Jim Irsay: Colts not 'team to beat in the division'

A year ago, the Indianapolis Colts were talking themselves up as Super Bowl contenders. Fast-forward 12 months, and owner Jim Irsay appears to be tempting expectations for the 2016 season.

"I can't call us the team to beat in the division because Houston won the division (in 2015)," Irsay said, according to Mike Chappell of FOX 59. "They're the team to beat. You have to give them that respect.

"Houston won the division fair and square and they're the team to beat, and certainly Jacksonville took it to us when we were down there in a big way and that sticks in our mind as well."

The Texans pipped the Colts to the AFC South title in the last weeks of the season, clinching the division with a 9-7 record and ending the Colts' streak of three-straight division titles.

However, Indianapolis was without their superstar quarterback Andrew Luck for nine games, so it's arguable that they remain the favorites for the AFC South crown if he's healthy for the entire regular season.

But the rest of the division are closing the gap on Indianapolis. The Texans spent big to solve the biggest hole on their roster by landing quaterback Brock Osweiler in free agency, and spent the draft giving him more weapons to work with.

The Jacksonville Jaguars also greatly upgraded their roster, landing defensive end Malik Jackson, safety Tashaun Gipson, and cornerback Prince Amukamara in free agency, while adding arguably the two best prospects in the draft in linebacker Myles Jack and cornerback Jalen Ramsey.

The Titans don't appear as ready to challenge for the division, despite the impressive rookie season of quarterback Marcus Mariota. They are, however, set up for long-term success due to trading the No. 1 overall pick to the Los Angeles Rams for an franchise-altering number of picks.

The leaps taken by the rest of the division hasn't gone unnoticed by the Colts.

"Our division continues to improve immensely," Irsay said. "You guys can track how high our division foes have been picking in drafts over the last five-to-eight years and that is going to accumulate talent."

Irsay believes that even with the return of Luck, the Colts have to once again prove they're worthy of being mentioned among the league's best teams after failing to meet expectations in 2015.

"I think the perception with the Colts is that, 'Hey, they have Andrew Luck and ... he is going to be coming back healthy so they should (pick up) right where they were before the injury,'" Irsay said. "But again, I think we have a lot to prove.

"This team has guys on it, coaches, players that have won a lot of games, that have played in a lot of big games, that have won playoff games. Yeah, we feel like we can get right back into that mix and be a January, February team, but we have to prove it."