Unstoppable: look for more of the same type of explosiveness this season from Peyton Manning and the Colts

WITH TWO-TIME REIGNING NFL MVP Peyton Manning and an array of weapons at his disposal, the Indianapolis Colts continue to possess one of the most explosive offenses in league history. Last season Manning threw 49 touchdown passes to break Dan Marino's 20-year-old mark.

After becoming the first receiving trio in NFL history to each record at least 1,000 yards and 10 TDs, Marvin Harrison (1,113-15), Reggie Wayne (1,210-12), and Brandon Stockley (1,077-10) all return in 2005, making the Colts a prohibitive favorite to win their third straight AFC South title.

The Jacksonville Jaguars appear to be the best of the rest. The Jaguars improved from 5-11 in 2003 to 9-7 last season and figure to contend for a wildcard spot this year. Their fortunes rest on the continued development of third-year quarterback Byron Leftwich and running back Fred Taylor's recovery from offseason knee surgery.

With the Houston Texans entering their fourth season, the expansion honeymoon is over and expectations are high. Last season quarterback David Carr threw more touchdowns than interceptions for the first time since arriving in 2002 and now must take the next step for the Texans to contend for a wild-card position.

The Tennessee Titans will have difficulty weathering a salary-cap purge in which they were forced to release wide receiver Derrick Mason, cornerback Samari Rolle, defensive lineman Kevin Carter, right tackle Fred Miller, fullback Robert Holcombe, and kicker Joe Nedney.

Here's an in-depth look at the AFC South:

1. Indianapolis Colts

Where they left off: Picking up the pieces in New England. But despite being eliminated from the playoffs by the eventual Super Bowl champion Patriots for the second straight season, Indianapolis could make a case for being the second-best team in the NFL. The Colts appear primed to make another run at the franchise's first Super Bowl title since moving to Indianapolis in 1984.

New faces: The Colts bolstered the NFL's 29th-ranked pass defense by selecting cornerbacks Marlin Jackson and Kelvin Hayden in the first two rounds of the draft. But Indianapolis' most significant moves involved players who are already on the roster. Since last November, the Colts franchised Pro Bowl running back Edgerrin James and re-signed Harrison, Stokley, right tackle Ryan Diem, and backup running back Dominic Rhodes.

X's and O's: James led the AFC in 2004 with 2,031 yards from scrimmage (1,548 rushing and 483 receiving) and remains a focal point of the offense. Defensively, the Colts are determined to eliminate the same sort of big plays that Manning routinely produces. Indianapolis tied for third in the NFL in both sacks (45) and takeaways (36) but yielded an average of 243.3 passing yards per game. A strong pass rush is fueled by defensive ends Dwight Freeney, who led the NFL with 16 sacks, and Robert Mathis, who added a career-high 10 sacks last season.

Coaching/management: Tony Dungy owns a 64-32 regular-season record since 1999 (30-18 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and 34-14 with Indianapolis) and is the NFL's winningest coach during that span. He's also the only NFL coach to beat all 32 teams.

Why they'll finish first: With the incomparable Manning under center, the Colts are capable of scoring from any spot on the field. Plus, he hasn't missed a game due to injury in his career, a string of 112 straight regular-season starts.

2. Jacksonville Jaguars

Where they left off: Out of the playoffs for the fifth straight season. The Jaguars started 3-0 for the first time since 1998 and won three of their final four games, including road victories in Green Bay and Oakland to finish 9-7, but a three-game midseason losing streak was costly.

New faces: The Jaguars addressed their most pressing need by signing free-agent defensive ends Reggie Hayward and Marcellus Wiley. After registering 10 sacks last season for the Denver Bronocs, Hayward inked a five-year, $25 million deal that included a $10 million signing bonus. Jacksonville bolstered its offense in the first two rounds of the draft by selecting Arkansas quarterback Matt Jones, who will be converted to wide receiver, and Washington left tackle Khalif Barnes, who was projected by many experts as a first-round pick.

X's and O's: Hayward and Wiley will bolster a defensive line that already includes arguably the NFL's best tackle tandem in Pro Bowlers Marcus Stroud and John Henderson. Offensively, the Jaguars win continue to rely on Taylor, who isn't expected to work out until training camp after undergoing knee surgery. Leftwich will once again look for wide receiver Jimmy Smith, a five-time Pro Bowler who has topped 1,000 receiving yards in eight of the past nine seasons.

Coaching/management: Head coach Jack Del Rio and vice president of player personnel James Harris have a strong professional relationship that was forged when they worked together with the Baltimore Ravens from 1999 to 2001.

Why they'll finish second: Leftwich appears primed for a breakout year, but the Jaguars don't have the same firepower as the Colts. They'll have to survive a tough early-season schedule that begins with five of six games against 2004 playoff teams, including road contests against Indianapolis, the New York Jets, and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

3. Houston Texans

Where they left off: Winning two of their final three games enabled the Texans to finish 7-9, their best record since entering the NFL in 2002. Running back Domanick Davis closed the season strong, registering all four of his 100-yard games in the final six weeks, including a career-high 158 yards on 31 carries in a 21-0 win over Jacksonville.

New faces: After finishing last in the NFL with 24 sacks, the Texans retooled their defense at linebacker, signing free agent Morlon Greenwood, releasing Jamie Sharper and Jay Foreman, moving Kylie Wong inside, and inserting the speedy Antwan Peek into the starting lineup. At cornerback, Houston dumped Aaron Glenn and acquired Phillip Buchanon from the Raiders in exchange for two draft picks. The Texans also addressed their defense in the draft, selecting Florida State tackle Travis Johnson with the 161h pick. Their most intriguing choice could be fourth-rounder Jerome Mathis of Hampton, the fastest receiver in the draft.

X's and O's: Carr and Davis will again power Houston's offense. Expectations are high for Carr, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2002 draft, after he completed 61.2% of his passes for 3,531 yards with 16 TD passes and and 14 interceptions last year. Davis rushed for a career-high 1,188 yards and 13 TDs in 2004. Carr's primary target again figures to be Andre Johnson, the third pick in the 2003 draft. Johnson led Houston last season with 79 receptions for 1,142 yards and six TDs.

Coaching/management: Head coach Dom Capers has Houston headed in the right direction. The Texans have improved in each year of their existence, from 4-12 to 5-11 to 7-9.

Why they'll finish third: The Texans struggle with sacks on both sides of the ball. Carr wasn't sacked 76 times last season like he was as a rookie in 2002, but Houston still permitted 49 sacks, 12 more than the NFL average.

4. Tennessee Titans

Where they left off: With a mass of exodus of quality players. The salary-cap casualties will no doubt make the Titans one of the NFL's youngest and least experienced teams in 2005.

New faces: Desperate for help at cornerback after losing starters Rolle and Andre Dyson, Tennessee chose West Virginia's Adam "Pacman" Jones with the sixth overall pick in the draft. The Titans' lone flee-agent acquisition was defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch, who played in all 16 games for the Arizona Cardinals last year after sustaining serious knee injuries in two of his first three NFL seasons.

X's and O's: Norm Chow, who left his job as USC's offensive coordinator for the same position with the Titans, is determined to keep Steve McNair healthy. The Pro Bowl quarterback, who missed eight games with injuries last season, will be schooled to get the ball out of his hands quicker than ever before. McNair also figures to be more elusive in the pocket after shedding more than 10 pounds during the offseason. Running back Chris Brown will remain a focal point of the offense, but he must prove he's not injury prone. Speedy receiver Tyrone Calico will be inserted into the starting lineup and looked to as a big-play threat.

Coaching/management: Chow is making his first foray into the NFL after 32 seasons as a college assistant. During that time, he coached quarterbacks Steve Young, Jim McMahon, Ty Detmer, Robbie Bosco, Philip Rivers, Carson Palmer, and Matt Leinart and helped USC win the last two national championships.

Why they'll finish fourth: McNair is just two years removed from sharing the NFL MVP award with Manning, but key personnel losses are too much to overcome.

Five Players to Watch

Peyton Manning, quarterback, Colts. What will the league's most proficient passer do for an encore? Perhaps win a Super Bowl.

Dwight Freeney, defensive end, Colts. Overshadowed by the Colts' overpowering offense, the lightning-quick pass-rusher led the NFL with 16 sacks. Freeney has reached double-digits in sacks every season since arriving in the NFL in 2002.

Reggie Williams, wide receiver, Jaguars. With just 27 receptions for 268 yards and one TD, Williams didn't make the impact the Jaguars had anticipated when they chose him with the ninth pick in the 2004 draft. Big, fast and physical, Williams appears to be an ideal red-zone threat. Look for a big year from him.

Dunta Robinson, cornerback, Texans The 5'10", 185-pounder tied for the NFL lead among rookies with six interceptions and finished second to New York Jets linebacker Jonathan Vilma in the NFL defensive rookie of the year voting.

Drew Bennett, wide receiver, Titans. After establishing career highs with 80 catches, 1,247 yards and 11 TDs last season, Bennett will be even more of a marked man with Derrick Mason's departure.

2004 Results

Team           W    L    T   Pct.   PF    PA    Home

Indianapolis   12    4   0   .750   522   351   7-1
Jacksonville    9    7   0   .562   261   280   4-4
Houston         7    9   0   .438   309   339   3-5
Tennessee       5   11   0   .312   344   439   2-6

Team           Road   AFC   NFC   Div.   Streak

Indianapolis   5-3    8-4   4-0   5-1    Lost 1
Jacksonville   5-3    6-6   3-1   2-4    Won 1
Houston        4-4    6-6   1-3   4-2    Lost 1
Tennessee      3-5    3-9   2-2   1-5    Won 1

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