This is the final edition of our faces of the NFL series. It’s time to look at the AFC South. Besides the Colts, this division is generally in a rebuilding stage at the moment.
Faces of the AFC South
Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck
Does it get much simpler than this? The Colts couldn’t have found a better replacement for Peyton Manning. The fact that they went from Peyton Manning to Andrew Luck is just completely unfair for many teams that have been struggling to find a decent quarterback for years. The timing was perfect, as they just happened to have the first overall pick the same year that Peyton Manning was a free agent coming off of a serious neck surgery. Luck swooped in and led the Colts back to the playoffs immediately. The transition was seamless, and Luck deserves all of the praise he has received. He is quickly ascending the ranks and becoming one of the best in the business. Reggie Wayne is another great option, as he has been a star for many years and he is somehow still dominating. He turns 36 in November though, and eventually he’s going to slow down.
Tennessee Titans: Jake Locker
Now that the easy one is out of the way, the hardest decision is here. The Titans don’t exactly have a clear leader. Jake Locker is talented, but injuries have hindered his progress so far. If he can stay healthy, he can develop into the franchise quarterback the Titans have been looking for. The team is definitely in a rebuilding mode right now though, and the playoffs are still relatively distant. If Jake Locker can develop into the face of the franchise, they can begin to build around him and turn their luck around. There isn’t really another option right now, as it was hard enough to pick Locker as the face in the first place.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Blake Bortles
When the Jaguars shocked many analysts and decided to select Blake Bortles with the third pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, he immediately became the face of the franchise. The original plan was to have Bortles sit out for the year and learn under Chad Henne, but that didn’t last long. Bortles took over in Week 3 and he hasn’t looked bad at all. In the two games he has played, Bortles has completed 70.5 percent of his passes for 477 yards and 3 touchdowns. While that certainly looks impressive, his four interceptions show that he is still a rookie and he’s just developing for now. Hopefully he will succeed in the NFL so that the Jaguars can finally focus on addressing other positions. They don’t really have any standout leaders on the rest of the roster.
Houston Texans: J.J. Watt
I started with an easy pick, so let’s end on one. J.J. Watt is arguably the best defensive lineman in the league, and he even caught a touchdown pass in Week 2 against the Raiders (of course). He is only in his fourth season in the NFL, which is a scary thought. He was recently rewarded with a massive contract extension worth $100 million over six years and he certainly deserves it. Our own football writer Chris Spisak even discussed the possibility that Watt could win the MVP. A few statistics that show how Watt has completely dominated the competition this season can be found there. He is making quarterback money for a reason. Brian Cushing is another possibility for the Texans, but he’s been fighting through some injuries lately and Watt has clearly made himself the face of the franchise with his dominant play.
Previous Articles in the Series
Being the NFL Face of a Franchise
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