Sam Farmer’s AFC preview

In predicted order of finish:

AFC South

Indianapolis Colts

Big questions: Can the Colts avoid the curse of the Super Bowl losers? Peyton Manning is still Peyton Manning, but will he be affected by a shake-up on his offensive line? Where does returning receiver Anthony Gonzalez fit in now that Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie have so ably proved themselves? Is the gap closing in a division that the Colts have dominated for so many years?

Big moves: In drafting defensive end Jerry Hughes, the Colts hope they’ve found a player who can rotate with Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis, and they also intend to incorporate some three-defensive end looks. Guard Ryan Lilja, a fixture on the offensive line, was released in the off-season. Pete Metzelaars replaces the legendary Howard Mudd as offensive line coach, and Clyde Christensen is the new offensive coordinator.

Bottom line: As long as Manning stays healthy, the Colts will remain among the NFL’s elite teams. Watch that offensive line.

Houston Texans

Big questions: Coming off their first winning season, are the Texans ready to make the playoffs? How do they compare to with the Colts, whom they open against at home? How will the suspension of linebacker Brian Cushing hurt them? Can they establish a solid ground game to go with their high-flying passing attack?

Big moves: When cornerback Dunta Robinson signed with Atlanta, the Texans lost one of their best defensive players. Kicker Neil Rackers beat out Kris Brown for the kicking job. Houston had hoped rookie Ben Tate could push Steve Slaton for the No. 1 running back job, but now Tate’s out for the season because of an ankle injury.

Bottom line: As promising as last season was, the Texans have a long way to go. They were 1-5 in the division, and this season face the tough NFC East. They could really use Cushing in that opener against Indy.

Tennessee Titans

Big questions: Can Vince Young pick up where he left off last season, when he directed the Titans to eight victories in the final 10 games? How does Chris Johnson follow his 2,000-yard season? Will losing physical and emotional leader Kyle Vanden Bosch (Lions) shake up the defense?

Big moves: Rookie Derrick Morgan has a golden opportunity to replace Vanden Bosch. With playmaking linebacker Keith Bulluck gone to the Giants, veteran Will Witherspoon steps in to the middle of Tennessee’s defense. The Titans could use some receiving help, and losing veteran tight end Alge Crumpler ( Patriots) will be an adjustment.

Bottom line: The Titans made a stunning U-turn last season behind the play of Young and Johnson. The key this season will be establishing some offensive balance — i.e., a better passing attack — and stabilizing a defense that has lost a lot of leaders.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Big questions: Is this Jack Del Rio’s last chance to prove he can get the Jaguars to the playoffs? Can David Garrard step up and be more than what his coach described as a “middle-tier” quarterback? How long can Pro Bowl running back Maurice Jones-Drew hold up, shouldering so much of the offensive load? Can the Jaguars generate some kind of pass rush after finishing last season with a league-low 14 sacks?

Big moves: Upgrading the defensive line was a priority, so the Jaguars drafted California’s Tyson Alualu 10th, much higher than most pundits predicted. They also signed former Green Bay defensive end Aaron Kampman, who’s coming off a severe knee injury.

Bottom line: Those stadium seats might be cold — selling tickets is a major problem for the Jaguars — but the seats of Del Rio and Garrard couldn’t be hotter. Key will be finishing better than last year’s team (1-8 down the stretch).

AFC North

Cincinnati Bengals

Big questions: Will receivers Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco form a winning combination for Carson Palmer, or merely be a circus sideshow? After a breakout season with 1,251 rushing yards, can Cedric Benson assemble another impressive year? Can the defense stay out of the trainer’s room, seeing as only three of the starters made it through each of the 17 games last season?

Big moves: The signing of Owens made the most headlines, but the biggest help to Palmer will be the drafting of first-round tight end Jermaine Gresham. Kickers Dave Rayner and Mike Nugent are battling to replace the departed Shayne Graham (now with Baltimore), the most accurate kicker in Bengals history.

Bottom line: To get the results they’re hoping for, the Bengals need to break a long trend. They haven’t made the playoffs in consecutive seasons in 28 years. The spotlight is on Palmer and those receivers.

Baltimore Ravens

Big questions: Will the addition of receivers Anquan Boldin be enough to boost the Ravens — and Joe Flacco — to the next level step now that Donte Stallworth is sidelined for two months because of a broken foot? How will being in training camp for the first time in three seasons help Terrell Suggs? Baltimore has a history of strength up the middle of the defense; can Terrence Cody and Haloti Ngata carry on that tradition? Who will wind up claiming the kicker job, Billy Cundiff or Shayne Graham?

Big moves: Boldin could turn out to be a phenomenal acquisition. The only starter lost is defensive end Dwan Edwards, who signed with Buffalo, but the Ravens have high hopes for former Seahawks defensive end Cory Redding. Baltimore didn’t draft a corner and expects a lot from Lardarius Webb, coming off a knee injury.

Bottom line: John Harbaugh is in position to do something no other Ravens coach has done: make the playoffs three years in a row.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Big questions: What position will the team be in when Ben Roethlisberger returns from his suspension? (First four games for violating NFL personal conduct policy.) Unless Byron Leftwich makes a miraculous recovery from a sprained knee ligament suffered in the exhibition finale, Dennis Dixon or Charlie Batch will start opening- day at home against Atlanta. Can a franchise known for great offensive lines get a decent performance out of this one? Will Troy Polamalu, coming off knee injuries, be the dominant player we’ve come to know?

Big moves: Drafting center-guard Maurkice Pouncey in the opening round was the first step in rebuilding the offensive line. The team said goodbye to receiver Santonio Holmes and welcomed back Antwaan Randle El, who left as a free agent in 2006.

Bottom line: Steelers have fallen from the team that won the Super Bowl two years ago. As outstanding a coach as Mike Tomlin is, this season will be a real test.

Cleveland Browns

Big questions: Mike Holmgren took the Packers to two Super Bowls and the Seahawks to one; can he turn around the Browns? Which team will show up, the one that started 1-11 or finished 4-0? Is there a quarterback answer in Jake Delhomme, Seneca Wallace and Colt McCoy that wasn’t there with jettisoned Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn? Which Browns receiver will step forward as a capable target, helping rescue the league’s worst passing attack?

Big moves: Jake Delhomme used to be a very good quarterback. His confidence hit the skids in the playoffs two years ago, though, and last season he had eight touchdowns and 18 interceptions. Does he have anything left? Gone are defensive end Corey Williams and linebacker Kamerion Wimbley, who accounted for a combined 10 1/2 of their 40 sacks.

Bottom line: The heat is on Coach Eric Mangini, who kept his assistants from a team 32nd on offense and 31st on defense.

AFC East

New York Jets

Big questions: The Jets openly talk about getting to the Super Bowl; will that bluster come back to bite them? What if the team doesn’t strike a deal with cornerback Darrelle Revis, the best player on either side of the ball? Mark Sanchez had some good games last season, but not on a consistent basis. This is his team; is he ready for a sophomore surge? Can LaDainian Tomlinson prove at 31 that the Chargers made a mistake in letting him go?

Big moves: A bunch of big-name players have come on board: Tomlinson, Jason Taylor, Antonio Cromartie and Santonio Holmes. But the Jets lost standout guard Alan Faneca, and that can really hurt (remember Seattle, minus Steve Hutchinson?) Also, it was a gamble letting kicker Jay Feely go and replacing him with Nick Folk.

Bottom line: Expectations can’t get much higher for Rex Ryan’s Jets. But they are a great team. Just ask ‘em.

New England Patriots

Big questions: How well can the Patriots patch their offensive line without two of their best, Logan Mankins (holdout) and Nick Kaczur (back)? Will Wes Welker be ready to fully return after his devastating knee injury? How will the team’s investment in young cornerbacks — namely Darius Butler and Devin McCourty — pay off for a shaky secondary? Can the Patriots build an effective running game around 2006 first-rounder Laurence Maroney?

Big moves: The Patriots had hoped to squeeze a season or two out of veteran receiver Torry Holt, but no such luck. A knee injury landed him on injured reserve. The team also said farewell to linebacker Adalius Thomas, who never reached his potential after the Patriots paid him more than any free agent in team history.

Bottom line: The Patriots still have some key pieces, but they also have big deficiencies in other areas. Could be a long year.

Miami Dolphins

Big questions: Can Chad Henne add some stability to a franchise that has gone through seven quarterbacks in the last eight openers? Mike Nolan helped turn around a horrific defense in Denver; can he do the same as defensive coordinator of the Dolphins, who had a tendency to crumble in the fourth quarter? Has Ronnie Brown fully recovered from his foot injury?

Big moves: Receiver Brandon Marshall, acquired from Denver, should give defenses fits. He set the NFL record with 21 receptions in a game, and once caught 18 balls against the Chargers, most of them against Antonio Cromartie, who, as a member of the Jets, will now face him twice a season. Miami also picked up linebacker Karlos Dansby, making up for the loss of Akin Ayodele.

Bottom line: If the Dolphins can get a defensive boost from Nolan, and Marshall pans out, they will be a dangerous team to overlook.

Buffalo Bills

Big questions: Are the Bills headed for a Detroit Lions-type season? With Trent Edwards at quarterback and no strong candidate to play No. 2 receiver to Lee Evans, will Buffalo be able to stretch the field enough to get a running game going? Instead of drafting a left tackle in the first round, the Bills opted for running back C.J. Spiller, not an area of extreme need. Will that decision come back to haunt them?

Big moves: Dwan Edwards, a solid defensive end acquired from Baltimore, should help the Bills transition to the 3-4 and do a better job of stopping the run. The most high-profile departure is that of Terrell Owens, who led the Bills in catches (55) and yards receiving (829). New receiver Chad Jackson was cut Saturday.

Bottom line: The Bills have installed new systems on both sides of the ball. They have missed the playoffs 10 consecutive years. Make it 11.

AFC West

San Diego Chargers

Big questions: How will the Chargers adjust to their contract holdouts, left tackle Marcus McNeill and leading receiver Vincent Jackson? Can the team finally get off to a good start under Norv Turner, or is this going to be another year of playing catch-up? How much of a difference to the running game will it make swapping LaDainian Tomlinson for rookie first-rounder Ryan Mathews? Can Philip Rivers do what Peyton Manning did last season and turn some unknown receivers into stars?

Big moves: Releasing Tomlinson was huge, and initial indications are both the Chargers and Jets will benefit. No one is shedding tears about Antonio Cromartie’s departure. What could haunt San Diego is letting Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jamal Williams go to Denver.

Bottom line: The Chargers still have the upper hand in the division, but that’s not enough for a team that is prone to laying eggs in the playoffs.

Denver Broncos

Big questions: What type of specialty packages will the Broncos create to get Tim Tebow on the field? Will Knowshon Moreno shift gears in his second season and be more than an adequate running back? The distraction of Brandon Marshall is gone, but so is the production. Will Eddie Royal, Jabar Gaffney, rookie Demaryius Thomas or somebody else step in and pick up that slack? Who can replace the injured Elvis Dumervil in Denver’s defense?

Big moves: Denver’s run defense fell apart last season, so the addition of defensive tackle Jamal Williams is key; their gain is San Diego’s loss. Question is, can Williams stay healthy? The most conspicuous departure was that of Marshall, though the team has high hopes for Thomas.

Bottom line: Last year, the Broncos became just the third team in the modern era to miss the playoffs after starting 6-0. The pressure is on Josh McDaniels to turn his players into finishers.

Oakland Raiders

Big questions: Now that the Raiders have finally cut bait with JaMarcus Russell, can they get some consistency with Jason Campbell at quarterback? With rookie middle linebacker Rolando McClain directing the defense, will the Raiders improve against the run? Will receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey make up for a throwaway rookie season? Will Campbell get more pass protection in Oakland than he got in Washington?

Big moves: Campbell was a good addition and played well at times for the Redskins. His confidence could use an overhaul, though, after the pounding he took last season. The most notable departure was middle linebacker Kirk Morrison, who led the team in tackles the last five seasons. He became expendable when the Raiders drafted McClain.

Bottom line: They might not be a playoff team, but the Raiders are good enough to break their streak of seven straight years with 11 or more losses.

Kansas City Chiefs

Big questions: With ex-Patriots Charlie Weis at offensive coordinator, Romeo Crennel at defensive coordinator, Matt Cassel at quarterback, and General Manager Scott Pioli, can the Chiefs locate a bit of the success those men enjoyed in New England? Can the Chiefs settle on a third receiver — heck, can they find two highly productive starters? On defense, can the team finally realize some return for its investment in linemen Tyson Jackson and Glenn Dorsey?

Big moves: The Chiefs bolstered their ground game by adding running back Thomas Jones and guard Ryan Lilja. The club hasn’t had a playmaking safety for a while, and rookie Eric Berry should be just that. The offensive line loses Wade Smith, a part-time starter who could fill in at any of the five spots.

Bottom line: Even with their celebrated staff and big-money quarterback, the Chiefs remain a team under construction.