While the Jacksonville Jaguars proved that they're a playoff-caliber team by soundly defeating the New England Patriots, the rest of the AFC South left much to be desired in Week 3. But unlike the prior week, in which no team in the division mustered a win, the Jags had company in Week 3.
The Indianapolis Colts had their first win of the season in Week 3, making them the only other team aside from Jacksonville that isn't 0-3.
This begs the question, should the Jags go ahead and hang their division-winner banner already? Probably not, but they should feel good about where they stand right now. With this in mind, here's an AFC South ranking heading into Week 4.
AFC South Week 4 power rankings: The Jaguars remain at the top
4. Houston Texans (0-3)
The Houston Texans were supposed to be a realistic threat to the Jaguars, but so far, that hasn't been the case. While C.J. Stroud is far from their main issue, he hasn't been part of the solution either. It doesn't help that offensive coordinator Nick Caley has failed to put his players in a position to succeed. Similarly, the Houston roster is stacked with glaring voids at several positions.
When you add it all up, it's particularly shocking to see the Texans struggle. They could always bounce back like they have in past seasons under head coach DeMeco Ryans, but they'll have plenty of catch-up to do in the upcoming weeks if they don't want ot miss the playoffs.
3. Tennessee Titans (0-3)
The Texans are fourth on this ranking (the only one that matters) because they have a proven head coach and an experienced quarterback in C.J. Stroud. Meanwhile, the Tennessee Titans are in the midst of a rebuild. Sure, Robert Saleh also has head-coaching experience, but he inherited an underwhelming team, and this is his first year in Nashville, so he gets a bit of a pass.
That said, the Titans have a long way to go before they start to be competitive on a weekly basis. The offense has been underwhelming, with Cam Ward failing to make progress. On the other hand, the defense — Saleh's area of expertise — has also been underwhelming, so barring anything unexpected, don't expect Tennessee to move up in this or any other ranking, for that matter, anytime soon.
For the time being, Jacksonville should feel great about not hiring Saleh in 2025 and rolling with Liam Coen instead.
2. Indianapolis Colts (1-2)
The Indianapolis Colts got this spot by default. Like the Texans and Tennessee, Indy has lots of issues but at least won in Week 3. With Alec Pierce dealing with an injury, Keenan Allen was the team's best receiver in the win over Houston, catching six passes for 63 yards with a touchdown.
Daniel Jones hasn't been dreadful but could use more help. The offensive line needs to do a better job of protecting him, and the Colts would surely like to see the defensive line set the tone at the line of scrimmage.
This is a long-winded way to say that the win over the Texans doesn't mean that Indianapolis is suddenly a contender.
1. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-1)
Maybe because this is the most talented Jaguars team in a while, the loss to the Denver Broncos stung more. They had the chance to beat their interdivisional foes but ultimately came up short. The good news is that the loss might've been a wake-up call that the Jags can't let go off the gas pedal.
Liam Coen certainly deserves credit for pushing the right buttons and having his team ready to play. The players, for their part, showed how dominant they can be when they play up to their talent.
Trevor Lawrence should again join the early MVP conversation, and Parker Washington needs to be paid yesterday. DaVon Hamilton, Josh Cameron, and Travis Hunter also deserve praise.
If the Jags can beat the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 4, it will be hard for analysts (and critics) to ignore them any longer.
Add us as a preferred source on Google