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AFC South Q&A: Is return of Andrew Luck enough for Colts to win division?

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Ad Pro Test Clip 43 - March 2017 (1:01)

Ad Pro Test Clip 43 - March 2017 (1:01)

Today's question: The Indianapolis Colts were a quiet team in free agency, focusing more on the offensive line in the draft. Is the return of Andrew Luck enough for them to regain the top spot in the AFC South?

Mike Dirocco, Jacksonville Jaguars reporter: If the offensive line has improved, then yes. The unit has not been very good over the past four years but the Colts have won and Luck has thrived in spite of it. But it caught up to them last year. I liked the Ryan Kelly pick, and he should make a significant difference in the middle. If the Colts can put together just an average offensive line, then Luck should have no trouble playing at the level he did in his first three seasons. The Jaguars and Titans will be better, but the Colts' biggest competition will be from the Texans, who have tried to upgrade their offense with the addition of Lamar Miller, Will Fuller and Brock Osweiler. I'm not a believer in Osweiler -- yet -- so I'm taking the Colts to win the AFC South in 2016.

Tania Ganguli, Houston Texans reporter: It could be enough, but they'll have challengers. The Texans will be quick to remind people that they won the division last year, but it's important to note that their division-winning bid got a major assist from Luck's injury. (They'd probably argue that their own dysfunction caused a 2-5 start that didn't represent their actual ability). Regardless, the 2016 Texans should look a lot more like the team you saw in the second half of last season than the team you saw in the first half. Their offense will be better and more stable. Their defense will aim not to have the early-season lulls they've had in each of the past two seasons. Still, a healthy Andrew Luck has often been a big problem for the Texans and could well be again.

Paul Kuharsky, Tennessee Titans reporter: It's a tough question. Do things kind of magically get back on course from the return of a healthy Andrew Luck? Or did the team's early season struggles in 2015 show us it is on a bad course, even with him? I think the Jaguars and Titans are ready to be more competitive, and I believe Bill O'Brien knows how to get the Texans to produce, even though I'm not yet sold on Brock Osweiler. If I am picking the division now, despite the Colts' holes and question marks, I think Indianapolis returns to being the favorite. There is an organizational know-how that permeates the Colts and frustrated the rest of the AFC South. Maybe that finally gets cracked this year, without an injury factoring in. But I have trouble seeing it.