The Good

One of the biggest reasons Frank Reich failed in Indianapolis was due to the quarterback position. Reich had to deal with Andrew Luck‘s early retirement along with mediocre quarterback play from players past their prime. It all came crashing down last year when the Matt Ryan experiment failed miserably and Reich was let go. It’s important to look past that as Reich has shown he can run a successful NFL offense. Expect Reich to get back to his roots in Carolina and that includes the triangle read passing game along with the zone run game.

The Panthers have a lot of new faces on the roster, especially on the offensive side of the ball. One of those pieces is former Philadelphia Eagles running back Miles Sanders. Sanders signed a 4-year, $25 million dollar contract with the Panthers this offseason. He is now in a perfect system and I expect him to excel as the Panthers #1 back. Sanders is coming off a Pro Bowl season in Philadelphia in which he amassed 1,347 total yards from scrimmage. Expect Sanders to be a workhorse early on as Young gets accustomed to the speed of the NFL.

The Bad

In order for the Panthers to pull off a trade for the #1 pick they needed to part ways with D.J. Moore. Moore has been a franchise player for Carolina since he was drafted in 2018. Now the Panthers have a giant hole on offense that is likely to hurt them this year.

They did attempt to address this by bringing in Adam Thielen this offseason on a 3-year deal. Thielen has shown he can be an excellent wide receiver but I don’t like him in the #1 role. He is better suited for a number 2 role similar to his position in Minnesota. The wide receiver group for the Panthers will be their weak spot going into next season. The hope is that they can get immediate results from rookie Jonathan Mingo but I expect him to take his rookie lumps.

The Prediction

In any other division, the Panthers would likely be an under .500 team. Thanks to the weak NFC South they will finish their first season under Frank Reich with a winning record. Bryce Young will take some time to learn the pro game but things should start clicking from him mid-season. The future is bright for the Panthers and expect them to be competitive for years to come.

2023 Record: 9-8 (2nd in the division)

The post Carolina Panthers Record Prediction for 2023 appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

Panthers Go Young

We are now fairly confident that the Panthers will draft Alabama quarterback Bryce Young with the first overall pick. As we have stated before, Young has big upside despite his size. If he can stay healthy I expect him to excel in Frank Reich‘s system.

Texans Grab C.J. Stroud

The Houston Texans will waist no time sending in their pick for Stroud. C.J. Stroud has all tools and intangibles to succeed in this league. If the Texans are smart they beef up their offensive line and protect Stroud at all costs.

Colts Take a Chance on Will Levis

There is no doubt that the Indianapolis Colts need to take a chance on a quarterback in this draft. The main question is will it be Anthony Richardson or Will Levis? We have flip flopped a couple time on this one but believe the Colts will end up taking Levis. Levis has the physical tools to succeed in this league. Is he ready to be a day one starter?

Jalen Carter Drops to Seattle

Jalen Carter is arguably the best overall prospect in the 2023 NFL Draft. The recent legal issues will cause him to drop but only by a couple picks. Carter will anchor the Seahawks defensive line for many years to come.

The post NFL Mock Draft 2023 – Version 2 appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Jake Rajala

The Tennessee Titans may not be an AFC juggernaut, but I still believe they have a slice of their magic from the last season (as they were the first seed in the AFC). The Indianapolis Colts also showed signs of life in Week 3 with their victory over the mighty Kansas City Chiefs by a score of 20-17.

I believe that each AFC South team is led by a scrappy, methodical HC. Each HC has been with its respective team since 2018. Interestingly, the record is 4-4 between the two NFL figures. With that said, I’m going to untwine which ring leader has the edge in the Week 4 showdown & should come out with the Week 4 victory.

Mike Vrabel

The NFL’s arguably best coach of all time, Bill Belichick, was a big fan of Mike Vrabel’s attitude as a player — which says a lot about the mindset of Vrabel. In 2001, BB was able to get his hands on the former third-round pick and the current, bulked-up Titans HC went on to play eight seasons in Foxborough. Vrabel was a key member of a legendary Pats squad & he won three Super Bowl Championships with the hooded HC.

After finishing his rampage as a player, the gritty persona began his coaching journey as LB coach with Ohio State. In 2014, Vrabel began a coaching stint with the Houston Texans & worked with J.J. Watt (and Jadeveon Clowney) to dismantle opponents.

The former Texans position coach that looks like Bane was then given a golden opportunity to be the Tennessee Titans HC on a five-year deal in 2018. Of course, he accepted the gig and was tasked with leading a Titans squad that was coming off a 9-7 record with Mike Mularkey at the helm.

In his first season as an HC, he led his team to a modest 9-7 record (although, they finished third in the division). In 2019 (the year that the first human case of COVID-19 was documented), he also registered a 9-7 record with the Titans and led his team to the AFC Championship game. In the mega-AFC showdown, the Titans faced the KC Chiefs & as widely noted: the Titans beat the Chiefs earlier in the regular season. Well, the Titans, also known as the Derrick Henry train, didn’t manage to sweep Patrick Mahomes — as KC won the contest and proceeded to the Super Bowl Champion.

Vrabel’s consistent dominance continued in 2010 with an 11-5 record & in 2011 with a 12-5 record. Last season, the well-rounded Titans somewhat strangely claimed the first seed in the AFC. Although, their dream season ended in 2021 when they lost to the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC Divisional game.

Vrabel’s squad is holding a 1-2 record this season, but they are feeling optimistic coming off their first victory against the talented and potentially dysfunctional Las Vegas Raiders. The Titans D gave up 303 passing yards and 2 passing TDs to Derek Carr, but they did have a crucial interception against him. The Titans did a phenomenal job in guarding Davante Adams — as he caught only five catches for 36 yards and a touchdown.

Vrabel understands that it’s vital that he doesn’t sit at 1-3 while looking at the Colts in front of him. Despite mediocre QB play Ryan Tannehill (647 passing yards, 3 passing touchdowns, and 3 interceptions in 2021), Vrabel should light a fire under his team in Week 4.

Frank Reich

The Buffalo Bills third-round pick in the 1985 draft, Frank Reich, was assigned to be a back-up to the legendary Jim Kelly. Reich was a backup QB hero when he led his squad to two straight victories in 1989. Reich capitalized on his moment as a QB, but he really didn’t help his team in his other duties — such as the holder. In Super Bowl XXV, Reich was partially at fault for kicker Scott Norwood missing the FG because he had the laces facing right. The shoulder pads version of Reich retired after the 1998 season.

The former legendary Bills QB became a coaching intern for the Colts in 2006-2007. He then proceeded to be the Colts QB coach in 2009 and finished as the WRs coach with the team in 2011. Unfortunately, the Colts and their embarrassing record in 2011 led the entire Colts coaching staff to be axed. Peyton Manning was MIA for the 2011 season.

Reich became the WRs coach with the Arizona Cardinals in 2012, the offensive coordinator with the San Diego Chargers in 2016, and the OC with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2017.

In 2018, the former Colts position coach came home and opted to be the HC of the Colts.

He led his team to a potent 10-6 record in his first year in Indy (which resulted in the Colts reaching the AFC Divisional round). The Colts registered a 7-9 record in 2019, but they bravely returned to the post-season in 2020 with an 11-5 record. Last season – the Colts had a 9-8 record and failed to make the playoffs. Jonathan Taylor proved to be one of the most dangerous players in the league last season (1,811 rushing yards, 18 rushing TDs), but Carson Wentz looked abysmal in Week 18 against the Jacksonville Jaguars with 185 passing yards, 1 passing TD, and 1 interception.

The Colts moved on from Wentz (who has found success with Washington) & asked Matty Ice to be the star field general this off-season.

Ryan was a dud in his first two contests (1 passing TD & 4 ints in his first two games combined), but he bounced back at the right moment against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 3 by unveiling 222 passing yards, 2 passing touchdowns, and 0 ints. Most importantly, Ryan and the Colts grabbed their first victory of the season last Sunday.

Verdict:

It’s clear that Vrabel and Reich are in more complicated phases in their journey, but they possess the will, experience, and roster talent to be succesful moving forward. The Colts win was more impressive than the Titans victory last week in my opinion, but I believe that Matt Eberflus’s defense was the key reason that Indy won the contest. Ryan has been crisp with the pig-skin — which is in part to the brain of Reich.

With the combination of effort from the Titans defense against the Raiders loaded offense & history of success that the Titans HC carries, I have to give the slight edge to the Titans HC. It’s unclear if the Titans or Colts will make a playoff run in 2022, but I feel that Vrabel is the better mind & sooner winner of the battle.

The post Mike Vrabel vs Frank Reich: who has the edge? appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Jake Rajala

The Indianapolis Colts are unequivocally one of the AFC NFL teams that progressed the most this off-season. It will be vital that the Colts improve their continuity in their OTAs, so Frank Reich’s new-look squad doesn’t leave any talent out on the field in September.

The Colts may have lots of talent on their roster, but it appears that one of their impressive profiles is already looking to cash in. Kenny Moore, who has 8 interceptions in the past two seasons combined, is MIA for OTAs. Moore wants to be the next CB to have a fat contract. It will be hard for the Colts to ignore the wishes thrown exhibited by the player that PFF named the Colts most underrated player.

The Colts will surely need a plan for Moore in the near future. The Colts DC Gus Bradley may be in shambles if he can’t have Moore and Stephon Gilmore in the same secondary.

The Colts QB situation is also an entertaining spot to keep an eye on, as Foles has recently opened up on his decision to join Indy. Per NBC Sports, Foles stated, “Frank’s been a great mentor to me since I was with him in Philadelphia. We’ve stayed in touch every single year a great bit. To have him as my head coach is special”.

Reich has to be delighted that his former QB is on the field competing under him on a two-year deal, but he surely isn’t hoping that they are expecting him to use his magic in the post-seasons ahead. The Colts will want their starting veteran signal-caller, who isn’t a Super Bowl champion, to make plays with JT and the young WR core, and aim to assist the Colts in returning to the Super Bowl.

The post Indianapolis Colts rumors and news right now appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Adam Hulse (@AdamHulseSports)

According to the Draft Kings Sports Book, head coach Frank Reich of the Indianapolis Colts has odds of +2500 to win Coach of the Year in the 2021 NFL season. This really could be an excellent value choice, or a “sleeper” pick, considering his situation this year. The award is not strictly based on who coached the team with the most wins, but instead, it takes into serious consideration the relative success of the team compared to several other factors such as major organizational changes, overcoming adversity, and exceeding team expectations. Using this criterion, Reich has a real chance to win the Coach of the Year award this season.

The Carson Wentz Factor

Nothing qualifies more as a major change than making a blockbuster trade to acquire a quarterback in the “prime” of their career while also being in the middle of a huge contract. That is exactly what the Colts did this offseason when they made a move for Carson Wentz of the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for two draft picks. The move wasn’t so much about how much the Colts gave up to get Wentz, but more about taking on the money that he is still owed despite coming off of an extremely disappointing season in 2020. He is signed through the 2024 season and the Colts owe him nearly 100 million dollars over that span.

This could be a very solid deal for the Colts if they are getting the MVP caliber version of Wentz but that may not be the case. Back in the 2018 season, Wentz was having the best season of his career before suffering an unfortunate season ending injury. Through 11 games that year, he completed 69.6 percent of his passes for 3074 yards with 21 touchdowns and just 7 interceptions. His 2020 season, comparatively, was an absolute disaster. In 12 games, before being benched for rookie Jalen Hurts, he completed just 57.4 percent of his passes for 2620 yards with 16 touchdowns and an alarming 15 interceptions. This is clearly a major drop off and what really makes this trade a huge risk for the Colts.

One of the main reasons why the Colts acquired Wentz is because of Frank Reich. When Wentz was having his success in Philadelphia, Reich was actually their offensive coordinator. The belief is that by reuniting the pair in Indianapolis, it will help Wentz get back to the version of himself that was one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL. This is the type of move that really could be make or break for the head coaching job of Reich. If it works out the way they hope it does, the Colts are a sleeper to be contenders for the Super Bowl, and will greatly improve the chances of Reich winning Coach of the Year. If it doesn’t, then the contract will set the franchise back several years by wasting a team roster that is built to win now, and could even cost Reich his job.

Team Expectations

Last season, with Philip River as their quarterback, the Colts finished with an 11-5 record and made an appearance in the NFL playoffs. They believe that Wentz is a significant upgrade at quarterback, despite the fact that Rivers had a much better season than Wentz last year. In 16 games, Rivers completed 68 percent of his passes for 4169 yards with 24 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Regardless, if the Colts are right that they improved at this position, while keeping the large majority of the rest of the roster together, then it’s fair to expect an even more successful campaign in the 2021 NFL season. If this is true, that means that the Colts will not only make the playoffs this season, but advance further than their first round exit last season. All things considered, if the Colts are able to accomplish their goals this season, then Reich will be right in the mix to win the Coach of the Year award.

The post Why Frank Reich could win Coach of the Year appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Adam Hulse (@AdamHulseSports)

The Indianapolis Colts are one of the teams with Super Bowl hopes heading into the 2021 NFL season. According to the Draft Kings Sports Book, they have the ninth best odds to win the Super Bowl this season and the fifth best odds to win the AFC Conference. After the Tampa Bay Bucs, Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills, who are clearly the top three most likely teams to win it all this year, the Colts are one of the teams in that second tier who can be real contenders this season. Here are some reasons why they are right in the mix.

Favorable Schedule

According to the strength of schedule rankings based on team records from last season, the Colts have the ninth easiest schedule in the NFL heading into this upcoming year. They also play in an AFC South division that appears to be a two team race right now between the Colts and the Tennessee Titans. The Houston Texans are a mess right now while rebuilding and might not even have star quarterback Deshaun Watson this season, or at least for part of it, because of the off the field issues he is currently dealing with. The Jacksonville Jaguars are an improving team in the middle of their own rebuild but probably are not ready to really compete yet. All of these factors combined give the Colts a very favorable schedule situation this season with a relatively easier path to the NFL postseason as either a division winner or even a wild card.

Solid Roster

The Colts are a well balanced team that do not have any real weaknesses. Last season, their offense ranked 10th in total yards, 9th in points scored, 11th in passing yards, and 11th in rushing yards. Their defense ranked 8th in yards allowed, 10th in points allowed, 5th in turnovers forced, and 12th in sacks. This shows that they were firmly in the top half of the league for almost all measures on both sides of the ball. They win in a wide variety of ways and have no real weak spot for an opposing team to expose.

They have a very solid roster that is talented at all of the position groups. They have one of the top offensive lines in the NFL lead by the best overall blocker in guard Quentin Nelson. Their stable of multiple running backs is lead by a young emerging star in Jonathan Taylor and they have many contributing wide receivers and tight ends that can spread the field. They are solid at all three levels on defense and even have a good special teams unit as well. Position for position on paper, they match up with any team in the league.

The Quarterback Situation

In theory, the Colts believe they made a major upgrade at quarterback this season by acquiring Carson Wentz from the Philadelphia Eagles to replace the now retired Philip Rivers. The Colts were already a playoff team last season, and came very close to upsetting the Bills, so if they did in fact improve at quarterback then they definitely increase their chances of a Super Bowl run greatly. Wentz has struggled in his last couple of years but he was playing at an MVP caliber level before his major injury.

The best version of Wentz was back in 2017 where he was a favorite to win MVP before going down with an injury. Through 11 games that season he threw for 3296 yards with 33 touchdowns against just 7 interceptions and a strong 78.5 QBR. That’s a big difference from his 2020 campaign where he eventually lost his starting job to Jalen Hurts. Last year across 12 games played he threw 2620 yards with just 16 touchdowns against an alarming 15 interceptions and a very disappointing 49.6 QBR.

In comparison, Rivers last season for the Colts played all 16 games while throwing for 4196 yards with 24 touchdowns against 11 interceptions and a 62.5 QBR. That’s definitely better than what Wentz was able to do for the Eagles last year but nowhere near as good as the 2017 Wentz. In Fact, Rivers has never in his very solid career had a season as good as Wentz was having in 2017. It’s that version of Wentz that the Colts believe they can revive this upcoming season and why they believe it is a huge upgrade at the quarterback position.

Interestingly, when Wentz was playing his best football it was under the offensive scheme of Frank Reich, who is now the head coach of the Colts. The belief of the organization, and the reason why they went out and got Wentz, is that pairing him back up with Reich will get him back on track. It is surely a gamble considering how far he has fallen off, but if they are right then the Colts instantly become a serious Super Bowl contender. After all, the Eagles team that won the Super Bowl was not as talented as this Colts team is now. The fate of the Colts this season is directly linked to what version of Wentz is playing quarterback.

The post Why Wentz’s Colts are really Super Bowl contenders appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

Quarterback Carson Wentz will be entering his sixth year in the NFL come the beginning of the 2021 season. The former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback has found a new home for himself: The Indianapolis Colts. 

Carson Wentz has had an NFL career that has been full of highs and lows. Over the course of his five-year career, he has played in 16 games just twice. Injuries have plagued his career and have kept him from being the QB that many people thought that he could be when he entered the NFL as the second overall pick in the 2016 draft. 

When healthy, Wentz has proven to be a capable starter. He has made big plays and is considered a true leader in the NFL world. During the Eagles super bowl run in 2017, Wentz had the best season of his career. He was an MVP front runner and his play spoke for itself.

The second-year quarterback led the Eagles to a record of 11-2. He threw for 33 touchdowns and looked to be on pace to become one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. This was until a torn ACL in week 14 ended his season. 

While the Eagles still went onto win the super bowl, led by quarterback Nick Foles, Wentz still played an integral part in putting them into that position. His leadership and elite play through 13 games helped the Eagles secure their spot in the playoffs.

The injuries began with the torn ACL in week 14 of the 2017 season for Wentz. Since then he has dealt with  injuries nearly every year of his career. 

In 2018, even after coming off of the torn ACL, Wentz was ready to go by week three. He led the Eagles through 11 games and had a record of 5-6. He lasted until week 14 when the Eagles decided to end his season early. This early shutdown was due to a back injury that Wentz fought throughout the majority of the season. Yet again, the Eagles turned to Foles and he once again pulled off a playoff miracle. Their season came to an end in the NFC Divisional round. 

As the 2019 season was under way, Wentz began to look like his old self again. He played in all 16 games and his stat line was impressive. He threw 27 touchdowns and added another on the ground. Wentz played well but injuries came for him yet again. In the Eagles first playoff game, Wentz suffered a concussion just nine snaps into the game. There was no Nick Foles to save the day this time and the Eagles season came to an end in a game that saw the Eagles not score a single offensive touchdown. 

The 2020 season was no better for Wentz. The only difference this time being that injuries did not derail Wentz season, but instead, he derailed it himself. 

Statistically, 2020 was the worst season of Wentz’s career. He finished with a starting record of 3-8-1. He was responsible for 21 touchdowns but also threw 15 interceptions and had 10 fumbles. He was eventually replaced by rookie quarterback Jalen Hurts. 

Both the Colts and Wentz will look to bounce back in 2021. In recent years, both sides have underperformed. 

The Colts went all in last season and brought in longtime Chargers quarterback Phillip Rivers. Rivers led the Colts ro an 11-5 record but didn’t make it past the AFC Wild card round. Not long after the season ended, Rivers retired and brought in Carson Wentz. 

Wentz and the Colts will both have high expectations heading into 2021, but things may not necessarily go to plan. Here are three reasons why Carson Wentz may struggle in his first season with the Indianapolis Colts. 

Injury History

As previously noted, Carson Wentz has had a difficult time staying healthy. It is difficult to make a legitimate impact if you can’t stay on the field.

Now this is no knock against Wentz. Injuries are never planned and they are impossible to avoid. But, it is difficult to discuss Wentz career up to this point without taking note of his extensive injury history. He has finished a season playing all 16 games just twice.

The injuries that have knocked Wentz out have all been significant. His injuries have varied heavily. He has dealt with hairline fractures in his ribs, concussions, a stress fracture in his back, and a torn ACL and LCL. 

None of these injuries have been easy to recover from, and while it is amazing that Wentz has continued to be resilient and work back from each injury, it can’t be ignored that he is hurt somewhat often. 

2020 proved to be an outlier for Wentz. He was able to stay healthy but his play on the field proved to be his downfall. 

Turnover Issues

Turnovers have been a mainstay throughout Wentz’s career. While he has shown that he is willing to do whatever must be done to make a play, whether that be staying in the pocket for too long, forcing a ball into a tight window, or attempting to make the play with his legs, this has also led to a high amount of turnovers. 

Wentz has been responsible for 121 touchdowns over his career: 113 passing and 8 rushing. But, he has also produced some of the highest turnover amounts while missing significant time over his five seasons in the NFL. He has thrown 50 interceptions and has fumbled 58 times. That is 108 turnovers to 121 touchdowns. The number is much closer than you would like it to be for your QB1. 

It is possible for Wentz to cut down on his turnovers. He has had three seasons where he has thrown only seven interceptions. 

The fumbling issue is more of the concern when it comes to his turnover concerns. He has never had less than nine fumbles in a season and has recorded as many as 16 in a season. 

The positive of joining the Colts is that Wentz will be protected. The Colts have one of the top rated offensive lines in the NFL and should give Wentz all the time that he needs to make a play. This protection will give Wentz an opportunity to not need to force the ball or have to make some outlandish play. 

A clean pocket has not been a consistent part of Wentz’s career up to this point. The Eagles line that Wentz was behind dealt with injuries and experienced highs and lows, much like Wentz. 

Average Wide Reciever Room

The Colts wide receiver core has depth but is still widely unproven. This could prove to impact Wentz more than some may think. 

Every great quarterback in the NFL has a reliable main target. Josh Allen has Stefon Diggs. Patrick Mahomes has Tyreek Hill. Tom Brady has Mike Evans. But who does Wentz have? Let’s look at the wide receiver options in Indianapolis. 

T.Y. Hilton is the longest tenured receiver out of the core, so we will start with him. He is a proven receiver and has spent his entire nine year career with the Colts

During his time in Indianapolis, he has produced great nu,hers and has been a catalyst on the offense. While he has never been a high touchdown producing machine, with just 50 career touchdowns, he is a reliable receiver. He has hauled in 608 receptions and is on pace to potentially reach 10,000 career receiving yards this season.

While age has not necessarily caught up with Hilton, his production has slowly begun to decrease. Even after playing in 15 games, the most of any core Colts receiver, Hilton still only had 56 receptions on 93 targets. These 56 catches led to just five touchdown receptions and 762 yards. This upcoming season, Hilton will still be available but may potentially take on more of a leadership role where the younger receivers can learn from him. Even with being a main target in Indianapolis, he is not to the caliber of an elite WR1 anymore. 

The next man up will be second year receiver Michael Pittman Jr. Pittman showed promise in his first year with the Colts. The 34th overall pick caught 40 receptions and had just over 500 receiving yards. 

Pittman dealt with lingering issues and played in 13 games last season. The Colts have high hopes for Pittman and will look for him to be Wentz’s main target this upcoming season. But can Pittman be a WR1? That is not yet something he has proven. 

The core after Hilton and Pittman is somewhat interesting. Zach Pascal has been an anchor for this group. He will be entering his fourth season and his production has been eerily similar over his first few years in the NFL. 

His 2019 and 2020 numbers are nearly identical across the board. He has 623 and 629 yards from scrimmage in each respective season. He also had 43 and 44 touches and also had five touchdowns in each season. 

Third year receiver Parris Campbell is the most unproven of the four. Over the course of his two seasons in the NFL, Campbell has appeared in just nine career games. He has 24 career receptions, 198 yards, and one touchdown. 

Injuries have been Campbells downfall up to this point. He was a talented playmaker during his time at Ohio State and will look to return to form this season. 

When looking at the combined stats of these four receivers, they are seemingly all on par with each other. There is no alpha in the room and that may prove to hurt Wentz. While it is nice to have reliable players at the position, a clear number one target would be even more beneficial. A star receiver in this group, whether it be one of these guys taking a leap towards stardom, or going out and getting one for Wentz, could be what he needs to not struggle. 

Wentz could potentially reach back into his bag and play like he did during his 2018 run, or he could pick up where he left off last season. There is no guarantee how he will look coming into this 2021 season. While he is easy to root for, the road back to MVP level play will not be easy to reach. 

The post Three reasons why Carson Wentz could struggle with the Colts appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Trenton Roberts (Twitter: @TRobertsNFL)

Until recent years, the AFC South had been the laughingstock of the league. From 2011 to 2017, teams in the division accounted for a whopping 12 bottom-six finishes in the NFL. However, their fortunes began to change with a surprising run by the Jacksonville Jaguars to the AFC Championship game in 2017, and since then, the division has put two teams into the playoffs each season.

Currently, each team in the division is heading in a positive direction and have been building up youth for future success. After the 2021 offseason, every team is set (for the moment, more on this later) at the quarterback position, with Jacksonville drafting generational prospect Trevor Lawrence with the first pick in the draft and the Colts trading for Eagles signal caller Carson Wentz.

However, despite all the talent at the position and the recent numbers for each of the four quarterbacks, it’s Carson Wentz who stands above the rest in the division. Here’s why.

For starters, Deshaun Watson is clearly the most talented quarterback in the division, as he has shown in recent seasons by putting up huge numbers with not-so-great teams. However, the litigations taken against the young star this offseason have left major questions surrounding his availability for 2021 and beyond. This means that, should Watson not play in 2021, the team will have to shift to journeyman quarterback Tyrod Taylor to lead the offense, who, despite some past success with the Buffalo Bills, is a major downgrade.

Moving on to the Titans, Ryan Tannehill has been a fantastic game manager in the teams run-based offense, and pairs with A.J. Brown to form a good punch in the passing game, combining for 1,075 yards and 11 scores in 2020. However, despite good numbers, Tannehill is nothing more than just that: a game manager. This team is clearly Derrick Henry’s to lead, as the bruising back became just the eighth running back ever to eclipse 2,000 rushing yards in 2020. Should the team need to rely more on Tannehill, my bet is on their opponent, because though Tannehill is good, he has a ceiling that holds him back.

Finally, we get to the top pick in the draft. In Jacksonville, Trevor Lawrence has some weapons at his disposal along the lines of DJ Chark, Marvin Jones Jr, and Laviska Shenault, and will likely be handed a very long leash just based off of his name alone. Despite never playing an NFL snap, it’s easy to see the Clemson product tearing up the league in the future. However, as a rookie joining a team that just finished with a single win in 2020, he’ll have his work cut out for him, so we can’t expect too much immediately. Sporting a pristine 34-2 collegiate record, though, it shouldn’t take more than a year for Lawrence to acclimate.

And so, we are left with Carson Wentz. On paper, Wentz looks like the worst quarterback in the division, not the best. His 2020 season was arguably the worst in the league, in which he threw a career high 15 interceptions to just 16 touchdowns and was benched halfway through the year in favor of rookie second round pick Jalen Hurts. The questions on whether he can return to his past success with Indy are certainly legitimate, and he has much to prove. However, unlike Watson, he’ll be available. Unlike Tannehill, he has a high ceiling. Unlike Lawrence, he has a good team around him and experience.

With a much better offense waiting for him in Indianapolis, Carson Wentz could and should return to his MVP-level play from the Eagles 2017-18 Super Bowl season and is well situated to come out on top of a crowded quarterback competition in the division.

The post Why Carson Wentz could be the best QB in the AFC South appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Pierre Wilson

The AFC South is one of the most polarizing and mysterious divisions in the league. The figures leading the AFC South teams match the reputation of the AFC division. In this bite, I’m going to rank the coaches and dive into the profiles of each outlier. Let’s begin.

4) David Culley – The new head coach of the Houston Texans kicks us off.  This is mostly due to the unknown surrounding what type of head coach Culley will be.  This will be Culley’s first head coaching opportunity, but he does come with 25+ years of NFL coaching experience.  Most of Culley’s coaching experience has come as a wide receiver’s coach.  His most recent position combining WR coach, passing game coordinator, and assistant head coach title with the Baltimore Ravens last season.

Culley’s big chance was met with a big blow, as he was hired during a time of turmoil with the team’s franchise quarterback Deshaun Watson.  At the time, the situation was simply Watson wanting out of Houston due to the state of the team.  This has since evolved into a much more serious situation, leaving Culley with a QB depth chart of Tyrod Taylor, Ryan Finley, and recently drafted rookie Davis Mills. 

Hitching his first head coaching opportunity to the Tyrod Taylor wagon, likely isn’t the start David Culley envisioned for his head coaching career.  He may want to steal a play from the Chargers playbook and keep the team doctor on standby.

3) Urban Meyer – Now I’m sure the college critics from Columbus and Gainesville will roll their eyes here, as Urban Meyer is one of the winningest coaches in college football history.  Winning over 85% of your collegiate games as head coach is quite the accomplishment.   Add in 3 National Championships and Urban Meyer brings quite the pedigree to the NFL.

My main concern is how Meyer will make the transition to the National Football League. The example that comes to mind is Nick Saban, during his time in Miami.  However, back in 2005 when Saban took the Dolphins head coaching position, he didn’t have the pedigree that Urban Meyer has to start his NFL tenure.  Saban does now, but back then it was just the good run he had at LSU carrying him. 

Urban Meyer is more comparable to Pete Carroll, in my eyes, who spent many years with USC and had a win percentage of 80%…along with a couple of National Championships.  Carroll has found success in the NFL winning a Super Bowl and being one horrible coaching decision away from a second championship with the Seahawks.  Carroll did have coaching experience in the NFL, prior to Seattle, which is something Meyer lacks heading into his first professional opportunity with the Jaguars.

I do believe Urban Meyer will find success in the NFL.  Jacksonville drafted what many believe will be a franchise quarterback, for years to come, in Trevor Lawrence.  Many of your coaching success stories depend on the make-up of your roster and who’s calling the shots under center.  If Meyer and the Jags can keep adding talent around Lawrence, Meyer will climb up those AFC South coaching rankings, and Jaguars fans will be shouting “DUVAL” proudly for the foreseeable future.

2) Mike Vrabel – Vrabel comes in at number two here and ties a lot of things together in the process.  Titans fan will argue this spot as he comes in with a better career winning percentage, as head coach, than the guy at number one.

When you think Mike Vrabel, you probably think New England Patriots and rightfully so.  Vrabel spent 2001-2008 with the Patriots, winning three Super Bowls. 

However, he’s not the rare success story from the Bill Belichick coaching tree.  In fact, he’s more tied to the guy that came in at number three from a coaching standpoint.  Vrabel spent his college career playing defensive end for Ohio State University from 1993 to 1996.  His first coaching opportunity would come from his alma mater, as Ohio State linebackers coach, on July 10^th, 2011.  On December 21^st of 2011 the new Ohio State head coach decided to keep Vrabel a part of his coaching staff and made him the defensive line coach.

Vrabel transitioned to the NFL in 2014 as a linebackers coach for the Texans, before getting his big break in 2018 as head coach of the Tennessee Titans.  Vrabel has led the Titans to a 29-19 regular season record over the past 3 years, including back-to-back playoff appearances with a trip to the AFC Championship in 2019 on the back of star running back Derrick Henry.

1) Frank Reich – Not a shock for anyone that knows me, but Frank Reich comes in as the number one head coach in the AFC South.  Just as some forget that Vrabel wasn’t a part of the Bill Belichick coaching circle, the Colts benefitted from someone backing out of the position and returning to that circle. 

Back in 2018 it was reported that Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels was set to accept the Indianapolis Colts head coaching job offered by new Colts GM Chris Ballard.  Then things got weird as McDaniels got cold feet and left the Colts at the altar. 

What happens when you’re left at the altar?  Well naturally you turn to the pastor, which the Colts did when making the call to Frank Reich.  Reich had been well known in NFL circles.  Most notably for the 1993 NFL wild card game in which he led the Buffalo Bills back from a 35-3 deficit against the Houston Oilers.  The Bills would win 41-38 in overtime and the 32-point deficit remains the largest comeback in NFL history. 

Reich wasn’t new to Indy, spending 2006-2007 as a coaching intern before serving as an offensive coaching staff assistant under Tony Dungy in 2008.  Reich would remain on the Colts staff under new head coach Jim Caldwell before being released, with the entire staff, after 2011.

Reich would come full circle and return to Indianapolis in 2018, after helping to lead the Philadelphia Eagles to a Super Bowl Championship (as offensive coordinator) over the New England Patriot.

Reich found success early in his first season as head coach, leading the Colts to the playoffs and a wild card road win over the division winning Texans.  The Colts would lose the next week in Kansas City, and go into the offseason looking at a promising future.

Before the start of the 2019 season, that promising future came to a grinding halt as franchise quarterback Andrew Luck opted for early retirement.  This set the Colts back quite a bit, but Reich did some of his best coaching during that time. 

The Colts started the 2019 season 5-2 under QB Jacoby Brissett before a knee injury against the Steelers took their promising start off track.  Colts turned to backup QB Brian Hoyer and a less than 100% Brissett the remainder of the season and could never recover.

Going out in the offseason and getting old man Philip Rivers in 2020 proved what a coach that Frank Reich really is.  Many wrote off Rivers due to age, lack of arm strength and his poor decision making towards the end of his time with the Chargers.  During a strange time of no preseason and limited offseason work, due to the pandemic, the Colts and Reich turned in an 11-5 season – losing a tiebreaker to the Titans for the division.  They would also have an early playoff exit, losing on the road to Reich’s old team (the Buffalo Bills) in what most considered the best playoff game in 2020.

A regular season record of 28-20, two playoff appearances, with three different quarterbacks is a solid resume for Reich.  Toss in the fact that he’s being reunited with the QB that played a huge part in the Eagles making the playoffs for the magical Super Bowl run in 2017, in Carson Wentz, and Frank Reich comes in number one in my AFC South head coach rankings.

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