AFC South All-Decade Squads: Watt, Luck headline star-studded division

theScore's Mike Alessandrini is assembling all-decade lineups and ranking all 32 teams based on those rosters. Contributions from 2010 to 2019 were taken into account, with player selections based on peak production, longevity, and overall impact. Those who spent only one season with a club did not qualify.

Our series continues with the AFC South squads.

AFC (June 22-25)
East | North | South | West

NFC (June 29-July 2)
East | North | South | West

Final rankings
See how all 32 rosters stack up (July 3)

Houston Texans Bob Levey / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Head coach: Bill O'Brien

POS.	Player	POS.	Player
QB	Deshaun Watson	DE	J.J. Watt
RB	Arian Foster	NT	D.J. Reader
WR	DeAndre Hopkins	DE	Antonio Smith
WR	Andre Johnson	OLB	Jadeveon Clowney
Slot	Will Fuller	ILB	Brian Cushing
TE	Owen Daniels	ILB	Benardrick McKinney
LT	Duane Brown	OLB	Whitney Mercilus
LG	Wade Smith	CB	Johnathan Joseph
C	Chris Myers	CB	Kareem Jackson
RG	Brandon Brooks	FS	Andre Hal
RT	Derek Newton	SS	Danieal Manning
K	Ka'imi Fairbairn	P	Shane Lechler

The AFC South's most accomplished franchise last decade, Houston racked up six division titles and four playoff wins during the 2010s.

Watt is the star of the show. You could make a case for him as the NFL's premier defensive player last decade, as he earned five first-team All-Pro nods and averaged 15 sacks per campaign during those seasons. Alongside Watt are Reader and Smith, who were natural matchup winners against the run and pass, respectively.

Clowney and Mercilus form a productive duo on the edge. The former No. 1 overall pick never developed as an elite pass-rusher, though he was a stout all-around defender across five seasons in Houston. Mercilus' consistency was often overshadowed, but he notched at least seven sacks four times. Finally, while the Texans never fielded a high-level safety duo, Joseph and Jackson were pillars at cornerback, starting a combined 252 contests.

Watson would have plenty of weapons to work with on offense, led by two of the league's best receivers during their respective tenures. Hopkins is coming off three straight All-Pro selections, and Johnson eclipsed 1,000 yards three times despite being past his prime. Brown and Myers lead a strong offensive line to aid Foster in the run game. One of the top running backs during the first half of last decade, Foster averaged 4.5 yards per carry, 1,900 scrimmage yards, and scored 47 touchdowns from 2010-2012.

Indianapolis Colts Icon Sports Wire / Icon Sportswire / Getty

Head coach: Chuck Pagano

POS.	Player	POS.	Player
QB	Andrew Luck	DE	Robert Mathis
RB	Frank Gore	DT	Cory Redding
WR	T.Y. Hilton	DT	Denico Autry
WR	Reggie Wayne	DE	Dwight Freeney
TE	Jack Doyle	LB	Darius Leonard
TE	Dwayne Allen	LB	Jerrell Freeman
LT	Anthony Castonzo	CB	Vontae Davis
LG	Quenton Nelson	CB	Kenny Moore
C	Ryan Kelly	NCB	Darius Butler
RG	Jack Mewhort	FS	Antoine Bethea
RT	Joe Reitz	SS	Mike Adams
K	Adam Vinatieri	P	Pat McAfee

It's fair for Colts fans to be disappointed their team couldn't bring home a championship between 2010-2019. This is an impressive roster with playmakers at a handful of key positions.

Before a multitude of injuries ended Luck's career, the prodigal quarterback filled Peyton Manning's shoes quite well. He quickly developed into an elite NFL passer despite often playing with a below-average supporting cast. This is evident at running back - where Gore starts over Marlon Mack despite a mediocre tenure with Indy - and with little receiving depth behind Hilton and Wayne. At least the wideout duo would provide polished pass-catching options for Luck - Wayne was an All-Pro in 2010 and Hilton surpassed 1,000 yards five times in six seasons between 2013-2018.

Even though it took the majority of the decade - likely too long for Luck - to assemble an elite blocking unit, the Colts' offense features a quality line. Former first-rounders Castonzo, Nelson, and Kelly lead the group. Castonzo, specifically, deserves credit for nine solid campaigns with the club as a run-blocker and pass-protector.

Indianapolis' defense is a bit more dicey. Its strength lies in the pass-rush department with Mathis and Freeney. The legendary duo spent just three years together last decade near the end of their careers, but they made them count. Mathis even led the NFL with 19.5 sacks and an incredible 10 forced fumbles in 2013 without Freeney. While the Colts' secondary won't impress on paper, Davis was a difference-maker at cornerback. At linebacker, Freeman and Leonard provided an impact in small sample sizes. There's talent here, but depth and consistency would likely hurt this unit.

Jacksonville Jaguars Logan Bowles / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Head coach: Doug Marrone

POS.	Player	POS.	Player
QB	Blake Bortles	DE	Calais Campbell
RB	Maurice Jones-Drew	DT	Malik Jackson
WR	Allen Robinson	DT	Abry Jones
WR	Cecil Shorts	DE	Yannick Ngakoue
Slot	Allen Hurns	MLB	Paul Posluszny
TE	Marcedes Lewis	WLB	Telvin Smith
LT	Eugene Monroe	SLB	Myles Jack
LG	Zane Beadles	CB	Jalen Ramsey
C	Brandon Linder	CB	A.J. Bouye
RG	Uche Nwaneri	FS	Tashaun Gipson
RT	Jeremy Parnell	SS	Johnathan Cyprien
K	Josh Scobee	P	Bryan Anger

Defense, defense, defense. Jacksonville's stop unit was extremely fun to assemble with star players across the board, and most of the roster actually played together for a short time. Campbell and Ngakoue off the edge with Jackson inside complete a frightening pass-rush trio, as they combined for 87 sacks during their time in Duval County. At the next level, Posluszny, Smith, and Jack would compete with most other linebacking trios, offering production, athleticism, coverage chops, and elite run-defense skills.

We can't talk Jaguars defenders without mentioning Ramsey. Though his time with the franchise ended on a sour note, the flashy cornerback's bona fides speak for themselves: nine interceptions, three Pro Bowls, and one All-Pro selection. Ramsey and Bouye form a shutdown duo on the perimeter. Safety is the only less-than-stellar position on the unit, with Gipson and Cyprien manning the back end.

Unfortunately, Marrone's offense doesn't quite match up with its defense. Bortles' much-maligned Jaguars tenure still earned him the starting job over fellow first-round bust Blaine Gabbert (if only Jacksonville had hit on one of these draft picks). Robinson and Jones-Drew represent Bortles' most notable weapons, with MJD dominating in 2010 and 2011 out of the backfield. On the offensive line, Monroe, Parnell, and Linder were solid contributors despite never earning Pro Bowl berths.

While the Jaguars can always look back at their 2017 postseason, it's not difficult to see why every other campaign last decade ended with eight wins or fewer. The defense is as exciting as it gets, but quarterback play and a limited number of offensive weapons ultimately hold this team back.

Tennessee Titans Andy Lyons / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Head coach: Mike Vrabel

POS.	Player	POS.	Player
QB	Marcus Mariota	DE	Jurrell Casey
RB	Chris Johnson	NT	DaQuan Jones
WR	Nate Washington	OLB	Derrick Morgan
WR	Rishard Matthews	ILB	Avery Williamson
Slot	Kendall Wright	ILB	Wesley Woodyard
TE	Delanie Walker	OLB	Brian Orakpo
LT	Taylor Lewan	CB	Jason McCourty
LG	Quinton Spain	CB	Adoree' Jackson
C	Ben Jones	NCB	Alterraun Verner
RG	Chance Warmack	FS	Kevin Byard
RT	Jack Conklin	SS	Michael Griffin
K	Rob Bironas	P	Brett Kern

Tennessee wasn't exactly a picture of sustained success over the last 10 years, failing to eclipse nine wins in a single season. After piecing together this roster, we can see why. The Titans fell short at a handful of key positions despite also fielding a few foundational pieces.

The team's offensive line would likely win most matchups on game day, which isn't a bad place to start. Lewan and Conklin complete a quality tackle tandem, while Spain, Jones, and Warmack each had their bright spots.

Mariota was Tennessee's only legitimate choice at quarterback despite never truly meeting expectations as the second overall pick in 2015. Washington, Matthews, and Wright are fine receivers, though the trio was easily the weakest among all clubs in this exercise. At least Walker provides stability and an all-around game at tight end. Finally, Johnson commands the starting running back spot. His 2,000-yard season in 2009 fell a year short of qualifying, but he churned out 1,000 yards in each of the next four. However, his lack of juice became more apparent as time went on.

On the other side of the ball, Vrabel's defense is led by a deep and talented secondary. McCourty was a solid cornerback for seven seasons in Tennessee, Verner excelled in the slot, and Byard quickly emerged as a ball-hawking safety after entering the league in 2016. Meanwhile, Morgan and Orakpo combined for 70.5 sacks with the Titans, adding a bit of punch on the edge. Casey was arguably the team's top defender, consistently dominating blockers en route to five Pro Bowl berths.

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