AFC South: Colts

1. Indianapolis Colts - The Colts will win home-field advantage in the AFC under the radar--if you can believe that. Whether or not Peyton Manning will become this generations Dan Marino and never win a Super Bowl will begin to hold this season. Because of an undesized D-line, a team with a grinding running game might be able to stall Indy's Super Bowl aspirations. Cincinnati, maybe? They could possibly be 7-0 going into a Monday Night game at New England.

2. Jacksonville Jaguars (Wildcard) - QB Byron Leftwich is due to blossom this season and has a certain flair in the clutch, but he still doesn't have any weapons. RB Fred Taylor, though, will be enough coupled with their stellar defense. Coach Jack Del Rio has molded this team into his image and look for the defense to be dominant, at times.

3. Houston Texans - The Texans are finally here. They'll just miss the playoffs in the tough AFC, but not without a fight. This team is following the same maturation process as coach Dom Capers' other expansion team--Carolina--at team that rose to the NFC championship game. In the process of improving, Houston might find that QB David Carr isn't the franchise player they thought...And Philip Buchanon: he might wow Houstonians with a dazzling return or two but he'll eventually boggle everyone's minds with his ineptness just like in Oakland

4. Tennessee Titans - New offensive coordinator, Norm Chow, might be coaching in college by next year. He finally got his NFL chance and he's saddled with a mess in Nashville. QB Steve McNair will do the best he can, but the Titans lost so many names in the off-season, which was probably just as well because a few seemed used up like Samari Rolle and Andre Dyson. Titans are rebuilding this year. A top four draft pick seems imminent.

2004 LFR Genius Prediction: "QB David Carr is set to have a breakout, Pro Bowl season. Carr to WR Andre Johnson will become a mantra in Houston this season. Along with RB Domanick Davis, this is the divsion's up and coming offensive threesome."

2004 LFR Dumb Prediction: "The Titans will win the home field advantage in the AFC with a perfect 8-0 home record."