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Yes, the start of training camps is two months away, but it’s never too early to consider the coming season. A look at the best-case and worst-case scenarios for the Texans in 2012.

Dream scenario (12-4): Quarterback Matt Schaub and receiver Andre Johnson return from injuries and have exemplary seasons, providing big plays that sync up beautifully with another excellent campaign by running back Arian Foster. New starters at right guard and right tackle take over and play well, and the offensive line continues to be a team strength, providing time for Schaub and room for Foster. They show it’s about the scheme and players with the traits that fit it, not necessarily about the specific people in the lineup.

In conjunction with the excellent offense, Wade Phillips’ 3-4 defense picks up where it left off, swarming opposing quarterbacks and finding big plays that tamp down offenses just about every week.

This talented, deep squad does not get caught up in success and shows it can stand toe-to-toe with teams like the Packers and Patriots. In so doing, the Texans give Houston something it has never had before: a Super Bowl team.

Nightmare scenario (7-9): Schaub either can’t stay healthy or can’t return to form and he or T.J. Yates winds up throwing more to rookie receivers who struggle than to Johnson, who battles another round of leg injuries. The right side of the offensive line proves a huge issue as the team loses any hint of the cohesion that was such a key in 2011. That means trouble for Foster as well, and he doesn’t break through to the second level nearly as often as we’ve become accustomed to.

Defensively, the Texans can’t generate the kind of consistent pass rush they mounted last season as offenses do a better job countering than they did in Phillips’ first season heading up the 3-4. The secondary is asked to hold up too long and an injury to Johnathan Joseph leaves them susceptible at cornerback, the one spot that they lack depth. Opposing quarterbacks find too many big plays against them.

The return games are worse, not better, with Jacoby Jones now playing in Baltimore.

A nearly unanimous pick to win the AFC South before the season, the Texans fail to make the playoffs.

1. Houston Texans: Wade Phillips did some great things with this defense a year ago. But he’s not the only member of the Texans’ organization who deserves credit for an incredibly improved defense from 2010 to 2011. Houston’s front office was very aggressive in addressing the defensive side of the ball last offseason. Now, Houston has big-time players at each level of its 3-4 defense.

For those who don’t yet know, J.J. Watt immediately established himself as one of the up-and-coming defensive players in this league. Not only is Watt is a fantastic hustle player, but he has ideal size and length for his 3-4 defensive end position to go with well above-average athletic ability. Watt will be a star. Like Watt, Brian Cushing did everything asked of him really well from his inside linebacker spot last season and has established himself as one of the better second-level defenders in the league.

Before last season, the Texans paid a premium to sign him, but simply put, Johnathan Joseph is one of the very best cornerbacks in the NFL today. He is the total package and probably the best player on this excellent defense -- which is really saying something. The Texans could use one more cover man to step up, though. Overall, Houston is well-equipped in coverage and of course the pass rush helped a lot in that capacity.

Maybe what the Texans’ defense did best in Phillips’ first year was rushing the quarterback -- even without Mario Williams for much of the season. The Texans did add Whitney Mercilus to further enhance their threat off the edge and Connor Barwin could be knocking on the door of stardom.

Besides the first-round selection of Mercilus, who is in an ideal position to learn the outside linebacker position slowly, the Texans mostly stuck to improving their offense in the draft. However, Houston did land an intriguing prospect to play behind Watt and the underrated Antonio Smith in late fourth-round pick Jared Crick, who is an ideal fit for this defensive scheme. Only the Steelers, 49ers and Raves allowed fewer points than Houston last year. Don’t expect much of a drop-off this year.

2. Jacksonville Jaguars: The AFC South has a shot to have two top-five defenses in 2012. Mike Malarkey takes over as the Jaguars’ head coach, but his focus will be getting quarterback Blaine Gabbert’s career straightened out and improving a dismal Jacksonville passing game.

The defense will be in Mel Tucker’s hands. Tucker wants a fast-flowing, physical and aggressive defense that doesn’t blitz a lot and gets most of its pressure from the defensive linemen. The Jaguars found a gem in Jeremy Mincey, who’s excelled in all facets of playing defensive end in their 4-3 scheme. But this defense really lacked a complementary end to Mincey, especially as a pass-rusher. Jacksonville used the No. 38 pick in this year’s draft on Andre Branch, who could help immediately on passing downs but offers little against the run.

One guy who let this defense down last season is Tyson Alualu, who really had a down 2011 season in all regards. Still, only three teams bettered Jacksonville in rushing yards allowed per attempt in 2011. A vastly underrated positional group in the NFL is the Jaguars’ linebacker corps, especially Daryl Smith, who does everything well on the second level. Paul Posluszny isn’t much behind Smith and was a fine addition to Jacksonville’s defense in free agency a year ago. The Jags’ secondary lacks star power but it is pretty solid at each position. The Jaguars were 10th in the league in points allowed last year. They could improve upon that in 2012.

3. Tennessee Titans: There isn’t a lot of star power here, but the Titans are very young on defense and could be poised to improve. Youngsters Jurrell Casey, Karl Klug, Alterraun Verner, Jason McCourty and others are much better players than many casual NFL fans know. Third-round pick Mike Martin should be the perfect complement to the run-stuffing Casey and the lighter pass-rushing Klug in the Titans’ defensive tackle rotation.

The Titans’ pass rush was a huge problem last season, as only Tampa Bay recorded fewer sacks than Tennessee, but it should be much better this year, especially with the addition of Kamerion Wimbley. Former first-round pick Derrick Morgan also should finally be healthy. This is a key season for Morgan -- and the Titans need more from him.

On the second level, the Titans are now very young and active. Colin McCarthy is a tackling machine and should quickly establish himself as a leader of this defense. Tennessee lost Cortland Finnegan to the Rams in free agency, but overall, their coverage people were above average last season -- despite that suspect pass rush. Finnegan had an excellent season, though, and will be difficult to replace.

The Titans look to be improved up front in their ability to pressure opposing quarterbacks, but not as strong on the back end in coverage. Only seven teams allowed fewer points than Tennessee during the 2011 season. Maintaining that standard could be difficult, but overall, this is a pretty solid group in just about all areas.

4. Indianapolis Colts: The Colts might have the worst defense in the NFL this season. Their run defense was abysmal last season. Indianapolis has nowhere to go but up in this department and additions such as Cory Redding, Brandon McKinney and Josh Chapman should help shore up the run defense at the line of scrimmage. Still, such a drastic scheme change really leaves Indianapolis in a bind on this side of the ball for 2012.

Although the Colts surely will not be playing with the lead as much as they did when Peyton Manning was behind center, the edge pass-rush presence of Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis should still rank among the best in the NFL. Mathis was probably the Colts’ best defensive player last season. He can still get it done. I believe the same is true with Freeney. As good as Freeney and Mathis still are, just the Titans and Buccaneers sacked opposing quarterbacks less than Indianapolis.

Besides Freeney and Mathis, Pat Angerer and especially Antoine Bethea are above-average starters for their respective positions. But outside of these four, the remaining prevalent members of the Colts’ defense are littered with flaws. One player I am very high on is Drake Nevis, but Nevis was drafted to be an upfield disruptive three-technique. The problem here is that if Indianapolis goes with a predominantly 3-4 alignment, Nevis’ great penetrating abilities could be wasted. That is the problem with switching schemes -- players from the former philosophy aren’t well-suited for what the new coaching staff has in mind. This applies to many members of the Colts’ defense, which up until now was a fast-flowing undersized unit built on speed. Now this unit will be building to be much like what Chuck Pagano coached in Baltimore -- and Nevis is one of many examples of the problems with making such a change.

The Colts were not strong at all in coverage last year -- and it doesn’t look as though they will be much improved in 2012. They are particularly weak at cornerback. Indianapolis also had the fewest interceptions in the league last year. Pagano and his defensive staff will be more creative with their looks and pressures, which he hopes will leads to more turnovers created. Getting more Ravens-type of defensive players will be a massive priority for Indianapolis next offseason.

Reading the coverage ...

What to expect from the cornerbacks drafted into the AFC South, from Nate Dunlevy of Bleacher Report.

Houston Texans

Moving on from Neil Rackers, the Texans signed veteran kicker Shayne Graham to compete with draft pick Randy Bullock, says John McClain of the Houston Chronicle. He’s been with four teams the past two seasons and clearly the hope would be that the rookie can seize the job.

Wade Phillips is optimistic about the pass rush the Texans will field this fall, says McClain.

Who is the Texans’ No. 2 receiver? Nate Dunlevy of Bleacher Report considers the question.

Indianapolis Colts

Andrew Luck isn’t going to be able to use Jim Irsay’s plane to help him get together with other Colts before the class of 2012 is finished at Stanford, says Mike Chappell of the Indianapolis Star.

The Colts will return to Anderson University for training camp, with players reporting July 28, says the Star.

What the Colts need to accomplish in 2012 to consider the season a success, from Dunlevy. I’m big on his first point, developing a defensive identity.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Jordan Palmer is in line to be the Jaguars’ No. 3 quarterback, says Tania Ganguli of the Florida Times-Union. Palmer was one of the players the team signed after a minicamp included a bunch of tryout guys.

The Jets, Lions and Titans have expressed interest in recently released cornerback Drew Coleman, according to Kimberley Martin of Newsday. Rex Ryan acknowledged the Jets would look at Coleman, who played well for them before he moved on to Jacksonville.

Tennessee Titans

Running through the post-draft roster and assessing if the Titans got better, stayed the same or got worse through free agency and the draft with Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean.

Wyatt takes a closer look at fifth-round tight end Taylor Thompson.

Three Titans who should be extended in the opinion of Zach Law from Bleacher Report. I’d hold off on Jared Cook.

Grading drafts is one of those things -- a ton of people object to the concept, but then they read every word eagerly.

Acknowledging that, we share what we can from the ESPN.com Insider file of Mel Kiper .

Indianapolis Colts

Overall grade: A-

Kiper: "Think the Colts were concerned about building a supporting cast for Andrew Luck? They showed an unbelievable commitment to Luck, adding the top two tight ends in the draft in Coby Fleener and Dwayne Allen (Luck is used to two-TE sets), a burner in T.Y. Hilton who could become a gem in the slot and even got a possible late steal with Lavon Brazill way down the board. Josh Chapman hits a big need on the interior of that defensive line, and I've even heard really positive assessments of his health situation after he actually played some games without an ACL in 2011. Colleague Trent Dilfer noted that getting all these pass-catching pieces now is a good way to develop early chemistry and give Luck a chance to succeed earlier than we suspected given the state of the lineup going into the draft. I'd make this grade a good one with Luck alone. But the Colts did that one better. They had a plan and I came away impressed."

Jacksonville Jaguars

Overall grade: C

Kiper: "Give the Jaguars credit for hitting needs with their top two picks. Justin Blackmon isn't a guy you want to have to trade up for, but it didn't cost Jacksonville dearly, and the Jaguars had to find a receiver to complement Laurent Robinson. If they didn't get Blackmon or Michael Floyd, they would have been no closer to knowing if Blaine Gabbert can develop into a franchise quarterback. Andre Branch can start early. He's better when he goes wide -- he won't be able to rush through tackles -- but he's a viable guy for a team lacking any punch in the pass rush. Bryan Anger was the top punter on my board, but taking him in the third round, with several guys who profile as potential starting right tackles available? I didn't like that pick. The Jags also didn't adequately address the secondary. Their only pick at corner or safety was Mike Harris. He was my No. 27 corner prospect."

Tennessee Titans

Overall grade: C+

Kiper: "Tennessee goes into 2012 with a vastly improved group of wide receivers. I didn't see this as a top need, but with Kenny Britt back, the addition of Kendall Wright means Jake Locker has the necessary weapons to succeed if he starts the season. If you know you have the weapons, you can better assess if you truly have your franchise quarterback. I can see the strategy. Wright was no steal, however. I thought it was possible he could fall to Round 2. Zach Brown is an athlete, but he's not physical at all. He's better chasing down plays from the weak side than he will be taking on blocks. Taylor Thompson will be a fun one to watch as he converts to tight end. He caught passes there in high school, so it won't be a foreign concept. Coty Sensabaugh has a chance to stick, but I expected earlier urgency for a cornerback. Markelle Martin might be the best value pick for Tennessee at No. 190."

Houston Texans

Overall grade: B

Kiper: "I had Whitney Mercilus as a good fit at defensive end as high as No. 19 with the Bears, so he's a pretty good value at No. 26. He isn't Mario Williams, but the defense made a huge leap in 2011, and the Texans clearly want to make sure Wade Phillips has the tools he needs. He's not a great value at No. 68 overall, but I'm intrigued by the DeVier Posey pick. He had to sit out so many games last year I don't think scouts saw enough of him. He has really good hands, can create some matchup problems, and might be a little underrated in his ability to stretch the field. I also really like Keshawn Martin. He creates space and should stick with this team. Ben Jones and Brandon Brooks help the interior of that offensive line. I was surprised the Texans didn't get a linebacker. At one time I saw Jared Crick as a second-rounder. If he regains form, that's a good value in the fourth."

Take a college defensive end and shift him to outside linebacker in a 3-4, as Houston and Wade Phillips will do with Whitney Mercilus, and the player tends to look a lot stronger.

“Anytime you look at those guys, and they play defensive end in college, they’re going against huge offensive tackles,” Phillips, the Texans defensive coordinator, told the team’s press. “He’s 260 pounds, so they’re not going to look as strong against them with their three-point stance, but they look a lot stronger when they’re rushing the passer on third down in those situations.

“When you play them at outside backer, which we project him as, now he’s playing against tight ends and backs and so forth. You just got to determine there (are) sometimes those guys in college. I had Shaun Phillips who was the same way. They said he was too small because he played against offensive tackles, but he also rushed the passer against those same offensive tackles that are all being drafted, and he beat a lot of them this past year.”

Phillips and the Texans rate Mercilus as a natural pass-rusher, who comes into the league with more experience and skill using his hands than second-round outside linebacker Brooks Reed brought into the NFL a year ago.

Houston’s not concerned that Mercilus only had one year with big production at Illinois.

“But if he did the same thing again for another year, he’d been a top-10 pick (in 2013) without a doubt,” Phillips said. “A lot of people are saying, ‘Yeah, it’s only one year.’ But to me, when a guy shows he can do all those things, I don’t think he’s going to lose that.”

The Houston Texans were fortunate once Mario Williams went down last year.

Connor Barwin and rookie Brooks Reed played too much, but they didn’t just hold up, they excelled. The two outside linebackers in the first-year 3-4 scheme were keys to a consistently swarming pass rush.

They’ll get some relief from the team’s first-round draft pick, Illinois’ Whitney Mercilus. Listed as a defensive end by most, he’s an outside 'backer for Houston.

The Texans thrived largely because of their pass rush in 2011, as they won the AFC South and made the playoffs for the first time. Enhancing the pass rush is never a bad thing.

Undoubtedly, defensive coordinator Wade Phillips endorsed the pick. And he nudged the front office in a good direction last year when J.J. Watt and Reed were the first two picks.

Based on that recent record, I’m inclined to be just fine with this decision, especially with Kendall Wright gone.

The Texans hope to re-sign Barwin, but he’s a year away from free agency and there is no guarantee they are able to keep him. So Mercilus will serve as insurance for that loss, too.

It's a smart brand of roster building that can be beneficial both now and later.

Reading the coverage…

Houston Texans

The Texans are in cap hell, and to avoid it being worse down the road, they’ll have to find a way to sign guys like outside linebacker Connor Barwin and left tackle Duane Brown to avoid free-agency problems in 2013, says John McClain of the Houston Chronicle.

Mario Williams called Gary Kubiak shortly after he reached his deal with Buffalo, says McClain.

The Texans defense will collapse in Year 2 under Wade Phillips, predicts Nate Dunlevy of Bleacher Report.

Indianapolis Colts

Reggie Wayne isn’t ready to say the 2012 season will be a wash, says Phil Richards of the Indianapolis Star. “"I just want to help build that foundation. It's not set in stone we're going to (stink)," Wayne said. "Who knows? We might shock the world. This time next year, you might be writing that these Colts are some bad boys."

Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars might not be finished in free agency, they might just be on pause, says Tania Ganguli of the Florida Times-Union. And interest in Ryan Tannehill in the draft could be advantageous for the Jags, GM Gene Smith said.

Chad Henne’s addition creates competition, not controversy, for the Jaguars at quarterback, writes Vito Stellino.

The Jaguars see Laurent Robinson as a guy on the way up, says John Oehser of jaguars.com.

Tennessee Titans

Tennessee likes the leadership and toughness of new guard Steve Hutchinson, says John Glennon of The Tennessean.

Matt Hasselbeck's been talking with the Titans and understands that the Manning chase is out of his control, says Terry McCormick of titaninsider.com.

A Tennessee House resolution urged Peyton Manning to return to the state, says Chas Sisk. What a silly, hokey, useless waste of time.

The Titans don’t get better with the addition of Hutchinson, says Nate Dunlevy of Bleacher Report.

Gary Horton of Scouts Inc. has surveyed the landscape. If Mario Williams reaches unrestricted free agency, Horton’s written about five good landing places .

No. 4 and No. 5 are from the AFC South.

4. Tennessee Titans

Horton: “The Titans were 31st in the NFL in sacks in 2011, and the tape says that stat is no fluke. They desperately need an impact player to pressure opposing quarterbacks. Although spending big bucks in free agency usually isn't their style, this is a position that would be worth the money because guys like Williams are almost impossible to find. Tennessee seems to be going in the right direction, and Williams could flourish in their 4-3. However, they aren't a true title contender yet, so if Williams wound up here, it might be just about the money.

Kuharsky: Ruston Webster has said a special pass rusher is the one spot where it’s worth overpaying. The thing is he didn’t say “dramatically overpaying” or “overpaying by a ton” and I think that’s the level Williams is going to wind up at.

5. Houston Texans

Horton: “The Texans [presumably can’t] afford to franchise Williams with a price tag over $22 million, so [he’ll be free] to test the market. We know that he has great skills, and he actually looked pretty comfortable transitioning to Wade Phillips' 3-4 defense as a pass-rusher (before he got hurt). However, the fact that the Texans got an unexpected level of production from OLBs Brooks Reed and Connor Barwin in 2011 may make it easier to part ways with such a great player. Williams knows that the Texans are very close to being a special team, one that he helped build. Could that lead to any type of a hometown discount?”

Kuharsky: It sounds great. But that the team didn’t back-load Arian Foster’s contract suggests it’s not trying to create all the room it can this year. And the Texans would be doing that if they were intending to fit Williams onto their roster.

INDIANAPOLIS — With the NFL scouting combine under way, a look at some storylines that will develop at Lucas Oil Stadium and the meeting rooms in the Indiana Convention Center.

Hello Mr. Luck: Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck was here briefly during Super Bowl week for a Gatorade promotion. But his podium session Friday will be viewed as the first of many times he will dissect his play at LOS, which everyone expects will become his home stadium when the Colts draft him first overall at the end of April.

Will the Jaguars fall in love with Quinton Coples? A year ago, virtually every analyst had the Jaguars taking defensive end Ryan Kerrigan in the first round. And that’s what they would have done if they had not jumped up with a trade to take Blaine Gabbert. Now it looks like the team will be paired with North Carolina defensive end Couples. Do the Jags develop the same affection for him that they did for Kerrigan a year ago?

Barron’s health: Mark Barron is recovering from double hernia surgery. Does the lack of field work here and at the Crimson Tide’s pro day affect his draft stock? And can that be a positive thing for the safety-needy Titans, who pick 20th and would have to consider him if he lasted that long? After Barron, the position doesn't offer a great deal in the draft.

Houston’s needs: The Texans are the least likely team in the division to add a significant outsider in free agency, because they have salary-cap issues. Their draft needs could be shaped by what happens with their own pending free agents. If Mario Williams leaves, they’ll need another outside linebacker for their 3-4. If Chris Myers gets away, center becomes an issue. But more than anyone in the division, the Texans should set up to be able to draft the best players they see. Being unpressured by a giant need is always somewhat of a relief.

Learning philosophies: Colts general manager Ryan Grigson and coach Chuck Pagano have been doing a lot of behind-the-scenes work to get their house in order and lay the groundwork for their plans. We should start to learn more about their philosophy and intentions in the coming days. How far can they take a hybrid 3-4 in the first year? What will an offense under a new staff look like? And what kind of players here can make those schemes go?

The influence of Khan: Jacksonville general manager Gene Smith is now preparing for his first draft with a new boss. Shahid Khan has said he’s all in, so the Jaguars could do some significant spending in free agency before the draft arrives. If Smith was lacking in any resources before, such things should not be an issue now.

Webster’s influence: A year ago, Ruston Webster had a big influence over the Titans' draft, and it produced a very good looking class. Now Webster has been promoted to general manager. So this draft won’t only have his fingerprints on it, it’ll have his signature on it. He’s a highly respected personnel man who appears to be a steady, methodical guy who can find productive people who fit what Mike Munchak and his staff want to do.

Phillips’ opinions: In his first year as the Texans' defensive coordinator, Wade Phillips had a big influence on the Texans' draft. End J.J. Watt and outside linebacker Brooks Reed were giant contributors in their rookie seasons. The Texans showed great defensive depth, but can still stock up help at every level of the defense. Can Phillips help general manager Rick Smith and the front office tab a few more top-flight contributors?

Thin spots: Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. says he sees safety as the thinnest overall position and offensive line as less than stellar. That’s bad for Tennessee and Indianapolis as both teams need help at both spots. That’s good for Houston and Jacksonville, which did good work filling safety spots in 2011 and won’t have a lot of offensive line work, though the Jaguars' pass protection needs to improve.

Thoughts about Chuck Pagano’s introductory press conference spun off of tweets from media and bloggers who saw it or heard it, or tried to as I did.

@JacobTamme: Streaming video is refusing to stream.

PK: Same here, bro.

@JMV1070: For those of you that wanted a retread. @JimIrsay said "nope".

PK: Laudable, particularly since the available retreads were not all that attractive.

@mg_indy: Pagano says his first priority is 2 get 2 know each of his players. "Family" & 'trust' thru "relationship building" is very important 2 him

PK: To hear his former players talk about him, his new ones will love him on a personal level.

@AdamsonAshley: Pagano says he wants to get to know every single person here. From the people who cook the food to the people who clean the building.

PK: That’s reverse Bill Polian, who I don’t sense was big on chatting with the cooks or janitors. Maybe that’s unfair. But his was a closed circle.

@chrishaganfox59: Pagano: "be loyal, be trustworthy, be dedicated."

PK: Admirable goals.

@chrishaganfox59: Pagano: "I'm here to serve."

PK: Aiming to serve from a high-ranking post rather than to be served is an incredibly smart approach that I am anxious to see in play. He’s different than Tony Dungy, for sure, but that sure seems like a similarity.

@ACwishtv: Pagano: "We're here to build each other up"

PK: Again, the sort of thing a lot of people will be excited to hear.

@18to88: I resent this talk of culture change within the organization, to be honest. This team did nothing but win for a decade.

PK: This is a very noteworthy point. I think the talk of culture change is tied to the way Polian operated. It’s not the best way to operate, and it ultimately blew up. But as Nate Dunlevy is pointing out here, we shouldn’t forget that out of the way he operated came an exceptional degree of success.

@ColtsAuthority (three tweets): If Wade Phillips can go into Houston and stand up Mario Wiliams, with the two great pass rushers we have here I don't see the problem. Just because we may line up and they may say they're a 3-4 team, we could be an odd 3-4 look on second down and lord only knows on 3rd and seven-plus.

PK: Very good point and very smart to refer to what Houston just did. Too much is made of hos guys are identified versus what they are asked to do. If (Dwight) Freeney and Robert Mathis are on the field, they’ll be rushing the passer.

@ColtsAuthority (five tweets): Pagano: Promise to wreak havoc. We just cut our guys loose. We're going to do a great job here... we have some explosive athletes. We will add to that and evolve, as drafts go by and free agency goes by. I think players like to play that way. We never ankle-weighted our players This is a reaction game. You don't have time to think. You see, you react, and you run. That's the kind of guys we have here now and will bring in. We want to be aggressive. We want to dictate the tempo defensively. We want them reacting to us and not vice versa. We will have schemes in place that allow our players to play to play and be aggressive.

PK: Just what you’d expect a defensive coach who’s got a good reputation with his peers and his players to say.

@ColtsAuthority: Pagano: No. Over the course of 28 years of coaching you develop relationships. You have a list of people from coordinators on down. There's a volume of really good coaches out there. There is quality people here. I will take time to talk to them and if it meshes and they're a part of our vision we can move forward from there. I don't foresee any problem putting together the best staff in the NFL.

PK: A little ambitious. Most of the best NFL assistant coaches are not available. But he should be aiming high and intending to land great people.

@AdamsonAshley: Just met Pagano's wife and 2 of his 3 daughters. Lovely fam...the girls say it's really weird to see their dad looking so important up there

PK: It’s funny, we tend to forget at a big moment like this for an organization what it probably like through the eyes of family.

@TribStarTJames: In meeting with Indy media after presser for Chuck Pagano as new head coach, Irsay said PManning should have kept issues "in house."

PK: They went a long stretch in this press conference without mentioning Manning by name, which can certainly be read as disrespectful. If this is the end, you want to send Manning out the right way. And the right way doesn’t start with suggesting you should dictate the terms of the exit strategy conversations. Also, is the proper way to take on Manning not keeping things in house to break your own policy for where to discuss it? Or since Manning did it first it’s OK for you to do it now too?

@LovinBlue: @JimIrsay STOP ignoring Manning & his legacy. The approach is hurting fans more than helping them move on. Honor past while looking forward.

PK: I think she raises a valid point.

A quick zip around the division to catch up on some things that have happened while I had a few days off.

The trio of coaches charged with shaping Blaine Gabbert in Jacksonville is in place: coach Mike Mularkey, offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski and quarterback coach Greg Olsen. Olsen comes to the Jaguars from the Buccaneers where he worked with Josh Freeman, who regressed badly last season. Everyone’s got a clean slate now, and these coaches will be judged largely on what they are able to make of Gabbert in his second season.

The Colts' list of candidates to be the new head coach is not going to excite the general population. There seems to be a lot of buzz about Jim Tressel, and it appears he’s met with the team twice, but we don’t know who else has and it may be a mistake to label him the front-runner. It’s funny: When the team brought him aboard as a meager replay consultant, we tried to find a connection and label him as a Bill Polian guy, a Chris Polian guy or a Jim Caldwell guy. Whether he’s the next coach or not, it turns out he was a Jim Irsay guy.

Dave McGinnis has been a valuable member of the Titans' coaching staff for years. He’s left to re-join Jeff Fisher in St. Louis. While Mike Munchak will miss McGinnis as a sounding board, the addition of Keith Millard as a pass-rushing coach looks like a smart one. The Titans have not traditionally rushed the passer well from beyond the defensive line. The league is specializing, and having a coach who goes beyond positions to teach a set of skills is a fresh approach in Tennessee.

Texans center Chris Myers, Texans defensive lineman Antonio Smith and Jaguars special-teamer Montell Owens were added to the AFC Pro Bowl roster. Wade Phillips was named assistant coach of the year by the Pro Football Writers of America and Pro Football Weekly. Congrats to all.

Houston Texans

The Houston Chronicle's John McClain evaluates how the Texans' coaching staff did this season.

Wade Phillips was named Pro Football Weekly/PFWA Assistant Coach of the Year.

Ravens safety Ed Reed said his quarterback, Joe Flacco, was "kind of rattled a little bit by (Houston’s) defense.”

Indianapolis Colts

The Colts are suffering under the Super Bowl losers' curse, writes USA Today's Mike Lopresti.

The team asked permission to interview Titans defensive coordinator Jerry Gray and New Orleans offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael, reports the Indianapolis Star's Mike Chappell.

Defensive backs coach Alan Williams will reportedly soon be hired as the Vikings' defensive coordinator.

Linebacker Jerrell Freeman, who spent three seasons with the CFL's Saskatchewan Roughriders, signed with the Colts Wednesday.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Which Jaguars free agents should the team try to re-sign? The Florida Times-Union's Vito Stellino breaks it down.

The team interviewed former Gators and Illini coach Ron Zook for special-teams coordinator.

Tennessee Titans

Music City Miracles graded the performance of the wide receiver corps this past season.

The Titans have 17 potential unrestricted free agents and should be about $30 million under the 2012 salary cap, so new GM Ruston Webster will be preoccupied with the team's free-agency strategy, writes The Tennessean's John Glennon.

The Tennessean's Jim Wyatt looks at the Titans' front office shake-up.

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.

Reading the coverage…

Houston Texans

J.J. Watt works tirelessly, but he starts out with a lot of natural talent, says Jeffrey Martin of the Houston Chronicle.

Says Jerome Solomon of the Chronicle: “Wade Phillips has been fired from three head coaching jobs -- in the East (Buffalo), the West (Denver) and the South (Dallas) -- but you can’t tell him that he isn’t a good head coach. Yet so many believe that is the case. They are wrong.”

The best the Texans have done against the Ravens in the past won’t be good enough Sunday, says John McClain of the Chronicle.

Indianapolis Colts

Rich Nye of WTHR caught up to Chris Polian who said “a lot of things were not reported truthfully” over the Colts bad season that led to he and Bill Polian being fired. He wished the franchise the best moving forward. (Hat tip to Colts Authority.)

Brett Mock of Colts Authority looks at contracts and salary cap implications for the team heading into 2012.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Mel Tucker’s disappointment over not getting the top job didn’t linger, and he will be part of Mike Mularkey’s staff, says Tania Ganguli of the Florida Times-Union. Joe Cullen and Mark Duffner will also return.

Writes Gene Frenette of the Times-Union: (Shahid) Khan, in both an attempt at humor and to be complimentary of season-ticket holders, did say: "For me, a fan is somebody who's a season-ticket holder for the Jaguars." Many took it as a slap against fans who don't own season tickets, which is a ridiculous notion since Khan obviously wants to market his product to folks that are on the fence or ambivalent about spending money on tickets.”

Tennessee Titans

Kevin Carter played for the Rams that beat the Titans in the Super Bowl, then changed sides. He thinks Jeff Fisher’s a great hire for St. Louis, say Jim Wyatt and John Glennon of The Tennessean.

The Titans have offered their open secondary coach job to Brett Moxie, but the Cowboys would like to keep him, says Wyatt.

Tennessee re-signed tight end Craig Stevens, says Wyatt. He’s a valuable piece who was heading for free agency.

Two good nuggets came out of this interview I was part of on Nashville radio with Houston Texans outside linebacker Connor Barwin.

Mario's status: Barwin may have helped make the Texans think Mario Williams, who is heading towards free agency, is expendable. With Barwin and Brooks Reed at outside linebacker since a torn chest muscle ended Williams' season, the team has gotten great production. Williams’ franchise tag would cost more than $16 million, which is salary-cap prohibitive. The Texans are going to have to sign him or let him walk.

Guess which one Barwin is hoping for?

“I just don’t think that’s going to happen,” he said of the possibility of Williams leaving. “I’m pretty sure. He had five sacks in the first five games, so who knows what his production would have been. In Wade Phillips’ system in this defense you need three outside backers to rotate and me and Brooks have been pretty much playing every single snap. That can wear you down a little bit. We’d love Mario back so that we could get a little bit of a rotation going and hopefully all play better.”

AWOL sacks: While he finished the regular season with 11.5 sacks, it could have been 13.5. (We thought he lost three sacks as we talked, but ESPN Stats and Info says it was only two.)

“I’m so happy you noticed those ...” Barwin said. “Nobody else has ever noticed that.”

Each of the lost sacks were turned back because of penalties, though of course we must consider that the penalty could have given him the time to make the play. Week 4 against Pittsburgh Barwin to Ben Roethlisberger but Brice McCain erased it with an illegal contact call. And Week 13 against Atlanta, Barwin got Matt Ryan but lost the play because of defensive holding against McCain.