J.J. Watt is aiming to take the Texans to another AFC South title. (Creative Commons)

The AFC South is a very unbalanced division. The Texans and Colts both made the playoffs in 2012, and have the chance to do so again. The Jaguars and Titans on the other hand, will be luck to scrape together 10 wins combined. Here's how it'll pan out in 2013:

1. Houston Texans, 13-3 (2012 Record: 12-4)

After an 11-1 start to the 2012 season, things were looking up in Houston. A Monday night matchup against New England in Week 14 showed there was still some work to be done for the Texans to hang with the NFL's big guns. 

In what many are calling a "Super Bowl or Bust" like offseason, the Texans added safety Ed Reed to work with J.J. Watt in what could be one of the league's stingiest defenses. Reed is aging, but his tenacity and aggressiveness are unmatched on the field. Watt is the best defensive player in the game. On the other end of the line, DE Antonio Smith creates enough problems teams can't move coverage from him to help with Watt. It's really a pick-your-poison deal for opposing offensive coordinators.

On the other side of the ball, Houston has a few more question marks. Arian Foster is slated to be eligible for the season opener; however, after missing all of the preseason it's unlikely he will receive a heavy workload early on. Matt Schaub provides stability under center and Andre Johnson will likely haul in 1200+ yards, but a lot of the passing game's success will rest on rookie WR DeAndre Hopkins. Should he emerge as a solid No. 2 WR opposite Johnson, opponents will need to adjust their defensive scheme, opening up more opportunities for Johnson.

If the Texans really are looking at this season as "Super Bowl or Bust" they might be a little disappointed. Houston has what it takes to dominate a weak AFC South and its stellar defense could push it through the AFC Divisional Round. But in a conference with Brady and Manning, its difficult to imagine Houston putting up enough points to hang with those offensive juggernauts. Not impossible - but difficult to imagine.

2. Indianapolis Colts, 10-6 (2012 Record: 11-5)

One less win this year than in 2012 has nothing to do with Indianapolis getting worse - in fact, the Colts should be even better. However, this year strength of schedule is not on their side. Non-conference match-ups against strong NFC West teams like Seattle and San Francisco could prove problematic.

Andrew Luck had as a good of a freshman campaign as anyone could have asked for, and will be looking to avoid a sophomore slump. He'll have to cut down on the number of interceptions this year, but that could just come with experience. The Colts' management added a few weapons to his arsenal this year, signing RB Ahmad Bradshaw and WR Darrius Heyward-Bey. Highly touted offensive lineman Khaled Holmes (USC) and Hugh Thornton (Illinois) were drafted in April to help with the protection of Luck. Unfortunately, they'll have to learn against a star studded Houston D-line. If they handle the likes of Watt and Smith, Luck should feel pretty safe this year.

From a defensive standpoint, there is certainly room for improvement. In 2012 the unit finished 26th in yards surrounded per game. Robert Mathis is the heart of the defense, but age is catching up with him. The secondary should be helped out by another year of Darius Butler, but don't count on Butler alone vastly improving the Colts 24th ranked secondary [in passes defended]. 

As long as Luck doesn't struggle in his second year, Indianapolis will be decent again. But the offense can only carry the team so far. The Colts will rack up wins against the Jaguars and Titans, but their defense will struggle against the NFL's elite. If somehow they can pull out a win or two in one of those games though, another Wild Card spot isn't out of the question.

Can Chris Johnson finally propel the Titans to a winning record? (AJ Guel/Creative Commons)

Similar to the Colts situation, the Titans are going to suffer from a stronger schedule this year as opposed to the 2012 season. They'll be able to beat up on the Jaguars, but could struggle heavily with their non-conference schedule.

Tennessee's offense relies heavily on Jake Locker's interception rate. As an athlete he's incredible - a cannon of an arm and solid speed. Unfortunately, last season he ran into some trouble with interceptions. Locker should feel less pressure with LG Andy Levitre and first-round draft pick RG Chance Warmack (Alabama) protecting him. He has a solid primary target in Kenny Britt, though Britt has experienced problems staying healthy. However, Locker's main responsibility could be handing the ball off. Even with the addition of Shonn Greene, Chris Johnson remains the Titans' primary running back. That said, Johnson is possibly the most sporadic player in the NFL. He's elite when he's on and unbearable to watch when he's not.

The Titans' defense will be anchored by S Bernard Pollard. Pollard has the experience this unit needs to couple with its young cornerbacks, Jason McCourty and Alterraun Verner. With Michael Griffin pairing up with Pollard in the free safety spot, this defense has a chance to rack up a lot of interceptions. The key to Tennessee's defense will be if they can generate enough pressure on the line to force quarterbacks to throw into risky situations. If they get that pressure and allow their secondary to cut off passes, the Titans should be alright.

The Titans have a bright future ahead of them. With young talented players on both sides of the ball this team is built for years to come. Unfortunately, it's not quite built for this year.

4. Jacksonville Jaguars, 2-14 (2012 Record: 2-14)

Last season in Jacksonville left a lot of fans with little hope for this season. That lack of optimism is certainly warranted.

Blaine Gabbert has been labeled the Jags' starting QB for the 2013 season. Out of all the team's options, Gabbert may be the best option, but that doesn't mean a lot. Cecil Shorts and Justin Blackmon provide Gabbert with a pair of decent targets, but the bulk of the offensive load will still remain with Maurice Jones-Drew. MJD is playing for a new contract this season, and needs to prove he has recovered fully from his surgery. That could be difficult on this offense, but it's the Jags' best chance for racking up points this season.

While the situation on offense looks problematic, the defense is even worse. The Jags finished 30th in yards allowed in 2012 and 29th in points allowed. They recently cut former Seattle star corner Marcus Trufant in favor of signing Will Blackmon. Blackmon will help, but several of Jacksonville's draft picks will need to step up if this unit is going to improve in 2013. Safety Johnathan Cyprien (F.I.U) and CB Dwayne Gratz (UConn) could be impact players in their rookie seasons, but that still may not be enough to turn this defense around.

Last year the Jags were terrible. The only way they're going to avert another season like that is from a standout effort from MJD and outstanding play from their young defense.