AFC SOUTH: MARIOTA SET TO TAKE A TITANIC LEAP FORWARD IN YEAR 4

1 TITANS

COACH: Mike Vrabel 2017 RECORD: 9-7 O/U WINS: 8 SUPER BOWL ODDS: 35/1 FIRST-AND-GOAL: Offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur will help fix QB Marcus Mariota (13 TDs, 15 INTs). Second-year WR Corey Davis struggled with a hamstring injury as a rookie and is a breakout candidate next to Rishard

Matthews (1,740 receiving yards over last two seasons). TE Delanie Walker must be a young 34 after catching 74 balls in 2017. RBs Derrick Henry and

Dion Lewis are a complementary tandem. They will like running behind massive LT

Taylor Lewan. CBs Logan Ryan, Malcolm Butler and Adoree’ Jackson are three impressive amigos. S Kevin Byard (8 INTs) is a Pro Bowl ballhawk. Disruptive DT Jurrell Casey has made three consecutive Pro Bowls. The kicking and return games (Jackson) can be special. Vrabel, the rookie head coach, is the epitome of toughness and discipline. FOURTH-AND-LONG: RT Jack Conklin has been rehabbing a torn ACL. Second-round pick Harold Landry must help Derrick Morgan and 32-year-old Brian Orakpo rush the passer. Safety Johnathan Cyprien (torn ACL) is out for the season.

2 JAGUARS

COACH: Doug Marrone | 2017 RECORD: 10-6 O/U WINS: 9| SUPER BOWL ODDS: 18/1 FIRST-AND-GOAL: RB Leonard Fournette (right)

running behind free-agent G Andrew Norwell is the definition of smashmouth. Shutdown corner Jalen Ramsey thinks he’s Primetime. Pro Bowl CB A.J. Bouye can hold up on the opposite side. DEs Calais Campbell and Yannick Ngakoue lead Sacksonville. LBs Telvin Smith and Myles Jack will be wherever the ball is. Tom Coughlin and Marrone are aligned philosophically.

FOURTH-AND-LONG: QB Blake Bortles can win as long as he limits the turnovers. The receiving corps is young and inexperienced, and Marqise

Lee was lost for the season. Dede Westbrook (27 receptions, 1 TD as a rookie) needs to step up. Keelan Cole needs to be a big-play threat. The Jets let TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins go. D.J.

Hayden replaces slot corner Aaron Colvin. The return of Andrew Luck and Deshaun Watson makes life in the division more challenging.

3 TEXANS

COACH: Bill O’Brien 2017 RECORD: 4-12 O/U WINS: 8 ¹/2 SUPER BOWL ODDS: 22/1 FIRST-AND-GOAL: O’Brien averaged 34.7 points a game with QB Deshaun Watson as his starter last season. WR

DeAndre Hopkins (13 TDs, above) is elite. In four games with Watson, Will Fuller caught 13 passes, including seven touchdowns that averaged 28 yards. RB Lamar Miller has caught 31 or more passes each of the past four seasons. DE Jadeveon Clowney (9.5 sacks) is ascending. DE J.J. Watt and OLB Whitney Mercilus are hazardous to quarterbacks’ health … when healthy. Safety Tyrann “Honey Badger” Mathieu and CB Aaron Colvin bolster the secondary. LB Benardrick McKinney is a run defender and leader. Romeo Crennel is a trusted defensive coordinator. The schedule is favorable (NFC and AFC East and the Browns). FOURTH-AND-LONG: There are three new starters on the offensive line after Pro Football Focus graded last year’s as the worst passblocking unit. And no one resembling a Gronk or Kelce anywhere in sight at tight end. CB Kevin Johnson is injury-prone. The special teams are anything but special. PK Ka’imi Fairbairn was 20-for-25 on FGs as a rookie last season.

4 COLTS

COACH: Frank Reich 2017 RECORD: 4-12 O/U WINS: 7 SUPER BOWL ODDS: 75/1 FIRST-AND-GOAL: QB Andrew Luck (below) is back. That will make WR T.Y. Hilton dangerous again. Rookie LG Quenton Nelson is a beast. Center Ryan Kelly is back from a broken foot and concussion. TE Jack Doyle caught 80 passes with four TDs last season. FS Malik Hooker is a ballhawk. Adam Vinatieri is the Tom Brady of placekickers. Reich will help Luck and has the right temperament for this job. FOURTH-AND-LONG. TE Eric Ebron was drafted by Detroit ahead of Odell Beckham Jr. Who plays right tackle in front of Luck? RB Marlon Mack has young legs, but he’s not yet a young Frank Gore. The defense is woeful. DE Jabaal Sheard can rush the passer, but can anyone else? The linebacking unit is fluid. Quincy Wilson and Pierre Desir are the corners. The new defensive coordinator is Matt Eberflus. Good luck to him.