Jaguars find themselves in rare (but enviable) spot in the AFC South

You should always expect the unexpected when it comes to the NFL. There’s plenty of turnover in the league from one season to another and teams that were at the cellar of their division can quickly rise to the top in the span of one year if they make the right moves. Such is the case of the Jacksonville Jaguars two weeks into the 2022 season. They finished last in the AFC South in 2021 but they’re currently sitting at the top of the division.

Sure, many things can happen between now and December but the Jags seem to be the best of what figures to be a weak AFC South. The Tennessee Titans, the reigning division champs, have had a hard time defending their crown. They lost to a mediocre (but well-coached) New York Giants team in the season opener and got blown out by the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football.

Simply, Derrick Henry hasn’t been his old dominant self and the Titans have failed to do anything of note on offense without him plowing through defenses. The Houston Texans aren’t faring much better. They came out of the draft with a solid haul but their roster still has plenty of holes and Davis Mills hasn’t shown he’s the answer at quarterback. All things considered, they might be a couple of years away from being truly competitive.

Last and probably least are the Indianapolis Colts. They tied Houston in Week 1 and were shut out by the Jaguars in Week 2. Matt Ryan was seen as an upgrade at quarterback but the veteran hasn’t proven to be much better (at least not yet) than his predecessor, Carson Wentz.

Nobody should be surprised the Jaguars are No. 1 in the AFC South

The Jaguars made a serious mistake when they hired Urban Meyer last year. Owner Shad Khan was mesmerized by his winning record at the college level and failed to see all his red flags even though they were in plain sight. Maybe that’s why it was easy to be skeptical of Doug Pederson, as he might not have been their first option for the job.

At the time, it seemed like the Jags were leaning towards hiring Byron Leftwich but the presence of general manager Trent Baalke played a role in not getting a deal done. It could be too early to tell but it’s possible that the Jaguars ended with the better candidate of the two.

Then, there was Baalke’s spending spree in free agency and the massive gamble he took in the 2022 NFL Draft. Analysts around the league didn’t think the moves he made in the offseason would move the needle but they’ve paid off so far.

The Jaguars are off to a promising start in 2022. Pederson has proven to be the right man to lead the team while Trevor Lawrence has made strides since the end of the 2021 season. Having James Robinson and Travis Etienne back from injury also helps. Moreover, several players that had a down year in 2021 (e.g. outside linebacker Josh Allen, and safety Rayshawn Jenkins) have bounced back and made an impact.

There’s still plenty of football left in the season and things can always take a turn in the NFL. However, the Jags have taken several steps in the right direction and a win against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 3 will solidify their spot at the top of the AFC South.