AFC South Week 4 Preview and Predictions

By Joanne Kong

Twitter: @kongfu4u 

TENNESSEE TITANS (1-2) & HOUSTON TEXANS (2-1)

Tennessee TitansHouston Texans

Tennessee Titans @ Houston Texans

The Houston Texans week 3 shutout by the New England Patriots was a hard pill to swallow for the Texans, who’s defense is ranked number 1 against the passing game but is among the bottom against the run game.  We don’t need to reopen the wound for the Texans.  We can just say that the game was miserable for Texans fans.

If a shut out wasn’t bad enough.  The Texans defense has lost another player, J.J. Watt.

The Texans need to put their defeat in week 3 behind them and look forward to week 4.  Texans quarterback Brock Osweiler seemed more like a money pit against the Patriots rather than a gem in the rough.  He was unable to complete a pass, stood in the pocket too long and showed poor decision making, probably all the reasons the Denver Broncos decided to let Osweiler follow the money.  The Texans are a good defense, although you wouldn’t have known it watching the week 3 Thursday Night Game, and should be able to handle quarterback Marcus Mariota and the Tennessee Titans.  But then again, I thought they’d dish the Patriots a loss.  If Osweiler doesn’t step up in week 4, the Texans could be looking at a hard road ahead of them for the remainder of the season.

What do the Texans need to do right in week 4?

Everything.

The Tennessee Titans should have some confidence heading into week 4 against the Texans.  Although they aren’t playing at home, they witnessed how easily the Texans crumbled against the Patriots.  The Titans were able to keep the Oakland Raiders scoreless in the second half of the game in week 3.  And whatever the defense did, they should just do more of it.  Unfortunately, Mariota was unable to get the offense moving with no passing touchdowns, 2 interceptions and a fumble.  Mariota hasn’t had a very good start to the season, unable to connect with his receivers since the injury to TE Delanie Walker.

Just like the Texans, the Titans need an offense if they want to win.  Even a sub-100% Delanie Walker on the field should be enough to get this offense moving.

What can we expect in Week 4?

  • Osweiler won’t get any better against the Titans defense.
  • The Titans defense had yet to force a fumble this season.  They will this Sunday.

It will be hard to beat the Texans at home.  The Texans win, barely.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (1-2) & JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (0-3)

Indianapolis ColtsJacksonville Jaguars

Indianapolis Colts @ Jacksonville Jaguars

The Indianapolis Colt should feel confident going into week 4 against division rivals the Jacksonville Jaguars.  The Colts have an all-time winning record of 21-9 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, winning the last 6 out of 7 games.  In week 3, the Colts were able to defeat the San Diego Chargers 26-22 at home.  The Colts might not have home field advantage, but the preseason hyped Jaguars have been on a downward slide since their season opener against the Green Bay Packers.

This Sunday these two divisional rivals will face-off in London.  The Jaguars beat the Buffalo Bills in London in 2015, 34-31.  They also beat the Indianapolis Colts in week 14, 51-16.  Of course, Andrew Luck was out for the season.

The Jaguars have been facing one problem after another.

  • A promising run game during the pre-season with improvement from Jaguars running back T.J. Yeldon has quickly faltered.  Even with the return of running back Chris Ivory in week 3, the Jaguars run game was held to only 48 yards by the Baltimore Ravens.  You know there’s a problem when Blake Bortles has as many rush yards as your running backs.
  • The offense failures?  The Jaguars defense are ranked 7th against the pass, while their run defense falls in the middle.  Unfortunately, the Jaguars defense isn’t good enough to make up for the lack of offense.  The Jaguars offense are among the bottom for offensive yards.  A promising Bortles suddenly doesn’t show the confidence present in the pre-season.
  • Penalties are killing the Jaguars.  Maybe there are just too many rules in the NFL, or maybe the Jaguars just manage to break all of them.

The Colts are looking to go 2-2.

  • The Colts will still be without wide receiver Donte Moncrief.  In week 3, T.Y. Hilton made the absence of Moncrief barely noticeable, with 174 receiving yards and a touchdown.
  • The Colts will be relying on the run game.
  • The Colts defense has the Jaguars playbook.  Everyone knows that Blake Bortles’ go-to receiver is Allen Robinson, and he proved it once again collecting two passing touchdowns in week 3 against the Ravens.  Unfortunately, the Colts have one of the worse pass defenses in the league.  Knowing what to do and actually doing it are two very different things.
  • Could Andrew Luck have a shoulder problem?

What can we expect in week 4?

  • Londoners love scoring (in the endzone — get your head out of the gutter), and you have to give the people what they want.  This will be an offensive shoot-out.

In the end, the Indianapolis Colts win.

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