin Walter and Jacoby Jones aren’t bad options either.  Remember, Schaub threw for over 4,700 yards.  It wasn’t all to Johnson or Daniels.
Tennessee hasn’t had the best receivers in the Vince Young era.  However, that could all change thanks to the chemistry developed with last years 1st round pick Kenny Britt and Young.  Kenny led the team in yards (701) and yards per catch (16.7) last season.  Young also has his former college teammate Bo Scaife as his tight end.  Bo has had at least 45 catches the last three seasons for the Titans.  Don’t forget Chris Johnson.  He probably won’t lead the team in catches (50) again, but he’s still a great check down option.
The Jaguars might be onto something with Mike Sims-Walker.  His breakout season (63 rec, 869 yards, 7 TD) was an eye opener for the coaching staff and quarterback David Garrard.  That should continue as Garrard doesn’t have much else to look for.  Tight End Marcedes Lewis has been a disappointment.  Never living up to his 1st round selection.  Mike Thomas came on strong during his rookie season.  Jacksonville only has Jones-Drew as the next reliable option for Garrard.  Unless they get more production out what they have or someone new steps up, they will be in a world of trouble this year.

Defense – Grade
Colts – B
Titans – C
Texans – C
Jaguars – C

The Colts don’t have a dominating defense, but it starts with their pass rush.  Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis are the two best combo pass rushers in the NFL.  Equally underrated in the run stuffing department too.  First round pick Jerry Hughes is a clone of both Mathis and Freeney and will immediately make an impact.  Gary Brackett roams the middle for the defense.  An undersized linebacker, but he is a ferocious tackler.  Bob Sanders is always injured, but it’s because he puts his body into every hit.  The Colts constantly swarm to the ball and that is a plus.
In the Jeff Fisher era the Titans have always had a good defense.  A lot of good players have been let go, but they’ve always managed to replace them.  Tennessee doesn’t blitz much.  That’s where the defensive line comes in.  First round pick Derrick Morgan enters into a mix that includes Tony Brown, Jacob Ford, Jovan Haye and Jason Jones just to name a few.  There is a constant mix of speed ends and run stuffing tackles.  There is a different look at linebacker, but Stephen Tulloch still patrols the middle.  He is the field general for what Fisher hopes will be an attacking linebacker unit.  The Titans safeties are not the best at coverage, but great at the point of attack.  Cortland Finnegan is becoming one of the best corner backs in the NFL.  His ball-hawking attitude is helping the Titans in the turnover department.
Houston has begun to turn this unit around quickly.  Mario Williams has turned out to be the perfect fit for a team that was in desperate need of a pass rusher.  Look for Connor Barwin to breakout and post near double digit sack totals in his second season.  DeMeco Ryans is the constant force in the middle for Houston.  Brian Cushing will be out the first four games, but he will bring much needed energy in crucial situations.  The Texans don’t have their shut down corner Dunta Robinson (Falcons) anymore.  Their 1st round pick Kareem Jackson will try to help soften the void, but they will struggle to keep up with the elite quarterbacks of the NFL.
Jacksonville hasn’t always had the best defense, but under Jack Del Rio they are always playing hard.  Rashean Mathis and Reggie Nelson take charge of the secondary.  Mathis has lost a step in coverage, but is still one of the best tackling corner backs.  Nelson is above average in coverage.  He does struggle in play-action though.  The Jaguars have an elite linebacker in Daryl Smith.  Always after the ball, Smith is a leading example of what Del Rio expects from his backers.  Jacksonville’s 1st round pick Tyson Alualu will hopefully bring their defense back to the glory days of Marcus Stroud and John Henderson.  An above average pass rusher, Alualu was a bit of a reach, but will instantly make an impact with the free agent addition of Aaron Kampman from Green Bay.

1. NY Jets: 12-4
Have they talked themselves out of a title?
2. New England Patriots: 10-6
Can Belichick bring back a championship defense?
3. Miami Dolphins: 8-8
Is Brandon Marshall enough to get Miami over the .500 hurdle?
4. Buffalo Bills: 4-12
A new coach, a new system.  Any hope in Buffalo?

Coaches

Bill Belichick – Patriots
He never shows a sign of panic.  Always seems to be cool, calm and collected in the big game.  However, last year was probably the first time in which he was lost.  Lost in a sense that he was too confident in his and his teams abilities.  Going for it on 4th and 2 at Indianapolis in New England’s own territory was a big mistake not just last year, but for the next couple years.  He questioned his defense’s abilities and a lot of his former players criticized him, rightfully so.  He has to reconcile that by building the defense back up and continue to let Tom Brady regulate the still high powered offense if they want to get past the Jets.

Rex Ryan – Jets
Never afraid to speak his mind he has immediately turned the Jets into a powerhouse after their near Super Bowl appearance last year.  Thirty more minutes of perfect football would’ve granted the Jets only their 2nd Super Bowl appearance in franchise history.  Rex has the right people on his staff to oversee the offense, which is fine because his specialty is the defense.  He has a few new toys in the secondary (Antonio Cromartie and rookie Kyle Wilson).  Plus a healthy NT Kris Jenkins will help tremendously.  However, with the holdout of CB Darrelle Revis, it could be a struggle to stop premier passing attacks without the best corner in the game.

Tony Sparano – Dolphins
This is his third season in Miami.  After the 10 game turnaround in ’08 that resulted in a division title, the Dolphins dropped off to only 7 wins in ’09.  The “Wildcat” lost its luster a bit, but it’s still a big part of their offense.  It will be used a little less no with the emergence of QB Chad Henne.  Sparano has a legitimate passing threat with Brandon Marshall and will focus most of his attention to a defense that ranked 22nd in the league last year.  There is a lot of depth at key positions for Miami, but not a lot of experience to go against the Jets and Patriots.

Chan Gailey – Bills
Buffalo missed on all the big names.  They haven’t had a postseason berth in 10 years.  Gailey is now their fifth head coach this decade.  Gailey’s previous head coaching experience in the NFL was with the Dallas Cowboys (1998-99).  Combined 18-14 with Dallas and in both seasons had made the playoffs.  Owner Ralph Wilson, Jr. is hoping for that success to reappear in Buffalo.  Unfortunately for both parties, there are three better teams ahead of them in their division.  The first problem starts with an unsettled QB position and changing to a 3-4 defense usually takes a long time to develop.  Gailey will be given a long leash, but until their is an answer at QB, it will get shorter in a hurry.

Best Acquisition: WR Brandon Marshall – Miami Dolphins
Three straight years of 100 catches and at least 1,100 yards receiving are no fluke.  Jay Cutler was his QB for two of the three, but what solidified him as one of the elite receivers was doing it again with an average QB Kyle Orton last year in Denver.  He wore out his welcome there, but Miami hasn’t had a legitimate number one receiver since Chris Chambers.  Chad Henne will continue to develop into an elite passer thanks to the front office opening their wallets.

Quarterback – Grade
Patriots – A
Jets – B
Dolphins – B
Bills – D

Tom Brady is still the class of the division.  His successful return from knee surgery last year has solidified his place in the game today.  Yes with the weapons he has, anyone can throw for 4,000 yards and 30+ TD, but he still put up those numbers without Moss, Welker and Edelman.
Sanchez was not impressive, but was consistent.  His performance in the playoffs overshadowed his season statistics.  Adding WR Santonio Holmes to the passing game and LaDainian Tomlinson to the running game will help prevent a sophomore slump in New York.
Miami has Chad Pennington as the backup to Chad Henne, but make no mistake this is Henne’s team.  Towards the end of the season, Henne looked more calm and comfortable in the pocket and that should continue with Marshall in the mix.
It’s a three headed monster at QB with Trent Edwards, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Brian Brohm all competing for the job.  Buffalo passed on Tim Tebow, Jimmy Clausen and Colt McCoy.  Anyone of them probably would be a better option than the three they have.

Running Back – Grade
Jets – B
Dolphins – B
Bills – B
Patriots – C

Shonn Greene came on late in the regular season and postseason for the Jets.  That was more than enough for them to cut ties with the third leading rusher in the NFL Thomas Jones (Chiefs).  LaDainian Tomlinson was brought in as the change of pace back for Greene and a perfect check down option for Sanchez.  The grade would be lower had the Jets not brought in a proper back up.
Miami has the best 1-2 punch in the AFC East.  Ronnie Brown is healthy and in a contract year.  Expect him to continue where he left off last year.  Ricky Williams took off when Brown went down and will look to continue to be the workhorse in short-yardage and wildcat formations.
Buffalo does have strength in the backfield.  Passing on a quarterback, they drafted C.J. Spiller out of Clemson with their first round pick.  Spiller can not only fly down the field, but also catch out of the backfield.  Jackson was the workhorse due to Marshawn Lynch’s suspension.  Jackson will continue to do so, but Lynch will get his carries as the short-yardage and goal line runner.
New England has abandoned the running game the last few years, but they have enough depth to get it back in motion.  Laurence Maroney, Fred Taylor and Kevin Faulk will be the primary runners.  Faulk is the third-down specialist.  Maroney needs to show why New England used their first round pick on him in 2006. 

Wide Receiver – Grade
Patriots – B
Jets – B
Dolphins – C
Bills – D

The Patriots have the best combo in the division in Randy Moss and Wes Welker.  Welker is coming off knee surgery so it will probably be a while before he’s at full strength.  Julian Edelman is Welker Jr. for the Pats.  Very sneaky he always finds an opening.  Oh and Torry Holt is part of the mix too.
The Jets have Santonio Holmes and Laveranues Coles to go with Jerricho Cotchery and Braylon Edwards.  Sanchez shouldn’t have a bad day with this kind of depth.  Holmes will be suspended the first four games, but it won’t effect them at all.  Tight End Dustin Keller is turning into one of the best tight ends in the game.  He is Sanchez’s favorite target.
Even with Marshall, Miami’s passing attack is still average.  Davone Bess was their primary target.  He will now be relegated to the slot position which is better suited to his game.  Brian Hartline developed good chemistry with Henne down the stretch and will given the first shot to play opposite Marshall.  Anthony Fasano is a great blocker for the running game and an underrated receiving tight end.  His production is consistent, but he would be the blocking tight end for most teams.
Buffalo, like their quarterback situation, is bleak at receiver too.  Lee Evans is the lone bright spot and will be hard pressed again to salvage the passing game.  Without a legitimate threat opposite Evans, the Bills will again rank near the bottom in passing (30th last year).

Defense – Grade
Jets – B
Patriots – C
Dolphins – C
Bills – C

The attacking style that Rex Ryan was famous for in Baltimore has appeared in New York as well.  Thanks to Bart Scott who was signed from Baltimore last year, the Jets have the perfect defense to compete with most high scoring offenses.  The number one ranked defense remains the same.  NT Kris Jenkins is healthy.  CB Antonio Cromartie brings his ball-hawking skills in a trade from San Diego.  The only thing keeping the Jets from getting an A is the holdout of Darrelle Revis.
New England has a lot of room for improvement this year.  One area they desperately need to improve on is sacks.  They ranked 23rd in that category and will need a decent pass rush to take pressure off their young, but talented secondary.  LB Tully Banta-Cain led them in sacks (10), but look for LB Pierre Woods to help in that department.  Their secondary is their strength where if an injury or two should arise, they have plenty of pieces to fill in.  First round pick CB Devin McCourty will help immediately with starters Leigh Bodden and Darius Butler.  Their safeties Brandon Meriweather and James Sanders are the back bone of the defense.
Miami like every defense in the division, runs a 3-4.  Their strength was getting to the quarterback.  Miami’s 44 sacks was tied for third in the league.  That will probably drop due to linebackers Joey Porter (Arizona) and Jason Taylor (Jets) leaving as free agents.  Their main weakness was against the pass.  Their corner backs are young, but Vontae Davis and Sean Smith are very quick learners.  LB Karlos Dansby was the big acquisition on defense.  He will take charge of the run defense that was in the middle of the pack last year.  Nothing wows you about Miami, but they do have plenty of upside.
The Bills have avoided switching to a 3-4 for so long, but they have to find some way to stop the run.  They ranked 30th against the run.  They also need to find a way to get more pressure on the quarterback.  A lot of their players will need to adjust to new roles, but most should flourish.  LB Aaron Maybin (2009 1st Rd pick) will be put in the pass rushing position of the 3-4.  This will be his make or break year with the Bills.  LB Paul Posluszny should do well in this system.  A tackling machine, he will get plenty of support from the lineman who are adept at plugging the gaps for the linebackers.  Hard to believe that Buffalo is the 2nd best pass defense in the league, but when you have Terrence McGee, Leodis McKelvin as your starting corners.  Donte Whitner and Jairus Byrd as your safeties, it comes as no surprise.  As long as Buffalo can stop the passing attack, they will stay competitive on the defensive side.