The AFC South A Virtual Cake Walk

[King Colt]

Don't lose sight of how easy the competition was for the Colts to win the AFC South Yes, I know they also beat the heavyweights but here's my point. They got to the playoff being the champions of the wuss division. The competition is not their fault but it is six games of sixteen that a team with any hope of being elite should roll over like a tank. The Pats game like so many the Colts have been in in the past decade illustrate what an elite organization does. This year's Pats are devastated with injuries with one player behind bars and they are the second youngest team in the entire NFL yet they just keep on coming. Look at Hoodie's playoff record as their head coach. The Colts organization can only hope to out do them in some fashion or what you saw yesterday will be on the menu for a long, long time. Nothing lasts forever but it just seems that way for Colts fans. 

[IndyTrav]

Ya, the Colts have been pretty fortunate for nearly a decade in terms of having the worst division in football...While its nice for W's, I often wonder if long term it is a bad thing. I feel it helps hide holes, and hide things we need addressed. "well we won 12 games, nothing needs changed"....I dont like that mentality....

[OldManP]

The AFC east was not that tough.

That might be a head coach's job, preparing his team.

[amfootball]

The AFC east was not that tough.

That might be a head coach's job, preparing his team.

The East this year was the second toughest division in the AFC. Second only in wins to the West.

[Franklin County]

Don't lose sight of how easy the competition was for the Colts to win the AFC South Yes, I know they also beat the heavyweights but here's my point. They got to the playoff being the champions of the wuss division. The competition is not their fault but it is six games of sixteen that a team with any hope of being elite should roll over like a tank. The Pats game like so many the Colts have been in in the past decade illustrate what an elite organization does. This year's Pats are devastated with injuries with one player behind bars and they are the second youngest team in the entire NFL yet they just keep on coming. Look at Hoodie's playoff record as their head coach. The Colts organization can only hope to out do them in some fashion or what you saw yesterday will be on the menu for a long, long time. Nothing lasts forever but it just seems that way for Colts fans. 

What are you trying to say here? That the Colts suck? You seem to have a lot of these post.

[OldManP]

Jets stunk. Buffalo stunk. Miami was a mess.

[King Colt]

What are you trying to say here? That the Colts suck? You seem to have a lot of these post.

You ask two questions, neither merits a response and your sentence makes no sense.

[Flying Elvis]

Aside from maybe the NFC West, there isn't much of a difference between the divisions. Every team is some shade of average. The have-nots are catching up to the haves. Parity is real. Looking at strength of divisions and strength of schedules is becoming more and more meaningless.

[deedub75]

AFC East had the 2 worst teams in the NFL this year and the Titans weren't too far behind.  Now all of them have new coaches to break in.  Should be another cake walk for the Colts next year. 

[Franklin County]

You ask two questions, neither merits a response and your sentence makes no sense.

The sentence was to imply that your post was trolling.

[Michael Myers]

The East this year was the second toughest division in the AFC. Second only in wins to the West.

For the better part of a decade the east has been lackluster.

[IndyTrav]

Last 10 years:

 

AFC East: 14x in playoffs by 3 teams....7 Conf Champ games by 2 teams....3SBs 1 team

AFC North: 17x playoffs by 3teams....6 Conf Champ games by 2 teams....4SBs 2 teams

AFC South:15x in playoffs by 4 teams.....2 Conf Champ games SBs by 1 team

AFC West:13x in playoffs by 3 teams....2 Conf Champ games by 2 teams....

 

NFC East: 17x playoffs by 4 teams....4Conf Champ games by 2teams....3SBs by 2 teams

NFC North: 15x playoffs by 4 teams....5conf champ games by 3 teams....2SBs by 2 teams

NFC South: 15x playoffs by 4 teams.....5Conf Champ games by 3 teams...1 SB 

NFC West: 13x playoffs by 4 teams....4 Conf Champ games by 3 teams....3SBs by 3 teams

 

The AFC South is the only division in the NFL in the past 10 years that has only had one representative in the Championship game....

[mahagga73]

Bridgewater is good, franchise good in my opinion, so our cupcake schedule and walk to division titles might be short-lived. The Texans did the right thing losing 14 in a row just like the Colts a few years back.

[colts_100nascar17fan]

Houston could be the chiefs of this year,next year. No doubt they will have a great defense with romeo crennell and bill obrien will bring discipline,eenergy,and toughness to a team that needed it.

[coltsfanatic24]

Divisions change ever year so the AFC South could be the 2nd best you never know. As far as the Patriots we just don't match up well with them because of BB. Belichick defensive schemes confused Peyton for a decade and their doing the same thing to Luck. For the Colts to beat them were gonna need a top 10 defense and Werner has to have a break out season.

[ViriLudant]

AFC East had the 2 worst teams in the NFL this year and the Titans weren't too far behind.  Now all of them have new coaches to break in.  Should be another cake walk for the Colts next year.

Uh.

Texans and Jags were the two worst teams; heck, the Texans have the first pick.

[deedub75]

Uh.

Texans and Jags were the two worst teams; heck, the Texans have the first pick.

 

Typo.  I meant AFC South.

[DoubleE Colt]

New member here (long time observer here though), if the texans, jags and titans use free agency and draft right I think next year could be very close in the division. Who would have picked the texans to have the number 1 pick this year, I think their record is a little deceiving, they must have had a record for losses by a single score. With a decent QB they could easily have halved their loss record. In fact it could be argued all three are a QB away from being competitive. Texans will do a Chiefs next year I think especially with their schedule meeting 4th place teams. Titans have decent pieces in place too already and Jags receiving core is promising for them with decent QB. Still believe we will be right up there again though. Go Colts.

[BPM_Colt]

If Houston hits on a QB in the draft, it will be a battle among us and them for the AFC South next year.

 

Titans have a lot of talent and could maybe take a step in the right direction.

 

Jags will remain a mess.

 

I don't see the AFC South as being as big of a cakewalk next year.

[love the shoe]

Ya, the Colts have been pretty fortunate for nearly a decade in terms of having the worst division in football...While its nice for W's, I often wonder if long term it is a bad thing. I feel it helps hide holes, and hide things we need addressed. "well we won 12 games, nothing needs changed"....I dont like that mentality....

I don't buy that  look at the east  they have been weak for years   Pats have a cakewalk every year with Buffalo the jets and Miami.

[IndyTrav]

I don't buy that  look at the east  they have been weak for years   Pats have a cakewalk every year with Buffalo the jets and Miami.

 

And yet the Jets have been to as many AFC championship games in the last 10 years as the Colts have.....but you hate the pats, so you'll refuse to believe.....and ignore the fact that in the last 3 seasons the AFC East has 98 wins, and the AFC south has 81.....none of these are a big deal, bc the East is just soooo bad...... 

[dw49]

Typo.  I meant AFC South.

 

 

Anyone that can read and process info should have figured out you meant the AFC South. 

[oldunclemark]

Don't lose sight of how easy the competition was for the Colts to win the AFC South Yes, I know they also beat the heavyweights but here's my point. They got to the playoff being the champions of the wuss division. The competition is not their fault but it is six games of sixteen that a team with any hope of being elite should roll over like a tank. The Pats game like so many the Colts have been in in the past decade illustrate what an elite organization does. This year's Pats are devastated with injuries with one player behind bars and they are the second youngest team in the entire NFL yet they just keep on coming. Look at Hoodie's playoff record as their head coach. The Colts organization can only hope to out do them in some fashion or what you saw yesterday will be on the menu for a long, long time. Nothing lasts forever but it just seems that way for Colts fans. 

the Colts....non-c schedule was one of the (if not the)  toughest..

[Jules]

And it will be easy again next year for us if history holds true.

 

The Texans will improve but not as much as people think, there will be a lot of new pieces to work through and they still need a QB. The Jags are the Jags. And I have no idea what to think of TN who seemed to be our toughest competition.

 

 

This isn't too much different then all the years with Peyton either, the AFC South usually "isn't" very good outside of a few odd ball seasons. The QBs are not good enough as a whole around us either to win these regular season games on a consistent basis. But, in the playoffs you need more then just a QB which we are all agonizing about since 1998.

[King Colt]

Bridgewater is good, franchise good in my opinion, so our cupcake schedule and walk to division titles might be short-lived. The Texans did the right thing losing 14 in a row just like the Colts a few years back.

Bulls eye, you hit it on the head. If the new Texans coach is 1/2 as tuff as he looks the Texans will come back in 14. I can't pinpoint why there so bad but I think you will not see a repeat of that.

[Bluefire4]

Good thing is all three teams in our division need to get a good quarterback. Which doesn't happen often. The last quarterbacks the Titans and Jaguars selected were bust and it could very well happen again.

[House]

I really don't care what anyone else in our division is doing.

Let them never win another game for all I care.

[mintor]

new England got easy division in afc . jets bills always sucked .  Miami is getting better still not close  say sd. afc south second easy division.

[Warhorse]

Love to see the tired and beat up players in the locker room after a divisional match up where someone tells them......"this division is a cakewalk".

 

 

That I would enjoy watching.

[oldunclemark]

Don't lose sight of how easy the competition was for the Colts to win the AFC South Yes, I know they also beat the heavyweights but here's my point. They got to the playoff being the champions of the wuss division. The competition is not their fault but it is six games of sixteen that a team with any hope of being elite should roll over like a tank. The Pats game like so many the Colts have been in in the past decade illustrate what an elite organization does. This year's Pats are devastated with injuries with one player behind bars and they are the second youngest team in the entire NFL yet they just keep on coming. Look at Hoodie's playoff record as their head coach. The Colts organization can only hope to out do them in some fashion or what you saw yesterday will be on the menu for a long, long time. Nothing lasts forever but it just seems that way for Colts fans. 

That all changes next season..Houston will be MUCH better..and Tenneesee is still to be determined..

 

All teams have serious injuries....I dont think NE had the most if you look at Indy. Denver, Green bay (Rodgers) Bears (Cutler, Briggs and most of the D-line)

 

the Pats were no more devastated with injuries than many teams..Indy included

 

NE never lost the leader...that's where you have to look, to me

[Jay Roland]

And yet the Jets have been to as many AFC championship games in the last 10 years as the Colts have.....but you hate the pats, so you'll refuse to believe.....and ignore the fact that in the last 3 seasons the AFC East has 98 wins, and the AFC south has 81.....none of these are a big deal, bc the East is just soooo bad...... 

look at ther year NE almost went undefeated losing in the SB. The Jets, Bills, and Dolphins were horrible and for a lot of years it was the case. not the last couple of years the Dolphins have improved bills seem to be starting to take a step in the right direction and the Jets who knows about them. but for the most part the AFC East was a very weak division and NE took advantage of that like good teams are supposed to. This year the Texans for what ever reason took five giant steps back. They are a better team than they showed this year. Titans are getting back to contending form only the Jags are a mess. I expect the AFC South to be a toughter divison next season

[IndyTrav]

look at ther year NE almost went undefeated losing in the SB. The Jets, Bills, and Dolphins were horrible and for a lot of years it was the case. not the last couple of years the Dolphins have improved bills seem to be starting to take a step in the right direction and the Jets who knows about them. but for the most part the AFC East was a very weak division and NE took advantage of that like good teams are supposed to. This year the Texans for what ever reason took five giant steps back. They are a better team than they showed this year. Titans are getting back to contending form only the Jags are a mess. I expect the AFC South to be a toughter divison next season

 

 

And yet from 06-10 both divsions had 169 wins, East had 10 teams with winning seasons, the South had 9 in that time span......so in the last 8 or so years the East actually has 17 more wins than the South...... 

 

The constant attempt to discredit anything NE does is tiresome, and incorrect. There division was just as good as ours, our bad, depending on how you look at it.... 

[Curveball]

Strength of schedule. This season the AFC South played the NFC West, arguably the strongest division. The AFC East played the NFC South who had a couple of gimmes with ATL and TB.

[DoubleE Colt]

Division strength is full of ups and downs, look at the NFC West back in 2010, Seahawks won with a 7-9 record I think. Who would have picked it to be the top division a few years later.

[Kyle]

this thread gives me a headache 

[dgambill]

We did play in the worst division in football....especially looking at it by top qbs as none of those teams have even decent ones. That said we went 2-2 against the best division in football in the NFC West and 3-1 against the best division in the AFC West. We beat some of the best teams in football 3 out of 4 left in the playoffs...but we just aren't consistant...and we can't throw 4 interceptions...kick FGs in the redzone and give up over 200yds rushing. You just can't and beat anyone...much less one of the most complete teams in football. Our competition had little to do with us losing that game...our poor poor execution did. We got owned....they dominated the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball and that was that....their qb completely outplayed ours playing effficiently and hitting big plays and not turning the ball over. That said with our division...we should have plenty of opportunities to play NE again. Both our teams play in conferences that are hot messes....Jets, Mia, Bills, Jaguars, Titans are all hot messes....yearly...probably only teams worse year in year out are Cleveland and Oakland. Houston had a horrible season but usually has a solid team and Jets can be competitive when they get qb play. NE and Indy should see lots more of each other in the future.

[Jay Roland]

And yet from 06-10 both divsions had 169 wins, East had 10 teams with winning seasons, the South had 9 in that time span......so in the last 8 or so years the East actually has 17 more wins than the South...... 

 

The constant attempt to discredit anything NE does is tiresome, and incorrect. There division was just as good as ours, our bad, depending on how you look at it.... 

I'm not discrediting NE accomplishments i was just stating some of those years the AFC east was horrible where the AFC South beat up on each other.  and you got to account that over 50% of those 17 wins you mention is NE alone. NE has a good team i may not like them but they have a good team.

[Superman]

And yet from 06-10 both divsions had 169 wins, East had 10 teams with winning seasons, the South had 9 in that time span......so in the last 8 or so years the East actually has 17 more wins than the South...... 

 

The constant attempt to discredit anything NE does is tiresome, and incorrect. There division was just as good as ours, our bad, depending on how you look at it.... 

 

I kind of think it's the opposite. The East has had its share of stinkers just like the South has. Overall, they're probably the better division, but not by much. The real constant is that the Pats and the Colts have dominated their respective divisions for a long time.

[OldManP]

That all changes next season..Houston will be MUCH better..and Tenneesee is still to be determined..

 

All teams have serious injuries....I dont think NE had the most if you look at Indy. Denver, Green bay (Rodgers) Bears (Cutler, Briggs and most of the D-line)

 

the Pats were no more devastated with injuries than many teams..Indy included

 

NE never lost the leader...that's where you have to look, to me

I think the Pats lost the 2nd greatest percentage of their salary cap.  It was over 20% before that linebacker was put on IR.  #1 was KC, I think.

[Superman]

I think the Pats lost the 2nd greatest percentage of their salary cap.  It was over 20% before that linebacker was put on IR.  #1 was KC, I think.

 

I've never heard anyone measure a team's injuries by what percentage of the salary cap was affected. That's a new one.