Titans Favored to Win AFC South After Week 1
- Tennessee Titans (+125) are the new favorites to win the AFC South Division
- Indianapolis Colts (+150) must count on key draft pick Jonathan Taylor sooner than expected
- Read below for odds, analysis and our pick to win the division
Even after a stumbling 16-14 win against the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football, the Tennessee Titans were able to emerge as the +125 odds favorite to win the AFC South after Week 1.
The Titans replace the Indianapolis Colts who were the favorites going into the season. The Colts (+150) are now second in the AFC South Odds. A 27-20 loss to Jaguars cost the Colts the top spot.
2020 AFC South Odds
| Team | Odds at FanDuel |
|---|---|
| Tennessee Titans | +125 |
| Indianapolis Colts | +150 |
| Houston Texans | +420 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | +1200 |
Odds as of Sept. 15
The most significant change in the odds came with the Jaguars whose odds improved from +2400 to +1200 after upsetting the Colts. The Jaguars were 6-10 in 2019, and aren’t expected to win more than three or four games in 2020.
Titans May Be Up and Down This Season
The fact that the Titans won and the Colts lost this week isn’t off-script for the AFC South. Next week, it could be the reverse. The Titans and Colts may seesaw back-and-forth this season. Both teams are considered quality teams, but neither is considered a prime contender.
Tennessee’s win against the Broncos would have looked more impressive had kicker Stephen Gostkowski had a better night. Before delivering the game-winning 25-yard field goal with 17 seconds remaining, Gostkowski missed three field goals and an extra point.
Derrick Henry picks up where he left off https://t.co/HeEMkj8WGg
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) September 15, 2020
The Titans’ offense looked fine, but did they make a mistake by signing the 36-year-old Gostkowski who is the fifth-most accurate kicker in NFL history (87.338)? He never missed three field goals in a game before Monday night.
On the plus-side, Derrick Henry ran for 116 yards. The Titans are now 14-0 when he rushes for 100 or more yards. Ryan Tannehill completed 67.4% of his passes, throwing for 249 yards and two touchdowns. That’s the level of consistency the Titans want from him.
Colts Suffer Major Injury Loss in Week 1
Marlon Mack tore his Achilles after making a pass reception in the first quarter in the loss to the Jaguars. Mack was viewed as the No. 1 running back.
But the loss may not be as devastating as it would be for most teams because the Colts drafted Jonathan Taylor out of Wisconsin with the idea that he would gradually move into the role as a feature back. But it is now going to come sooner than expected. He’s probably not quite ready to be thrust into the spotlight. He boasts exceptional talent, and all he is lacking is experience.
It’s possible this misfortune could make the Colts a better team as the season wears on because Taylor’s growth will accelerate.
Despite the Week 1 loss, the Colts could still win the division. This isn’t a strong division, Phillip Rivers should give the offense more consistency. The defense is improved.
Jonathan Taylor SPEED + POWER pic.twitter.com/MQfKIMJcQW
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) September 13, 2020
Still Hard to Know Where the Texans Fit
You can’t judge the Texans based on what happened against the Kansas City Chiefs. After Week 1, we can be sure that they are not the same 10-6 team that advanced to the playoffs last season.
We will know more after Week 2 when the Texans are tested by the Baltimore Ravens.
But despite trading away DeAndre Hopkins, the Texans could still have an effective offense. Even with constant Chiefs’ pressure, Deshaun Watson threw for 253 yards. David Johnson averaged seven yards per carry and Will Fuller had eight catches for 112 yards.
The Texans clearly have to do a better job of protecting Watson. The Chiefs sacked him four times. One of the priorities for the Texans in the offseason was to find personnel to keep Watson upright. Unless the Texans improve in that area, they are going to find trouble
Must note, after researching this I found that @SteveevenRuiz came to the same conclusions, although we differ on who to blame for the sacks and he refuses to use dots.
Good read here:https://t.co/cmuQmO36eQ
— Josh Hermsmeyer (@friscojosh) September 10, 2020
Should We Pump the Brakes on Jaguars’ Tank Talk?
The Jaguars are not a playoff team, but they are better than we thought. The talk coming into the season was about the Jaguars putting themselves in a position to land the No. 1 draft pick.
But the debate this week is whether the Jaguars already have their future quarterback in Gardner Minshew who completed 19-for-20 for 173 yards and three touchdowns. He was highly effective, evidenced by his zero turnovers.
It is too early to know for sure, but he might be their quarterback of the future. He might also give them a few wins fans were not expecting.
Jaguars’ QB Gardner Minshew is the first player to ever throw at least three TD passes and complete at least 95.0 percent of his passes on Kickoff Weekend. In his last two games against the Colts, Minshew has completed 46 of 59 passes for 468 yards, six TDs and one INT.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 13, 2020
Still Looks Like a Colts vs Titans Race
With no dominant team in this division, the race could come down to the final week of the season. If Taylor lives up to his billing and Rivers performs to his ability, those two players could be the edge the Colts need to win it this season.
Prediction: Colts (+150)
Kevin Allen has covered most major events, including the Olympics, Super Bowl, World Series, NBA Finals and Stanley Cup Final. He covered the NHL for USA Today from 1986-2020, receiving the Lester Patrick Award in 2013 and was honored by the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2014 with the Elmer Ferguson Award.
