NFL - First half overachievers and underachievers in the South
At the halfway point in the season, most teams will now have an idea of where their season is headed and how they’d like it to end: whether that be pushing for the playoffs or simply avoiding the dreaded winless season.
Some teams aren’t where they expected to be thanks to disappointing stars, while others have been propelled to the top by great performances from unexpected sources.
In this short series, I’ll suggest one over-achieving player who will need to “keep it up” and one under-performer who needs to “pick it up” for each team, by region, looking this time at the South.
Previous entries: East North
AFC South
SAN DIEGO, CA – OCTOBER 14: Robert Mathis #98 of the Indianapolis Colts looks on during warm-ups against the San Diego Chargers on October 14, 2013 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California. (Photo by Donald Miralle/Getty Images)
Houston Texans
Keep it up: Whitney Mercilus, OLB –It’s been a difficult year for the 2-5 Texans. The usually stout D is 26th in the league, averaging 27.2 points per game. Even if you remove the points from the amazing 5 interception return TDs, the Texans still wind up in the bottom half of the league.
A big part of that is an inability to get after quarterbacks, with only 16 sacks so. 2nd year man Mercilus, however, has not been the problem there. His 4.5 sacks tie him with all-world DE JJ Watt for the team lead.
Pick it up: Gary Kubiak, Head Coach/Play Caller – The Texans are hugely talented, and 2-5. They’re running the ball well and passing terribly, and yet they’re passing nearly 60% of the time. Neither of those things adds up to anything but bad coaching.
Indianapolis Colts
Keep it up: Robert Mathis – Hardly an overachiever, Mathis is a 5x Pro Bowler. Still, Mathis had a down year last year, and there were plenty of questions about whether he could be the same player in a 3-4 defense after staring in the 4-3 for his career. Even with no help from the other side, Mathis currently leads the league with 11.5 sacks.
Pick it up: Not-Reggie Wayne, WR – Andrew Luck is playing great this year, but he’s not getting much help. Reggie Wayne was doing a great job until he went down injured. No one else has averaged as much as 4 catches or 60 yards per game and they really need someone to step up as a no.1 target.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Keep it up: Paul Posluszny, LB – The Jags D has not been good. The only unit in football that might be worse is the Jags offense. But Poz is not to blame; he’s looked strong against the run and in coverage even while covering for those around him.
Pick it up: Everyone else – Could the Jags even win against the top college football teams? Maybe not. If I had to pick out one player, I’d say safety John Cyprien. The 33rd overall pick this pick has been good enough against the run, but hasn’t yet looked close to capable of defending the pass at this level.
Tennessee Titans
Keep it up: Alterraun Verner, CB – Simply put, no defensive back has broken up as many passes this year as Verner. He has 4 interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown, and 13 further pass deflections. A difficult man to get the ball past, for sure.
Pick it up: Jake Locker’s hip, leg joint– The Titans have been good enough to win games this year, but backup QB Ryan Fitzpatrick has not been. If Locker, who’s been more accurate than ever this year, misses any more time, the Titans chances could go down the drain with him.