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John Clayton’s recent list of the NFL’s top 10 tight ends didn’t include anyone from the AFC South.

If he does a similar list in a year, will that change?

There are a lot of quality tight ends in the division, but they all carry questions. I don’t know if any can match the production of New England’s Rob Gronkowski or New Orleans’ Jimmy Graham, who are setting the standard for the new breed of players at the position.

Tennessee’s Jared Cook can be an extremely dangerous receiver. But through three seasons he’s been quite inconsistent. He finished with three very good games last year. That’s great and hopefully something to build on, but it’s hard not to wonder about why he wasn’t more effective in the rest of the games. Offensive coordinator Chris Palmer seemed reluctant to really plan a game with a lot in it for Cook, who could fare better if Jake Locker is at quarterback rather than Matt Hasselbeck.

Houston’s Owen Daniels is an excellent pass catcher who can be a vital piece of the team’s offense. But he carries health questions. He played in every game last year but didn’t seem like the same guy he was before he missed five games in 2010 with a hamstring issue. He broke his hand in the Texans' first playoff game, but played with the injury in the second game. With the versatile Joel Dreessen gone, and the right side of the line being rebuilt, Daniels could be called on to block more.

Indianapolis will build a lot of its offense around Andrew Luck-to-Coby Fleener. Fleener, the team’s second-round pick, should be a primary target for his college teammate and could quickly earn a high ranking among the league’s tight ends.

Jacksonville’s Marcedes Lewis suffered a terrible drop-off in 2011 after a super-productive 2010 and a new contract. He was dealing with some difficult off-the-field issues, but needed to compartmentalize better to perform on Sundays. As part of a new offense, can he bounce back as a weapon or will the team be left to talk of his blocking?

Who will be regarded as the best after 16 games this fall and winter? Please chime in on our poll.

Who played the most on offense in the AFC South in 2011?

Here’s a rundown, with percentage of offensive snaps played:

QB – Matt Hasselbeck, Titans, 90.4

RB – Maurice Jones-Drew, Jaguars, 74.93

FB – Greg Jones, Jaguars, 38.71

WR – Reggie Wayne, Colts, 98.8

WR – Pierre Garcon, Colts, 95.5

TE – Owen Daniels, Texans, 79.13

C – Brad Meester, Jaguars, 100

G – Wade Smith, Texans, 100

G – Uche Nwaneri, Jaguars, 100

G – Jake Scott, Titans, 100

T – Jeff Linkenbach, Colts, 100

T – Michael Roos, Titans, 100

A few notes:

Chris Johnson was the only back other than MJD to play as much as 60 percent of his team’s snaps (70.23).

Jones was the only fullback to play at least a third of his team’s snaps. Houston’s James Casey was next in fullback playing time, working 32.39 percent of the Texans’ snaps.

Wayne missed just 12 snaps and Garcon only 44 for the Colts. They are both heading for unrestricted free agency, and if both are lost that’s a lot of playing time to fill in. The next biggest number for a receiver in the division? The Titans' Nate Washington at 82.9.

Daniels didn’t beat out Jacksonville’s Marcedes Lewis (76.75) by much. I’d bet guessing the No. 3 tight end would be tough. Prove me wrong in the comments section below.

Two other offensive linemen narrowly missed 100 percent: Titans guard Eugene Amano missed only one play and Colts center Jeff Saturday was off the field for just six.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Marcedes Lewis’ 2011 offseason was supposed to catapult him to new heights.

Coming off 10 touchdowns, he signed up for MMA training through Jay Glazer of Fox. And when he signed a five-year deal worth over $34 million a couple days into camp, the Jaguars were figuring they’d locked up a productive staple.

But Lewis’ follow-up campaign was a big disappointment -- down 19 catches, 240 yards and all 10 touchdowns. I wrote during the season that but for Titans running back Chris Johnson's struggles after signing a bigger deal, Lewis would have been ripped nationally.

What happened to that difference the MMA training was supposed to make?

“We put him in the best position we could physically. You could see him in camp physically just crushing people,” Glazer said. “Obviously having a young quarterback (in Blaine Gabbert), those two guys just never got on the same page. They just never got in a rhythm there.

“It’s a mental game, too. He had a bunch of distractions, he was distracted from doing what he was expected to do, and he knew it, too. He’s going to work with us again this year. I’ll tell you what, the fighters loved him more than anybody we ever worked with. He picked things up so much faster, he was the biggest freak of nature. If you go watch him early in camp and the preseason, especially in blocking, he was killing people. Just killing people.

“A lot of times guys have stuff off the field that affects them. We try to teach our guys that you’ve got to use that field or that cage as an oasis and nobody can touch you. But nobody knows what goes on. There are a lot of extenuating circumstances for guys.”

In re-drafting the 2006 draft, Mel Kiper’s looking at the promise of guys going forward and their worth and he’s not really factoring in team needs.

Here’s what he did for the AFC South.

1) Houston Texans -- Haloti Ngata, DT Oregon

Kiper: “He's played in 94 of 96 possible regular season games, plays a premium position, is a Pro Bowl shoo-in and would dominate in any system. Safe to say the guy Ray Lewis pushed for to free up the Baltimore linebackers has worked out just fine, and the future holds plenty more.” Previous draft spot: No. 12

Kuharsky: If we are living in a fantasy land where we simply add the new pick, subtract the old pick and head into 2012, then wow. Defensive tackle is the only “weak” spot in the Texans' front seven. Add Ngata and this group would be off the charts.

3) Tennessee Titans, Maurice Jones-Drew, RB, UCLA

Kiper: “Coming off a year in which he was close to unstoppable even within an offense that was far too easy to stop, Jones Drew has over 1,700 yards more than any other running back in this draft class after six years. Given his body type, he could be good for another five years, which puts him in elite territory historically.” Previous draft spot: No. 60

Kuharsky: The Titans were quarterback desperate but Kiper's not looking at that as much as Jones-Drew would be a perfect power-running game for Jeff Fisher or Mike Munchak. If we’re ignoring need and heavily weighing what’s to come, wouldn’t Jay Cutler be better? (He lasts until the Raiders at No. 7.)

28) Jacksonville Jaguars, Marcus McNeill, OT, Auburn

Kiper: “Really hope that McNeill can come back in 2012 fully healthy. At his best, he's a big-time talent at left tackle, and his play early in his career made that clear. He drops some here because it's hard to project if he'll be at that level again.” Previous draft spot: No. 50

Kuharsky: With McNeill and Eugene Monroe as tackles, the Jaguars could kick Eben Britton inside or concentrate on building up an interior that could protect Blaine Gabbert in addition to blocking for Jones-Drew.

30) Indianapolis Colts, Danieal Manning, S, Abilene Christian

Kiper: “This is a player who cracks the first round because I still think his best is yet to come. Manning has been a solid return man, but his play in the secondary has been underrated, and he had a solid year for the Texans.” Previous draft spot: No. 42

Kuharsky: It’s funny, their own find at safety, Antoine Bethea, is gone three picks earlier in this scenario. Manning would be a nice fit going forward paired with Bethea, as rebuilding/replenishing the secondary is a big key for the revamping Colts.

Beyond Jones-Drew and Danieal Manning, eight other players currently in the AFC South made Kiper’s redrafted first round:

5) Mario Williams (DE, NC State) to the Green Bay Packers

16) DeMeco Ryans (LB, Arizona) to the Miami Dolphins

18) Johnathan Joseph (CB, South Carolina) to the Dallas Cowboys

24) Eric Winston (OT, Miami) to the Cincinnati Bengals

25) Marcedes Lewis (TE, UCLA) Pittsburgh Steelers

26) Owen Daniels (TE, Wisconsin) to the Buffalo Bills

27) Antoine Bethea (CB, Howard) to the Carolina Panthers

32) Cortland Finnegan (CB, Sanford) to the New York Giants

We’ll wait until next week to start building the All-AFC South Team, and you’ll have a big chance to offer input there.

This week we’ll pass out hardware for individual awards.

Drum roll please:

Player of the year: Johnathan Joseph, Texans cornerback. Runner up: Brian Cushing, Texans inside linebacker.

Joseph, Cushing and Antonio Smith were the players I sorted through here, and you can make a case for any of them. While the Texans were a better defense at every level, it was the secondary that had the biggest room for improvement. Joseph’s ability to match up with a team’s best receiver eased the pressure on everyone else in the secondary and helped transform a miserable pass defense into an excellent one. In the Texans’ playoff loss in Baltimore he blanketed Ravens receiver Torrey Smith, rendering him a non-factor.

Offensive player of the year: Maurice Jones-Drew, Jaguars running back. Runner up: Arian Foster, Texans running back.

It’s hard to fathom that Jones-Drew was the NFL rushing champ considering that defenses could regularly key on him without fear of any real threat from the passing offense, which ranked dead last in the NFL. He showed no signs of wearing down and averaged 100 yards a game. It felt like a waste on a five-win team. Foster missed some action early with hamstring issues or he would have likely challenged Jones-Drew in rushing yards. He’s a tremendous combination of power and speed and does excellent work as a pass catcher.

Rookie of the year: J.J. Watt, Texans defensive end. Runner up: Brooks Reed, Texans outside linebacker.

Watt was installed as a starter the moment the Texans drafted him and was an impactful player from his first snap. A relentless player, he was a force against the run and the pass and played beautifully in concert with the rest of the defensive front. His ability to get his hands on balls at the line of scrimmage turned into a monumental interception return for a touchdown in the playoff win over Cincinnati. Reed filled in very well after Mario Williams was lost for the season and may actually help the team decide Williams is expendable.

Best assistant coach: Wade Phillips, Texans defensive coordinator. Runner up, Mel Tucker, Jaguars defensive coordinator.

Phillips was a factor in the personnel decisions that brought Joseph, Danieal Manning, Watt and Reed into the fold for Houston. In his first year as defensive coordinator, he injected a huge dose of confidence into the Texans defenders and wisely drew up schemes that featured guys’ strengths and marked their weaknesses. The sort of turnaround the defense made in one year is practically unheard of. In Jacksonville, Tucker was given a huge boost with new personnel, but as he took over play-calling from Jack Del Rio, he excelled.

Best position coach: Dave Ragone, Titans receivers coach. Runner up, Vance Joseph, Texans secondary coach.

Ragone had no experience working with receivers coming into this job, but did fantastic work. He deserves a great deal of credit for the vast improvement and maturation of Nate Washington and the emergence of Damian Williams as a threat and Lavelle Hawkins as a guy who did some good things with the ball in his hands. In his first season with the Texans, Joseph helped some guys regain confidence while overseeing a successful move of Glover Quin from corner to strong safety.

Executive of the year: Rick Smith, Texans general manager.

He had lots of help, but completely nailed free agency, signing Joseph and Manning rather than Nnamdi Asomugha. And the top of the draft was fantastic, with Watt and Reed. As Houston suffered injuries at running back, receiver, linebacker and even punter, the Texans showed good depth and an ability to fill in holes with quality outsiders.

Best unit: Texans offensive line. Runner up: Texans linebackers.

Led by center Chris Myers, who may be the division’s most unsung player, Houston’s offensive line blocked consistently well for the run game and protected three different quarterbacks well. Left tackle Duane Brown and right tackle Eric Winston both earned mentions on various All-Pro teams. Antoine Caldwell filled in nicely when Mike Brisiel missed time at right guard. The Texans linebackers, even without Mario Williams, did spectacular, work stuffing the run and swarming quarterbacks all season long.

Worst unit: Jaguars receivers. Runner up: Colts cornerbacks.

Mike Thomas might be a No. 2 receiver and can certainly be a good No. 3, though his play in 2011 dropped off after he got a contract extension. But Jason Hill, who started as the No. 2 guy, wound up getting cut and guys like Jarett Dillard, rookie Cecil Shorts, Chastin West and Kassim Osgood did little to show they were NFL-caliber guys. Blaine Gabbert suffered the consequences. The Colts were insufficiently stocked at corner, though Jacob Lacey bounced back well late in the season after he was benched.

Most improved: Nate Washington, Titans receiver. Runner up: Connor Barwin, Texans outside linebacker.

Washington’s maturation was remarkable. An excitable guy really calmed down and settled in working under offensive coordinator Chris Palmer and Ragone and with Matt Hasselbeck. Washington figured to be better with those guys while working as the No. 2 behind Kenny Britt, but Britt was lost for the season early on and Washington wound up with a 1,000-yard season and seven touchdowns. I give him the nod because I didn’t believe he had untapped upside. That was not the case with Barwin, who the Texans have expected to be a pass-rushing force since they drafted him in 2009.

Most disappointing: Chris Johnson, Titans running back. Runner up: Marcedes Lewis, Jaguars tight end.

I don’t care what sort of defenses are offered up for Johnson. He simply did not run as hard after coming out of a holdout with a giant new contract. There were other issues, but too often he appeared to lack fire and desire. In the rare instances he wound up in a one-on-one situation he was hardly the threat he’s been in the past. If he doesn’t bounce back in 2012, the contract will turn out to be disastrous. Lewis was supposed to be transformed by his MMA training during the lockout. If it impacted him, it made him worse. Expecting another 10 touchdowns was unreasonable. Producing none was unacceptable.

Best position revamp: TIE, Jaguars safeties and Texans safeties.

Both teams were terrible at the position a year ago and despite a draft class that was incredibly thin, reshaped the spot with great results. The Texans shifted Quin from cornerback and he was very solid alongside free-agent addition Manning. The Jaguars signed Dawan Landry from Baltimore and traded for Dwight Lowery, shifting a guy who’d played mostly corner to play with Landry. Applause to both teams for fine work addressing a trouble position.

Surprise of the year: T.J. Yates, Texans quarterback.

The finish in the playoff loss to Baltimore was a big disappointment. But Yates took over a good team when Matt Schaub and Matt Leinart went down in quick succession and played beyond what could reasonably be expected from a fifth-round rookie quarterback.

Colt of the year: Pat Angerer, middle linebacker.

As Indianapolis was not mentioned here at all, we create this category for the Colts. Angerer showed himself to be a quality starter who has to be in the lineup going forward. That may mean the end of Gary Brackett, the veteran middle linebacker who was hurt in Week 1 and missed the season. Angerer is a rangy, instinctive player who’s sure to impress new general manager Ryan Grigson.

» NFC Wrap-ups: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Arrow indicates direction team is trending.

Final Power Ranking: 27
Preseason Power Ranking: 19

Biggest surprise: The Jaguars added six new veterans to their lineup of top-12 defensive players and once the group jelled it played very productively. Jacksonville finished sixth in overall defense, making giant strides from 2010 and maintaining the gain even as it lost a load of quality contributors to injury. Defensive coordinator Mel Tucker, who finished the season as interim coach after Jack Del Rio was fired, did good work in his first season as the defense's playcaller. Middle linebacker Paul Posluszny was the sort of centerpiece tackling machine the team envisioned when signing him away from Buffalo as a free agent.

Biggest disappointment: The Jaguars didn’t intend for rookie QB Blaine Gabbert to start 14 games before they felt he was ready to take over. But by cutting David Garrard (who later wound up having back surgery) just a week before the season started and bailing quickly on veteran Luke McCown, they went against their own plan and paid a huge price for it. Jacksonville’s pass offense was worse than anyone could have anticipated, averaging just 136.2 yards per game. The NFL’s best passing offense in New Orleans averaged 334.2. Gabbert may not have been much better operating behind better protection and with more dangerous weapons at receiver, but it sure would have been good for him to have had a chance to find out. Tight end Marcedes Lewis killed the team with his disappearing act after he got his payday.

Biggest need: While the defense will need a pass-rushing end and at least one cornerback, the attention has to be focused on the offense. Mike Thomas was the team’s No. 1 receiver in 2011 but slumped badly after he got a contract extension and was not equipped to work as the primary guy. He should be the third option in 2012, working primarily out of the slot. The Jaguars need big, fast and physical receivers who can threaten downfield and go get the ball for Gabbert or whoever winds up playing quarterback.

Team MVP: Unquestionably, running back Maurice Jones-Drew. He’s just the fifth back since the NFL-AFL merger in 1970 to lead the league in rushing on a team with the NFL’s worst passing offense. That means with no threat to keep defenses honest, he ran consistently against stacked boxes and still produced in a giant way. There are always worries about wear and tear on him, yet he finished very strongly with no sign of tapering off. The Jaguars need to get other guys who are good with the ball in their hands so they can rely on him less, extend his window, and increase the chance he’s on a winning team.

Still searching for pressure: How long have the Jaguars needed a consistent pass-rush threat off the edge? It seems they are always looking. Jeremy Mincey is a great, high-energy player, but he’d benefit greatly from having a player opposing offenses have to game plan around. Yes, the franchise missed badly when it traded up to No. 8 for Derrick Harvey in the 2008 draft and counted on its second pick the same year, Quentin Groves, to help rush too. They are mistakes they still haven’t made up for. Knee injuries and rehabilitation have meant Aaron Kampman has played in only 11 games in two seasons and will be hard to bank on.

» NFC Stock Watch: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

FALLING

1. The Houston Texans' confidence: They will say otherwise, but coming off of two bad losses the Texans have to be wondering about themselves. They got pushed around by Carolina, and their vaunted defense fell apart in the final minutes, allowing the Colts to drive to a game-winning touchdown. I was among those questioning this team’s mental makeup coming into the season. I thought they’d answered that question resoundingly as they ran away with the division. Is it creeping back in now?

2. The Jacksonville Jaguars’ dealings with tight ends: Marcedes Lewis will be a headliner on the AFC South All Disappointment Team, and if not for Chris Johnson, he’d be the captain. Saturday in Nashville, he pulled up on one ball across the middle for fear of a hit from notorious thumper Michael Griffin, the Titans safety (#sarcasm). On the other end, the defense let Tennessee’s Jared Cook run wild. The coverage call on Cook’s 55-yard touchdown pass that sent the safeties wide and left middle linebacker Paul Posluszny covering Cook deep down the middle was disastrous.

3. The Houston Texans’ third-down offense: On last week’s list, it was third-down defense. The Colts allowed them just one conversion in 10 chances, and that one came on a pass that bounced off Antoine Bethea twice. This team can win with games centered on defense and the run game. But if the offense can’t convert third downs and stay on the field for some extended drives, the strain on those two areas becomes too much and the margin of error shrivels.

RISING

1. Reggie Wayne, Indianapolis Colts wide receiver: He talked leading up to the Colts' home finale about wanting to go out with a bang in case it turned out to be his last game as a Colt at Lucas Oil Stadium. I saw one early route where I thought his effort was questionable. But he sure cranked it up as Dan Orlovsky threw his direction 14 times. He pulled in eight receptions for 106 yards and cradled the game-winning touchdown after a 1-yard catch that provided the winning margin for Indianapolis in its second consecutive win. He’s heading toward free agency and it’s clear he can still produce. How much longer is the question.

2. The Tennessee Titans’ discipline: Mike Munchak has preached discipline from his first day as the Titans coach. Saturday, when he didn’t get a postgame question about a penalty-free performance, he didn’t leave the podium before jokingly pointing it out. It was the first time the franchise didn’t draw a flag in a game since 1972. Meanwhile the Titans benefited from six calls against the Jaguars that gave Tennessee 28 yards and three first downs.

3. Jared Cook, Tennessee Titans tight end: Following the best game for a tight end in franchise history -- 169 yards -- he’s in range of the franchise record for tight end receiving yards in a season. He’s a receiver-like threat who I believe has been under-used by offensive coordinator Chris Palmer and quarterback Matt Hasselbeck since Kenny Britt went down early in the season. Cook killed the Titans with a lost fumble in the loss at Indianapolis. The effort against the Jaguars was an excellent rebound. The Titans need to find ways to get him the ball Sunday at Reliant Stadium.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — And now a few thoughts about tight ends.

They’ve figured prominently in the first half of the Jaguars-Titans game. Tennessee leads 17-10.

Jared Cook, who’s not lived up to expectations this season, has found seam after seam and has six catches for 136 yards and a touchdown for Matt Hasselbeck and the Titans.

Marcedes Lewis, who’s not lived up to expectations this season, pulled up on a ball he could have caught for the Jaguars out of fear of a hit from Michael Griffin. Griffin’s hardly been doling out giant pops this season. Blaine Gabbert’s gotten one catch out of Lewis, same as Zach Potter and half as many as Colin Cloherty.

The Titans should continue to attack using Cook, who’s gotten himself in one-on-one situations with middle linebacker Paul Posluszny, who’s not equipped to survive such a matchup.

It was unreasonable to expect Lewis to pull in 10 touchdowns this season the way he did last season. But certainly he should have more than zero, and he should be a featured piece of an offense severely lacking at receiver.

Thoughts on the Jaguars’ 41-14 loss to the Falcons at the Georgia Dome:

What it means:The Jaguars fell to 4-10 as they were completely handled in Atlanta. Sunday they’d broken through with a 41-14 home win over the Buccaneers. Four days later they lost by the same score to a team that looks to be heading into the NFC playoff field. In receivers Roddy White (10 catches, 135 yards, two touchdowns) and Julio Jones (five, 85, one) the Falcons and quarterback Matt Ryan have just the sort of weapons the Jaguars need but lack. Shahid Khan, just approved by NFL owners to purchase the Jaguars and take over Jan. 4, was in attendance and saw in person just how far off his new team is.

What I didn’t like: The Jaguars plan and play-calling looked to have no confidence in Blaine Gabbert and he showed why. Five sacks were partly on him and partly on his pass protection. But the pocket presence that’s been an issue all season wasn’t any better, and he lost two fumbles while throwing a pick (on a ball bobbled by Marcedes Lewis) and a touchdown (to Chastin West well after the game was out of reach).

Knocked out: Right tackle Guy Whimper struggled again, this time with defensive end John Abraham. Abraham knocked Whimper from the game with a knee sprain when he sacked Gabbert and forced a fumble that defensive tackle Corey Peters recovered and returned 13 yards for a third-quarter touchdown that made it 34-0. Abraham finished with 3.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. I don't know why the Jags wouldn't try Cameron Bradfield the rest of the season even if Whimper is healthy.

What I want to know: How Maurice Jones-Drew can gain yards when a defense has no fear of getting beat by the pass. He carried 17 times for 112 yards.

Something on special teams: For the second game in a row, special teams provided something big. Kassim Osgood blocked a punt that Zach Potter recovered and returned for a 46-yard touchdown that ensured Jacksonville wouldn’t be shutout. It was one of a handful of good moments on an ugly night.

What’s next: The Jaguars have a long break before they return to action with a trip to Nashville for a rematch with the Titans. Jacksonville beat the Titans 16-14 at EverBank Field on opening day.

Thoughts on the Jaguars’ 41-14 win over the Buccaneers at EverBank Stadium:

What it means: The Jaguars got their fourth win of the season and first under interim coach Mel Tucker in what had to be a cathartic day for a team that had lost three in a row and endured the firing of Jack Del Rio and the news that the team was being sold. Tucker got an ice water bath at the end. The Jaguars showed they can still play with life, can still beat another bad team and can, as is often the case, get massive production out of Maurice Jones-Drew. He turned 33 touches into 136 yards and four touchdowns.

What I liked: The defense had five guys in the starting lineup who weren’t slated to start at the beginning of the season and still managed three sacks, three interceptions, six forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries (with special teams contributing, too).

What I also liked: Offensive production from people and places other than Jones-Drew. Blaine Gabbert threw two touchdown passes to MJD, the rookie quarterback's second week in a row with two TD strikes. He also made a great deep throw to Marcedes Lewis for a 62-yard gain and found receiver Jarett Dillard five times. Running back DuJuan Harris got just one carry, but took it 24 yards.

What I want to know: If this win changes anything for most people when they learn the Jaguars will be in the Thursday game this week, their second prime-time appearance in three weeks. Rhetorical question, as I know few people outside of Northern Florida excited to see a 4-9 team.

What’s next: The Jaguars have a quick turnaround, playing Thursday night at the Georgia Dome against the Atlanta Falcons.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jaguars blew a great chance to take control of their game against the Texans in the first half, but perhaps an injury to Matt Leinart creates the possibility of a rare comeback.

Houston’s top-ranked defense hardly looks worthy of the standing.

At the half, it’s 20-10 Texans.

Jacksonville put together an excellent second-quarter drive with consecutive plays of 31 yards, 25 yards and 14 yards. But a wide open Marcedes Lewis dropped a touchdown pass from Blaine Gabbert and the Jaguars had to settle for a 10-7 lead off a field goal.

Things went south from there.

• A 42-yard punt return from Jacoby Jones put the Texans in great field position and set up a 2-yard Leinart to Joel Dreessen touchdown pass.
• Gabbert forced a deep ball up the right side where three defenders were around Jason Hill. Johnathan Joseph’s 29-yard return set up a Neil Rackers 53-yard field goal.
• Josh Scobee missed a 55-yard field goal wide right with 1:45 left in the first half.
• Jeremy Mincey knocked Leinart out of the game, at least temporarily. The Texans have not officially disclosed what the injury is, but it looked to be his throwing shoulder. T.J. Yates took over for the remainder of the final drive, which produced a 33-yard Rackers field goal and the 10-point halftime lead.

» NFC Stock Watch: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

FALLING

1. Marcedes Lewis, Jacksonville Jaguars tight end: This offseason MMA training was supposed to transform him and take his game to another level. That’s great if his hips are opening up better, but does it matter if he’s not catching the ball and if he hasn’t earned the confidence of the team’s rookie quarterback, Blaine Gabbert? If Tennessee’s Chris Johnson wasn’t getting all the attention, there would have been far more attention on Lewis’ poor production and we’d be asking the same question: Did he get happy and relax after landing a big contract at the start of training camp? Blocking well is not enough. This team expected and deserves more.

2. The Colts' decision to IR Kerry Collins: Look, the veteran quarterback wouldn’t automatically be fixing all that’s wrong with the Colts. But if his concussion has cleared up he’d sure provide a better alternative right now to Curtis Painter than Dan Orlovsky does. And if Collins were available and could put together one steady game with some big pass plays mixed in, the Colts would have their chance to win a game. Instead, they’re choosing between two bad options and are going to be hard-pressed to find a victory.

3. The Texans’ confidence, potentially: They’re coming off a fourth straight win and feeling great and, bam, bad news about their quarterback. Matt Schaub’s done with a foot injury. The Texans are saying all the right things and I believe they do believe in Matt Leinart. But take a team heading for the playoffs and maybe even a first-round bye and tell it the quarterback who got it there is out, and it has to have a psychological effect. We’ve questioned the mental makeup of this team in this space before. The Texans seem to be making big strides in that department, and they’ve overcome the loss of significant guys in Mario Williams, Andre Johnson and Danieal Manning. But Schaub is a different deal. The quarterback is the centerpiece and he’s been steering things very well. Doubt can creep in.

RISING

1. The importance of everyone surrounding the quarterback for Houston: Leinart could do just fine as he steps in for the injured Schaub the rest of the way. But when the Texans start out with him in the huddle on Nov. 27 in Jacksonville, everyone else needs to make him as comfortable as possible. That means a continued excellent run game, behind continued great blocking from a line that also needs to protect well. It means reliable routes and catches from everyone in the Texans’ big stable of pass targets. The more they can do to ease him in, the better.

2. Tennessee Titans linebackers: Akeem Ayers, Will Witherspoon and rookie fill-in Colin McCarthy were active and effective for the Titans in Carolina in a very good collective effort. There was better work going on in front of them as the pass rush had its best day of the season. The Titans dragged Cam Newton down five times. McCarthy was solid in the middle playing for the injured veteran Barrett Ruud. Mike Munchak said Ruud (groin) will be back in when he’s ready, but McCarthy could get additional work in some packages.

3. Jeremy Mincey, Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end: He continues to get better, and on a defense with some veterans who were brought in with big contracts, he’s providing valuable energy as an edge rusher. In Indianapolis, he made a great spin move to get inside on Anthony Castonzo for the first sack, he helped Daryl Smith put Painter down to share a sack and got around the corner and swiped a fumble free from Orlovsky in the fourth quarter.

Reading the coverage ...

Houston Texans

Teammates feel badly for Matt Schaub, who’s out with a foot injury, says John McClain of the Houston Chronicle. “He’s worked so hard to get us to this point,” tight end Joel Dreessen said. “Everything he did for us during the lockout, well, he was just starting to reap the rewards of so many tough seasons, and then this happened.”

We don’t know what Matt Leinart is capable of, says Richard Justice of the Chronicle. All the opinions are based on nothing concrete.

Leinart came to Houston to resurrect his career, “and for the next six games he’ll be driving one of the league’s top offenses in the fast lane of Resurrection Boulevard,” says Jerome Solomon of the Chronicle.

Andre Johnson was stunned by the news on Schaub but still feels good about the Texans’ future, says Mark Berman of Fox Houston.

Rookie T.J. Yates now moves up to the backup role, says McClain.

Indianapolis Colts

The Colts will consider turning things over to Dan Orlovsky at quarterback, says Mike Chappell of the Indianapolis Star.

Bill Polian’s talked to Peyton Manning about the Colts drafting a quarterback and the veteran said he’s OK with it, says the Star. A recap of Polian’s radio show.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Rashean Mathis tore his ACL on a pretty innocuous play. Now he, offensive lineman Eben Britton and linebacker Kyle Bosworth are on IR, says Vito Stellino of the Times-Union.

Jack Del Rio has tired of answering questions about Marcedes Lewis’ failures in the passing game, says Stellino.

Things John Oehser of jaguars.com learned out of the game in Indianapolis.

Tennessee Titans

Colin McCarthy was good as a fill-in, but he won’t displace Barrett Ruud from the lineup, says Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean.

The Texans don’t look as intimidating at the top of the division with Schaub hurt, writes Wyatt.

Every year isn’t going to be filled with huge runs for Chris Johnson, according to Mike Munchak. David Boclair of The City Paper writes about it.

Jack Del Rio said Wednesday that rookie quarterback Blaine Gabbert has done difficult things well but needs to do simpler things better.

Like what?

How about short throws?

ESPN Stats and Info says on passes that have traveled less than 10 yards in the air, Gabbert has completed just 60 of 120 throws with one touchdown and one interception. His passer rating (60.9) and QBR (27) in such circumstances are the worst numbers in the league among 34 quarterbacks that have logged substantial playing time.

He’s 10-for-10 on screens for 92 yards with far better ratings -- a 39.3 QBR and a 105.0 passer rating.

So why aren’t the Jaguars throwing far more screens?

They prefer to talk of their entire group of pass catchers than just of their receivers, but running back Maurice Jones-Drew and tight end Marcedes Lewis are down in terms of receptions. And those guys should be the centerpieces of the simple stuff for Gabbert.

Jones-Drew has just 12 catches for 85 yards and no touchdowns midway through his season after 34 for 317 and two touchdowns a year ago.

Lewis has 15 receptions for 174 yards and no scores a year after he caught 58 passes for 700 yards and 10 touchdowns.

If they are being well covered underneath, then there should be more available further downfield for Gabbert, and we know there has not been.

So while I’m a proponent of opening things up for Gabbert in the second half of the season, the route to doing do may actually start with more effective work on the short stuff.

The Next Level statistical packet produced each week by ESPN Stats & Information is a veritable treasure trove.

The packet and I spent some quality time together this morning.

Our big theme out of it shall be yards after the catch. AFC South teams are excellent in the category on both sides of the ball.

Among players with nine catches of more, the division boasts some guys who’ve done very well after the catch:

• Texans RB Arian Foster is first with a 15.3-yard average after the catch.
• Texans FB James Casey is second with 13.4.
• Jaguars RB Deji Karim is tied for fifth at 12.3.
• Jaguars RB Maurice Jones-Drew is 14th at 10.3

In overall YAC, the Jaguars are getting 50.1 percent of their yards in the passing game after the catch, the fifth-most in the league. The Colts are seventh (48.5), the Texans are eighth (48.3) and the Titans are ninth (48.0).

I’m a bit surprised here. YAC is usually a product of well-thrown balls that lead targets into open spaces and explosive players who are able to take advantage. But the Jaguars and Colts have inexperienced quarterbacks and the Jaguars and Titans lack explosive playmakers.

"Good YAC really tells me is that there is most likely very good quarterback play in terms of accuracy and hitting guys in stride....but I'm not sure how much that describes the quarterbacks in your division," said Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. "Hasselbeck and Schaub qualify. Playing calling also has a ton to do with it. Bubble screens/slants/etc. are going to yield more YAC than out routes."

Three of the teams are also good at limiting yards after the catch, which also surprises me as I don’t think the Jaguars (tied for fourth with a 6.4 yard YAC average), the Texans (tied for sixth at 6.6) and the Titans (tied for 10th) rank as great tackling teams though they can be good at rallying to the ball.

The Colts and Patriots are the league’s worst teams at defending yards after the catch, allowing an average of 8.5.

Other Next Level nuggets of note:

• Matt Hasselbeck is second in the league in the red zone, with a 122.5 passer rating and a ridiculous 96.3 QBR while Matt Schaub is 23rd, at 74.9 and 15.5.
• Blaine Gabbert is averaging 8.9 yards per pass in the air. He’s throwing on third-and-long a lot. But Jones-Drew and Marcedes Lewis should make for quality targets on short throws and help drive that number down. Curtis Painter is at 8.4, Hasselbeck and are at Schaub 8.1.
• Reggie Wayne (53), Mike Thomas (52) and Pierre Garcon (51) rank eighth, ninth, and tied for 10th in targets.
• Jones-Drew has five carries inside the 3-yard line for negative-9 yards and no touchdowns. Delone Carter has three carries for 4 yards and two touchdowns. Painter has two carries for no yards.
• Six of Jacksonville’s seven interceptions have come when it’s rushed four or fewer.
• Eleven of Houston’s 19 sacks have come when it’s rushed four or fewer.
• When the Colts rush five or more defenders, they are allowing quarterbacks to complete 62.8 percent of their passes, have no interceptions and one sack. When they rush four or fewer, they are allowing a league-worst 75.5 completion percentage with three interceptions and 10 sacks. They’ve rushed a defensive back once all season. (Jacksonville is tied for the second fewest rushes by a defensive back with 11.)
• The Texans have used two tight ends on 323 plays, 65 more than the New England, which ranks second. The Titans have used two tight ends on 68 plays, the second fewest in the NFL.