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Houston Texans

Houston has signed five members of its 2012 draft class: center Ben Jones, receiver Keshawn Martin, defensive end Jared Crick, kicker Randy Bullock and tackle Nick Mondek.

Coach Gary Kubiak told James Casey that the team plans to use him as both a fullback and tight end this season, reports the Houston Chronicle's John McClain. "He’s going to play everywhere,” Kubiak said. “He’s our starting fullback. He’s a starting [tight end] if we go to two tights. It’s still about versatility with James.”

Indianapolis Colts

The Colts begin organized team activities Tuesday at the Indiana Farm Bureau Complex.

The Colts suffered more than their fair share of injuries in 2011, continuing a trend going back to 2006, writes Stampede Blue's Brad Wells.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Coach Mike Mularkey likes Blaine Gabbert's ability to deal with criticism, something he had to do a lot during his rookie season. Mularkey: "I give him credit for handling the negativity -- I haven't seen it affect him."

With Josh Scobee out in a contract impasse, the Jaguars signed former Georgia kicker Brandon Coutu for a look during OTAs, which begin Tuesday.

Scobee and running back Maurice Jones-Drew are not expected to attend OTAs, reports the Florida Times-Union's Tania Ganguli.

Tennessee Titans

The Titans reportedly hosted veteran safeties Yeremiah Bell and Chris Crocker on Tuesday, reports the Tennessean's Jim Wyatt.

Coach Mike Munchak said receiver Kenny Britt, who's recovering from ACL and MCL surgery, may need a second procedure on his knee before he's ready to play this season, reports Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.

Kicker Rob Bironas, coming off one of his best seasons, credits his consistency on the field to plenty of rest off of it, writes Wyatt.

Monday we presented the All AFC-South offense. Today we move to defense and special teams.

I felt like there was a worthy candidate at every spot, and beyond wrestling with choosing between Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis for a defensive end spot, I didn’t have any gigantic struggles.

To accommodate the personnel of the 3-4 Texans along with the 4-3 Colts, Texans and Titans, we created a 12-man defense with four linemen and four linebackers. It seemed like a fair approach to me that stops short of bastardizing the team.

DEs: Houston rookie J.J. Watt was a giant presence from the start, serving as a key piece of the team’s revamped front. He was easily the division’s rookie of the year. Mathis gets the nod over Freeney but it could have gone either way. They both had fewer chances because teams threw less against them, but remained quite effective.

DTs: Antonio Smith of the Texans played end in base and tackle in nickel and his versatility was really highlighted in the 3-4 system. Casey was not at a similar level, but the Titans rookie was a stout and reliable run-stopper.

OLBs: The Jaguars were stacked at linebacker thanks to their free-agent shopping. On an upgraded defense, Daryl Smith really got to show himself a fine player. In Houston, Connor Barwin blossomed into an 11.5-sack guy who was constantly around the quarterback.

ILBs: Brian Cushing was a terror for the Texans, proving an excellent fit as an inside backer for Wade Phillips. At his best, he was something to behold. The same can be said for Jacksonville’s Paul Posluszny. He gave the Jaguars everything they were looking for in terms of production and leadership as a free-agent acquisition.

CBs: Houston’s Johnathan Joseph was the AFC South MVP in my eyes. The Texans hit a home run by adding Joseph, a settling force in the secondary who played sticky coverage all season. Tennessee’s Cortland Finnegan didn’t produce on the same level, but his willingness and ability to shift inside and play a physical brand of nickel was a positive factor for the Titans' defense.

S: The Texans' move of Glover Quin from nickel corner to strong safety worked out beautifully and they are trend-setters in terms of having guys with corner skills playing in the middle of the field. He was steady and productive. Dwight Lowery showed good smarts and awareness for the Jaguars at a spot that was a huge hole the previous season. Signing him will be a priority.

K: Rob Bironas of the Titans missed just three field goals all season. While Jacksonville’s Josh Scobee missed only two, he tried fewer. And Bironas had a division-high 44 touchbacks

P: The Colts' Pat McAfee gets the edge over the Titans' Brett Kern in a very close race. Punting out of trouble was more important more often for Indianapolis, and McAfee’s net average was hurt by less than stellar coverage but shouldn’t offset his slightly bigger leg.

PR, KR: There was no outstanding work done in these spots for anyone in the division, so we pretty much go chalk. Tennessee punt returner Marc Mariani led in punt return average and Jacksonville kick returner Deji Karim led the division in kick return average.

ST: Kassim Osgood of the Jaguars continued to be a top guy in coverage work.

Many NFL awards have been doled out, but I know the top players from the division still await our All-AFC South Team.

So it’s time to set about putting it together.

Here you’ll see my initial sketch of the team. The players I’ve added, in my eyes, are unquestionably worthy of spots on the team. Debate their presence if you are so compelled.

But I am most interested in your help filling in the blanks.

Last year showed I am willing to leave a spot blank if we don’t have a quality person to insert into the lineup.

The Texans’ change to a 3-4 defensive front provided a new wrinkle. My solution? We make the defense 12-players deep, with four linemen and four linebackers. That allows us to mix the personnel of three 4-3 fronts with the Texans’ 3-4 front and come out with a satisfactory team.

In my eyes, with apologies to the Colts' Pat Angerer, the linebacker slots are fairly easy to fill.

You can have significant influence over my thinking as the final team is formulated. As of now, I intend to post it on Friday.

So hop into comments here and make a case for your man. Or men. Thanks in advance for your part in it.

Voting results for the AP's All-Pro Team, with players from the AFC South highlighted. A panel of 50 media members elects the team.

OFFENSE

Quarterback: Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay, 47.5; Drew Brees, New Orleans, 2.5.

x-Running backs: Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville, 40; LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia, 29; Ray Rice, Baltimore, 24; Arian Foster, Houston, 3; Frank Gore, San Francisco, 1; Matt Forte, Chicago, 1; Darren Sproles, New Orleans, 1.

Fullback: Vonta Leach, Baltimore, 42; John Kuhn, Green Bay, 6; Marcel Reece, Oakland, 2.

Tight end: Rob Gronkowski, New England, 44.5; Jimmy Graham, New Orleans, 5.5.

Wide receivers: Calvin Johnson, Detroit, 49; Wes Welker, New England, 23; Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona, 15; Victor Cruz, New York Giants 9; Steve Smith, Carolina, 2; Jordy Nelson, Green Bay, 1; Mike Wallace, Pittsburgh, 1.

Tackles: Jason Peters, Philadelphia, 27; Joe Thomas, Cleveland, 19; Duane Brown, Houston, 11; Joe Staley, San Francisco, 11; Eric Winston, Houston, 10; Jake Long, Miami, 5; Jermon Bushrod, New Orleans, 3; Andrew Whitworth, Cincinnati, 3; Bryan Bulaga, Green Bay, 3; Michael Oher, Baltimore, 2; Jared Veldheer, Oakland, 2; Tyron Smith, Dallas, 1; Anthony Davis, San Francisco, 1; Jordan Gross, Carolina, 1; Michael Roos, Tennessee, 1.

Guards: Jahri Evans, New Orleans, 29; Carl Nicks, New Orleans, 27; Marshal Yanda, Baltimore, 17; Logan Mankins, New England, 10; Brian Waters, New England, 5; Chris Kuper, Denver, 4; Davin Joseph, Tampa Bay, 3; Chris Snee, New York Giants, 2; Evan Mathis, Philadelphia, 2; Mike Iupati, San Francisco, 1.

Center: Maurkice Pouncey, Pittsburgh, 13; Ryan Kalil, Carolina, 11; Nick Mangold, New York Jets, 11; Chris Myers, Houston, 7; Scott Wells, Green Bay, 7; John Sullivan, Minnesota, 1.

Placekicker: David Akers, San Francisco, 32; Sebastian Janikowski, Oakland, 14; Rob Bironas, Tennessee, 1; Matt Bryant, Atlanta, 1; Matt Prater, Denver, 1; Josh Scobee, Jacksonville, 1.

Kick returner: Patrick Peterson, Arizona, 33; Devin Hester, Chicago, 10; Darren Sproles, New Orleans, 3; Ted Ginn. Jr., San Francisco, 2; Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh, 1; Joe McKnight, New York Jets, 1.

DEFENSE

Ends: Jared Allen, Minnesota, 49; Jason Pierre-Paul, New York Giants, 34; Justin Smith. San Francisco, 9; Jason Babin, Philadelphia, 7; Elvis Dumervil, Denver, 1.

Tackles: Haloti Ngata, Baltimore, 38; Justin Smith, San Francisco, 35; Geno Atkins, Cincinnati, 9; Richard Seymour, Oakland, 5; Vince Wilfork. New England, 5; B.J. Raji, Green Bay, 1; Calais Campbell, Arizona, 1; Henry Melton, Chicago, 1; Mike Patterson, Philadelphia, 1; Sione Pouha, New York Jets, 1; Jay Ratliff, Dallas, 1; Ndamukong Suh, Detroit, 1; J.J. Watt, Houston, 1.

Outside linebackers: Terrell Suggs, Baltimore, 47; DeMarcus Ware, Dallas, 42; Tamba Hali, Kansas City, 4; Von Miller, Denver, 4; Clay Matthews, Green Bay, 2; Sean Weatherspoon, Atlanta, 1.

Inside linebacker: Patrick Willis, San Francisco, 32; NaVorro Bowman, San Francisco, 16; Derrick Johnson, Kansas City, 16; Brian Cushing, Houston, 13; London Fletcher, Washington, 8; Ray Lewis, Baltimore, 3; Brian Urlacher, Chicago, 3; Daryl Washington, Arizona, 3; Lance Briggs, Chicago, 2; D'Qwell Jackson, Cleveland, 2; DeMeco Ryans, Houston, 1; Lawrence Timmons, Pittsburgh, 1.

Cornerbacks: Darrelle Revis, NY Jets, 48; Charles Woodson, Green Bay, 19; Johnathan Joseph, Houston, 18; Carlos Rogers, San Francisco, 10; Champ Bailey, Denver, 3; Brandon Flowers, Kansas City, 1; Charles Tillman, Chicago, 1.

Safeties: Troy Polamalu, Pittsburgh, 29; Eric Weddle, San Diego, 20; Ed Reed, Baltimore, 17; Earl Thomas, Seattle, 16; Kam Chancellor, Seattle, 5; Adrian Wilson, Arizona, 4; Dashon Goldson, San Francisco, 3; Jairus Byrd, Buffalo, 2; Bernard Pollard, Baltimore, 2; Roman Harper, New Orleans, 1; Tyvon Branch, Oakland, 1.

Punter: Andy Lee, San Francisco, 29; Shane Lechler, Oakland, 20; Britton Colquitt, Denver, 1.

x-one voter selected only one running back.

Mark Simon of ESPN Stats & Information puts in solid time tracking punters, and he named the Titans' Brett Kern his punter of the day for his work against the Texans in Houston.

A new NFL single-season record for gross punting yards was set Sunday, and Kern did his part: He averaged 47.7 gross yards and 45.8 net yards, with four of his six punts were downed inside the 20-yard line.

Kern had two giant fourth-quarter punts when the game was tied -- a 48-yarder to the Texans’ 13-yard line and a 52-yarder to the Texans’ 5.

Kern averaged a career-best 39.4 yards in his fourth season. He came on strong at the end of the season, posting a net average of 45.0 or better in three of his last five games.

His inside-the-20/touchback ratio was a superb 18:1 over the last seven games of the season. It was 13:6 in first nine games.

Kern tweeted Monday morning about a franchise-best: “Woke this morn to find out we broke the franchise record for net punting!! Team accomplishment that shows the pride they take in their jobs”

While he and place-kicker Rob Bironas had fine seasons, the Titans' special teams were a constant source of disappointment in the discipline department for Mike Munchak is his first season as head coach.

While the Raiders set penalty records, it was the Titans who drew the most flags on special teams, as you can see in the accompanying charts.

Twenty-nine penalties for 269 yards -- those are ridiculous numbers.

Special teams are always loaded with backups and young players, and the Titans clearly didn’t teach their backups and young players well enough about how not to get called for blocks in the back and a variety of other stuff.

It has to be a major point of emphasis going forward.

» NFC Pro Bowl: East | West | North | South » AFC Pro Bowl: East | West | North | South

Perfect sense: Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew and Texans running back Arian Foster are two of the AFC’s running backs, although Baltimore’s Ray Rice is the starter. MJD is on the verge of his first rushing title a season after Foster led the league in ground yards. Johnathan Joseph qualifies as one of the best veteran additions in the league, and deserves his spot as a backup to Darrelle Revis and Champ Bailey.

Made it on rep: Indianapolis defensive end Dwight Freeney is the division’s lone starter. He remains a premier pass-rusher who is very tough to block. The past two weeks when the Colts have won showed how feared he and Robert Mathis remain, as the Titans and Texans were overeager to get the ball out of the quarterback’s hand. But on one of the league’s worst teams, Mathis might have had a better season. And while Antonio Smith and J.J. Watt of the Texans are 3-4 ends who don’t get the glory that comes with taking the quarterback down as often, a case could be made for either as a bigger contributor to his team’s success this season.

Got robbed: The Texans are currently the No. 2 defense in the NFL and have been in the top slot for much of the season. Four Houston defenders -- outside linebacker Connor Barwin, inside linebacker Brian Cushing, Smith and Watt -- are alternates, although we don’t yet know where in the pecking order. While outside linebacker is loaded and it’s tough for 3-4 ends to get in, Ray Lewis has missed a lot of action with a toe injury. I suspect both Cushing and Jacksonville's middle linebacker, Paul Posluszny, have been more influential for their teams this season. Texans center Chris Myers should represent one of the league's best offensive lines. The Titans got no one on the initial roster. Kicker Rob Bironas has been remarkable and qualifies as their best candidate. But the AFC’s kicker, Oakland’s Sebastian Janikowski, has certainly had a big year.

Click here for the complete 2012 Pro Bowl roster.

Long distance field-goal attempts are finding their way through the uprights at a fantastic rate.

Mark Simon of ESPN Stats & Information says overall field-goal attempts are being converted at nearly 86 percent, which would break the season record of 84.5 in 2008.

The NFL success rate on field-goal attempts of 40 to 49 yards this season is 78.0 percent, a rate that would be better than the current mark of 74.5 percent set in 2008.

And the success rate on kicks of 50 yards or more is 71.4 percent.

According to Simon, if kickers maintain their current success rate and pace (45 field goals of 50+ yards in 116 games), it’s possible for there to be 100 field goals made from at least 50 yards this season. The current pace would produce 99. That would shatter the current mark of 66 makes from 50-plus yards set in 2008.

The AFC South fraternity of kickers is doing its part to contribute to the big numbers.

• Jacksonville’s Josh Scobee is 9-for-9 on attempts of 40 yards or longer (including 5-for-5 from 50-plus)
• Tennessee’s Rob Bironas is 4-for-5 from 40 yards or longer (including 2-for-3 from 50-plus)
• Indianapolis’ Adam Vinatieri is 4-for-6 from 40 or longer (including 2-for-3 from 50-plus)
• Houston’s Neil Rackers is 2-for-4 (including 1-for-1 from 50-plus)

That’s 19-for-24 combined, a rate of 79.2.

Not too shabby.

Simon said historically percentages don't drop off, though I would think some cold-weather games would make it more difficult to maintain the pace. But only six of the AFC South's remaining 33 games look to have a chance of being played in real winter weather.

PITTSBURGH -- The angry words built up in a somber locker room, and reserved players contemplating an awful loss started to spit them out.

The Tennessee Titans were “disgusted” over their 38-17 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field. They were ticked off that they “got kicked around" and were recipients of “an old-fashioned butt whooping.”

“They kicked our butts and we kicked our own butts,” defensive end Dave Ball said, referring to a scene where Jim Carrey’s character beats himself up in a bathroom in the movie “Liar Liar." "It was a perfect s--- storm."

But Ball and others who so eloquently discussed the result were quick to sandwich it with resolve regarding the potential for it to be duplicated.

“You’re not going to see this Titans team again,” Ball said. “I guarantee that. You’re not going to see the same thing happen again.”

Tennessee is 3-2 heading into its bye, and with Houston, Jacksonville and Indianapolis all dropping games too, the Titans didn’t lose any ground in the AFC South standings.

“That’s good,” quarterback Matt Hasselbeck said.

That’s about all that’s good from the day.

A look at three elements of the disaster:

The start: Tennessee marched 69 yards on 13 plays on a game-opening drive but stalled badly in the red zone with two penalties, an incomplete pass and a sack.

Rob Bironas' 29-yard field goal felt like a win for the Steelers, and when Antonio Brown returned the ensuing kickoff 52 yards to midfield, things really started to lean in Pittsburgh’s favor.

“After that we really stalled,” Hasselbeck said. “We didn’t look like we looked on the first drive.”

The Titans' next five series produced two first downs and 49 yards. It was 28-3 by the time they put together another effective drive.

The timing was off, with Hasselbeck frequently throwing behind guys -- some of it inaccuracy, some of it bad communication or lingering unfamiliarity. The team was in two-minute drive mode starting with its second drive of the second half.

“I just have more questions than answers right now,” Hasselbeck said.

Coach Mike Munchak didn't like the idea that a field goal instead of a touchdown was that big a letdown at the start.

"I hope we're not going to go into the tank because we got held to three points instead of seven," he said.

It wasn't the only reason but it helped.

Ben Roethlisberger: Cornerback Cortland Finnegan knew the Titans were thoroughly outplayed, but the corner who picked Roethlisberger's one really bad pass raised his eyebrows in surprise when he was told the Steelers' quarterback threw five touchdowns.

Coming into Pittsburgh, the Titans had faced Luke McCown, Joe Flacco, Kyle Orton and Colt McCoy. Hardly a murderer’s row of quarterbacks.

The Steelers smartly adjusted their offense for their quarterback, who has a sprained left foot. He didn’t hold the ball for a long time and scramble around like he typically does. He got rid of it pretty quickly while benefiting from some max protection that aided a beat-up line.

In such circumstances, the defense then needs to keep things in front of it, hit pass-catchers quickly and limit first downs.

The Titans didn’t.

“They used a different game plan than last week against the Texans,” end Jason Jones said. “They were going to max protect or they were going to get it out quick. We had our opportunities to get to him and didn’t. But it was dink and dunk and max protect.”

Rookie defensive tackle Jurrell Casey had the Titans' lone sack.

Special teams: The Steelers crushed the Titans with that big kickoff return from Brown and a fake punt where Daniel Sepulveda threw a 33-yard pass to Ryan Mundy.

Even when the Titans did good things on special teams, they turned bad.

The Titans recovered a third-quarter onsides kick after cutting the lead to 28-10, but Steelers defensive end Brett Keisel got a piece of Hasselbeck’s throw on the very next play and LaMarr Woodley picked it off. When linebacker Tim Shaw blocked a Sepulveda punt in the fourth quarter, Finnegan returned it 30 yards for a touchdown. But an illegal block in the back call against Jamie Harper wiped away the score.

“It’s a three-phase game, and special teams we’ve got to pick it up,” said linebacker Gerald McRath. “We’ve definitely got to pull our weight. We let the team down.”

Moving forward ...

The Titans pulled off a 3-1 first-quarter record after dropping their opener with a lousy performance in Jacksonville. Hasselbeck said they hope to match it in the season's second quarter. They'll have to win three in a row at home after their bye to do so: against Houston, Indianapolis and Cincinnati.

That good start began to create some hype, and the Titans said they hadn’t bought in. But if any self-satisfaction had crept in anywhere, the Steelers snuffed it out.

“I just feel that you can feel people patting you on the back and that’s not what helps you win games,” Hasselbeck said. “I think typically what helps you in games is hard work and feeling like you’ve got something to prove and feeling like you’ve got to give everything you’ve got.

“I’m just slow to accept that stuff.”

After this dud, you can see why that’s the safe route.

You see them in headphones, walking into the stadium, heading from the locker room to the field, as they stretch and run and get ready for kickoff.

Before the iPods are turned off and put away, what’s the last song the Titans listen to in order to get in the right frame of mind?

Build a playlist based on this if you dare:

Cornerback Cortland Finnegan: Eminem, “Lose Yourself”

“He talks about one shot or one opportunity. Sometimes in a game it’s that one shot that may change around the game, may win the game or lose the game for you.”

Linebacker Akeem Ayers: Jay-Z and Kayne West, “Gotta Have It”

“I just like the beat. It kind of loosens me up, gets me ready to play, puts me in a good mood.”

Defensive tackle Shaun Smith: Meek Millz, “I’m a Boss”

“It just gets me going, gets me all riled up in a zone and I just go out there and do what I do.”

Fullback Ahmard Hall: Fred Hammond, “They That Wait”

“It gets me motivated. Reminds me what to do, how to conduct myself.”

Defensive end Dave Ball: Metallica, “The Day That Never Comes”

“Just a good pump up song.”

Safety Michael Griffin: Yo Gotti, “Look in the Mirror”

“Hype song. Gets your blood flowing.”

Receiver Nate Washington: Fred Hammond, “Always Remember Jesus”

“It just keeps me humble. It always helps me remember who I am and the ability that I have to go out and play football.”

Tight end Jared Cook: Killer Mike, “God in the Building”

“It’s hip-hop song but it’s God-based.”

Receiver Kenny Britt: Drake, “Headlines”

“He talks about how a lot of people tell him he fell off and things like that and that’s something he needed to hear. That lines up with me and helps motivate me.”

Quarterback Jake Locker: Montgomery Gentry, “Something to be Proud of”

“It just reminds me of the people in my life that have allowed me to have the opportunity to go out and compete. It reminds me I am playing not only for myself, but for a lot of people in my life.”

Running back Javon Ringer: Deltrick Haddon, “Mighty God”

“It just helps me feel better than listening to a bunch of rap. I can’t really get into all the lyrics and what people are talking about in the rap songs. I like to listen to gospel music and get my mind right. It kind of helps me get focused more than a bunch of swearing.”

Guys who go against the grain:

Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck: I might have to change this. What I do is I put headphones on and I don’t plug them into anything, so people don’t talk to me. I kind of just like the quiet. I get hyped up for a game, but I am not covering kicks. I need to be relaxed and calm and thinking clearly. I just sort of like the noise cancellation.”

Linebacker Barrett Ruud: “Just whatever I feel like listening to. I’m a shuffle guy. I don’t really use it to get excited. If I am listening to music, it’s usually just to pass the time. Grateful Dead, Van Morrison, the Allman Brothers, The Black Keys, The White Stripes.”

Kicker Rob Bironas: “I usually drive in listening to Channel 59 XM, The Highway. It’s country music, today’s top hits. Then whatever they are playing at the stadium is my pump-up music.”

Linebacker Will Witherspoon: “I’m a sleeper. I have about a 30 minute nap before a game. I don’t listen to anything.”

Reading the coverage ...

Houston Texans

Matt Leinart is super critical of himself, says Jerome Solomon.

Johnathan Joseph is on track to come back from his groin injury, says John McClain.

Richard Justice’s interpretation of Gary Kubiak’s comments is that Kareem Jackson is keeping his job.

Indianapolis Colts

Jim Irsay is The Riddler of NFL owners, says Bob Kravitz.

No veteran free-agent quarterback had been added to the roster by late Monday. That might be an indication that privately the team is confident Peyton Manning will be ready for the opener, or that a targeted free agent wasn't interested in being an insurance policy, says Mike Chappell.

Athlon asks if Manning is overrated.

Scott Bolander is convinced the Colts already know Manning will be ready. But Nate Dunlevy points out that they may just be preparing poorly for the possibility of Manning’s absence.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Paul Posluszny wants to prove he's worth the Jaguars’ investment, says Tania Ganguli.

Scotty McGee wants it bad, Jack Del Rio says, according to Vito Stellino. We need to see more than desire for him to make the team, however.

Tennessee Titans

Kenny Britt faces the commissioner today, says Jim Wyatt.

Mike Munchak ended camp a day early and gave his players a day off, says John Glennon.

Former Titans special-teamer Donnie Nickey has some serious criticism about the relocated kickoff, says Wyatt.

Rob Bironas has become a permanent fixture, says David Boclair.

A few quick thoughts from the Tennessee Titans' 17-16 loss at the Edward Jones Dome against the St. Louis Rams Saturday night:

The veteran quarterback: Matt Hasselbeck was very good again, with seven completions in nine attempts for 74 yards. He’s done well to find a rhythm with his new team and the Titans should have gotten more than 13 points while he was in game. Still, three scoring drives in the first three possessions with him at quarterback is a nice development. He left the game after getting the wind knocked out of him when his neck was bent awkwardly as he went to the ground on a hit. But indications are that he is fine.

The rookie quarterback: Jake Locker did not do well when he took over for Hasselbeck. His first throw, however, was a perfectly placed pass up the right side on a roll out to Jared Cook, who made a great stretching catch. Locker finished, however, 8-for-18 for 82 yards and an overthrow interception. A week after he posted a passer rating of 130.8 his number was 35.0. Undrafted receiver James Kirkendoll should have held on to a touchdown throw that would have helped things a great deal.

Bad start: The first play from scrimmage brought back memories of last season when the secondary struggled. Cortland Finnegan let Brandon Gibson go, thinking he was passing him to a safety. But there was a mix up and Michael Griffin wasn’t close. So Sam Bradford hit Gibson for an 83-yard touchdown. Finnegan looked great in the slot as a rusher, with multiple impact blitzes that caused the Rams problems.

Also: Rookie corner Tommie Campbell actually looked to be in good position on a Donnie Avery 19-yard touchdown catch from A.J. Feeley but didn’t find the ball. … The Titans are running and defending screens far better than they did in the 2010 season. ... Rookie linebacker Colin McCarthy had a sack and was among the team’s most active defenders in the second half. … Kicker Rob Bironas looked to get on track with field goals of 46, 25 and 23 yards.

It’s called fantasy football for many reasons, and one of those reasons is we can discuss a new top 200 list in June during a lockout. You know it’s allowing you to adjust your cheat sheets.

Here’s the AFC South representation on ESPN.com’s new pre-free agency list. They’ve used “fa” to denote scheduled free agents. We will leave them on even though we know players like Mike Sims-Walker, Randy Moss and Vince Young are leaving Jacksonville, Tennessee and Tennessee, respectively

• 2 -- Arian Foster, HOU
• 3 -- Chris Johnson, TEN
• 5 -- Maurice Jones-Drew, JAC
• 9 -- Andre Johnson, HOU
• 22 -- Peyton Manning, IND
• 28 -- Reggie Wayne, IND
• 47 -- Matt Schaub, Hou
• 50 -- Dallas Clark, IND
• 57 -- Kenny Britt, TEN
• 63 -- Austin Collie, IND
• 82 -- Pierre Garcon, IND
• 83 -- Joseph Addai, IND-fa
• 87 -- Owen Daniels, HOU
• 94 -- Randy Moss, TEN-fa
• 103 -- Mike Thomas, JAC
• 105 -- Marcedes Lewis, JAC
• 126 -- David Garrard, Jac
• 138 -- Vince Young, Ten
• 143 -- Rashad Jennings, JAC
• 151 -- Neil Rackers, HOU
• 154 -- Rob Bironas, TEN
• 163 -- Ben Tate, HOU
• 172 -- Mike Sims-Walker, JAC-fa
• 181 -- Jared Cook, TEN
• 190 -- Adam Vinatieri, IND-fa
• 194 -- Jacoby Jones, HOU-fa

I wouldn’t touch Moss at 94, which is where I start to have some issues with this list. From what I saw up close, he’s finished. There are offensive coaches scattered around the country who were part of Jeff Fisher’s staff who would say the same.

Other thoughts:

• Of the guys rated above 90, Kenny Britt is probably the riskiest. Will he walk the straight line and can you count on him to produce week-to-week?
• Marcedes Lewis is too low. He’s going to remain the prime red-zone passing target. He’s going to be in amazing shape. I see a lot of guys I’d take him ahead of ranked above him (Beanie Wells? Seattle's Mike Williams? Moss?).
• David Garrard, meanwhile, seems too high at 126, though he is the 20th quarterback. I suppose if you draft your backup in the 12th round (in a 10-team league) that’s OK.
• It’s kind of silly to even play pretend with the likes of Joseph Addai, Moss, Sims-Walker, Young, Adam Vinatieri or Jacoby Jones at this point with no idea about where they will land.
• I think Mike Thomas is probably going to be a pretty good value if he’s the 103rd player taken.
• I’d go with Ben Tate as a reserve running back ahead of Rashad Jennings, just based on the mystery connected to Tate, who was hurt and lost for the year early last season.
• The best breakout candidate here is probably Jared Cook. You can certainly take a flier on him earlier than 181st knowing the Titans intend to feature him.

While Colts vice chairman Bill Polian told Ian Rapoport "the stars will still shine" with NFL kickoffs being moved up to the 35-yard line, it's a rule change that will benefit teams like Indianapolis who do not have particularly threatening return games or tight coverage.

Likewise, it will hurt a team like the Titans, who sent rookie return man Marc Mariani to the Pro Bowl last season.

It should do a great deal to help the division's kickers grow their touchback number, as all four were in the top half of the league in the category last season.

Here are the 2010 touchback numbers for the AFC South kickers, with the percentage of the team's total kickoffs that were touchbacks:

• Rob Bironas, Tennessee, 17 (22.4)
• Pat McAfee, Indianapolis, 16 (17.6)
• Josh Scobee, Jacksonville, 15 (19.7)
• Neil Rackers, Houston, 13 (15.1)

After being struck recently with how the NFL's labor rift has been cast as billionaires vs. millionaires, I thought I’d look at some players' salaries.

Totaling-up career earnings is quite difficult, and bonus money can be hard to nail down and sort through.

We can still get an interesting snapshot by looking at scheduled 2011 base salaries. I suspect many readers will be surprised that the vast majority of players will earn less than $1 million this fall.

Here, according to the NFLPA, are the players from each AFC South team currently scheduled to make a base salary of $1 million or more in 2011. Keep in mind guys in line for some form of free agency are not part of things here.

Fifty-three of 216 players under contract are slated to make $1 million or more. That’s 24.5 percent of the division.

Houston Texans

• DE Mario Williams -- $13.8 million
• WR Andre Johnson – $7.2 million
• QB Matt Schaub -- $5.7 million
• LB DeMeco Ryans -- $5 million
• DE Antonio Smith -- $4.6 million
• RT Eric Winston -- $4.5 million
• DT Amobi Okoye -- $2.95 million
• C Chris Myers -- $2.75 million
• QB Dan Orlovsky -- $2.75 million
• K Neil Rackers -- $2.15 million
• G Wade Smith -- $1.75 million
• WR David Anderson -- $1.44 million
• RB Steve Slaton -- $1.2 million

Total base salaries of $1 million or more: 13

Total players under contract for 2011: 49

Percentage of roster making $1 million or more: 26.5

Indianapolis Colts

• DE Dwight Freeney -- $11.42 million
• CB Kelvin Hayden -- $6.105
• WR Reggie Wayne -- $5.95 million
• RT Ryan Diem -- $5.4 million
• FS Antoine Bethea -- $4.745 million
• TE Dallas Clark -- $4.2 million
• DE Robert Mathis -- $2.41 million
• C Jeff Saturday -- $2.4 million
• LB Gary Brackett -- $2 million
• LB Philip Wheeler -- $1.2 million
• WR Anthony Gonzalez -- $1.11 million

Total base salaries of $1 million or more: 11

Total players under contract for 2011: 57

Percentage of roster making $1 million or more: 19.3

Jacksonville Jaguars

• QB David Garrard -- $7.975 million
• CB Rashean Mathis -- $4.45 million
• LB Daryl Smith -- $4.2 million
• RB Maurice Jones-Drew -- $4.05 million
• FB Greg Jones -- $3.1 million
• DE Derrick Harvey -- $2.8025 million
• DE Aaron Kampman -- $2.45 million
• G Vince Manuwai -- $2.9
• K Josh Scobee -- $2 million
• OL Justin Smiley -- $2 million
• C Brad Meester -- $1.95 million
• WR Kassim Osgood -- $1.475 million
• LT Eugene Monroe -- $1.2425 million

Total base salaries of $1 million or more: 13

Total players under contract for 2011: 51

Percentage of roster making $1 million or more: 25.5

Tennessee Titans

• QB Vince Young -- $8.5 million*
• SS Chris Hope -- $6.5 million
• WR Kenny Britt -- $5.75 million
• LT Michael Roos -- $5 million
• G Jake Scott -- $4.7 million
• RT David Stewart -- $4.5 million
• DT Tony Brown -- $4 million
• WR Justin Gage -- $3.5 million
• FS Michael Griffin -- $3.3105 million
• WR Nate Washington $3.3 million
• CB Cortland Finnegan -- $3.293 million
• DT Jovan Haye -- $3 million
• C Eugene Amano -- $2.68 million
• K Rob Bironas -- $2.4 million
• DB Vincent Fuller -- $2.06 million
• LS Ken Amato $1.05 million

Total base salaries of $1 million or more: 16

Total players under contract for 2011: 59

Percentage of roster making $1 million or more: 27.1

*Young will be cut or traded, the Titans have announced.

Here's the complete list of All-Pro voting results, with AFC South players highlighted:

OFFENSE

Quarterbacks

Tom Brady, 50.

x-Running Backs

Arian Foster, Houston, 45; Jamaal Charles, Kansas City, 33; Michael Turner, Atlanta, 8; Adrian Peterson, Minnesota, 6; Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville, 5.

y-Fullback

Vonta Leach, Houston, 17; Ovie Mughelli, Baltimore, 13; Le'Ron McClain, Baltimore, 7; Lawrence Vickers, Cleveland, 4; Greg Jones, Jacksonville, 4; Michael Turner, Atlanta, 1; Jason Snelling, Atlanta, 1; John Kuhn, Green Bay, 1; Marcel Reece, Oakland, 1.

Tight End

Jason Witten, Dallas, 36; Antonio Gates, San Diego, 8; Marcedes Lewis, Jacksonville, 3; Vernon Davis, San Francisco, 2; Rob Gronkowski, New England, 1.

Wide Receivers

Roddy White, Atlanta, 47; Reggie Wayne, Indianapolis, 18; Brandon Lloyd, Denver, 10; Calvin Johnson, Detroit, 8; Dwayne Bowe, Kansas City, 8; Andre Johnson, Houston, 5; Greg Jennings, Green Bay, 2; Mike Wallace, Pittsburgh, 2.

Tackles

Joe Thomas, Cleveland, 22; Jake Long, Miami, 21; Jason Peters, Philadelphia, 11; Sebastian Vollmer, New England, 7; D'Brickashaw Ferguson, N.Y. Jets, 6; Donald Penn, Tampa Bay, 5; Andrew Whitworth, Cincinnati, 5; Kareem McKenzie, N.Y. Giants, 4; Jordan Gross, Carolina, 4; Chad Clifton, Green Bay, 4; Marshal Yanda, Baltimore, 2; David Stewart, Tennessee, 2; Michael Roos, Tennessee, 1; Michael Oher, Baltimore, 1; Tyson Clabo, Atlanta, 1; Matt Light, New England, 1; Sam Baker, Atlanta, 1; Damien Woody, N.Y. Jets, 1; Eric Winston, Houston, 1.

Guards

Jahri Evans, New Orleans, 24; Logan Mankins, New England, 15; Chris Snee, N.Y. Giants, 14; Carl Nicks, New Orleans, 13; Brian Waters, Kansas City, 12; Kris Dielman, San Diego, 9; Josh Sitton, Green Bay, 5; Brandon Moore, N.Y. Jets, 3; Ryan Lilja, Kansas City, 3; Steve Hutchinson, Minnesota, 1; Rich Seubert, N.Y. Giants, 1.

Center

Nick Mangold, N.Y. Jets, 37; Maurkice Pouncey, Pittsburgh, 11; Casey Wiegmann, Kansas City, 1; Alex Mack, Cleveland, 1.

Placekicker

Billy Cundiff, Baltimore 24; David Akers, Philadelphia, 10; Sebastian Janikowski, Oakland, 4; Rob Bironas, Tennessee, 4; Matt Bryant, Atlanta, 4; Adam Vinatieri, Indianapolis, 3; Neil Rackers, Houston, 1.

Kick Returner

Devin Hester, Chicago, 43; Leon Washington, Seattle, 4; Jacoby Ford, Oakland, 2; Marc Mariani, Tennessee, 1.

DEFENSE

Ends

Julius Peppers, Chicago, 35; John Abraham, Atlanta, 21; Justin Tuck, N.Y. Giants, 16; Osi Umenyiora, N.Y. Giants, 9; Dwight Freeney, Indianapolis, 7; Trent Cole, Philadelphia, 4; Jason Babin, Tennessee,2; Jared Allen, Minnesota, 2; Robert Mathis, Indianapolis, 1; Cameron Wake, Miami, 1; Vince Wilfork, New England, 1; Justin Smith, San Francisco, 1.

Tackles

Haloti Ngata, Baltimore, 45; Ndamukong Suh, Detroit, 30; Vince Wilfork, New England, 15; Kyle Williams, Buffalo, 3; Justin Smith, San Francisco, 2; B.J. Raji, Green Bay, 1; Casey Hampton, Pittsburgh, 1; Jonathan Babineaux, Atlanta, 1.

z-Outside Linebackers

Clay Matthews, Green Bay, 39; James Harrison, Pittsburgh, 31; DeMarcus Ware, Dallas, 9; Cameron Wake, Miami, 9; Tamba Hali, Kansas City, 7; Lance Briggs, Chicago, 2; Terrell Suggs, Baltimore, 1.

q-Inside Linebacker

Patrick Willis, San Francisco, 28; Jerod Mayo, New England, 21; Brian Urlacher, Chicago, 20; Ray Lewis, Baltimore, 18; Lawrence Timmons, Pittsburgh, 8; Jonathan Vilma, New Orleans, 1; Derrick Johnson, Kansas City, 1; A.J. Hawk, Green Bay, 1.

Cornerbacks

Nnamdi Asomugha, Oakland, 20; Darrelle Revis, N.Y. Jets, 19; Devin McCourty, New England, 17; Charles Woodson, Green Bay, 14; Asante Samuel, Philadelphia, 12; Tramon Williams, Green Bay, 8; Brent Grimes, Atlanta 3; DeAngelo Hall, Washington, 2; Champ Bailey, Denver, 2; Joe Haden, Cleveland, 1; Brandon Flowers, Kansas City, 1; Antoine Winfield, Minnesota, 1.

Safeties

Troy Polamalu, Pittsburgh, 47; Ed Reed, Baltimore, 41; Nick Collins, Green Bay, 4; Darren Sharper, New Orleans, 1; Antrel Rolle, N.Y. Giants, 1; Malcolm Jenkins, New Orleans, 1; Michael Griffin, Tennessee, 1; Eric Weddle, San Diego, 1; Chris Harris, Chicago, 1; Michael Huff, Oakland, 1; Quintin Mikell, Philadelphia, 1.

Punter

Shane Lechler, Oakland, 34; Mat McBriar, Dallas, 11; Sam Koch, Baltimore, 3; Donnie Jones, St. Louis, 2.

Key:

• x-three voters selected only one running back.
• y-one voter selected did not vote for a fullback.
• z-two voters selected only one outside linebacker.
• q-two voters selected only one inside linebacker.