Jaguars have prime opportunity to move up in Week 8 AFC South power rankings

The playoff picture is beginning to take shape ahead of Week 8. Unfortunately, the Jacksonville Jaguars don't figure in it... for the moment And that's the key. The Jags are 2-5 and looking to salvage their season. Their upcoming four-game slate doesn't favor them, but there are enough reasons to believe that they can hit their stride.

Trevor Lawrence and the offense have been playing much better in recent weeks. The defense, on the other hand, will be getting reinforcements. Linebacker Foyesade Oluokun is back in the fold after sitting out the past four games and locker room leader Andrew Wingad should also return soon. Having said that, there are few factors outside Jacksonville that could prevent them from starting a playoff push. The biggest one is the stiff competition they face in the AFC South.

Currently, the Indianapolis Colts and the Houston Texans are playing much better than the Jags. This begs the question, how does the AFC South look ahead of Week 8? Here's a power ranking of the division.

4. Tennesee Titans

2024 record: 1-5

Previous ranking: 4

The Tennessee Titans deserve credit for recognizing they're going nowhere in 2024. In spite of going into a spending spree in the offseason, they've struggled to win games. That led to the decision to trade linebacker Ernest Jones and wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins before the November 5 deadline. Looking back, their biggest miscalculation was thinking that maybe Will Levis was the long-term answer behind center.

After showing a bit of promise as a rookie, Levis has failed to take a step forward in his development. The fact that he didn't have a serviceable offensive line up front only added to his struggles. Now, Tennessee finds itself back to square one.

3. Jacksonville Jaguars

2024 record: 2-5

Previous ranking: 3

The Jacksonville Jaguars are stuck at No. 3, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. They could've lost to the New England Patriots and moved down to the cellar of the division, but they didn't and still have a chance to make a playoff push.

Granted, the Jags need to prove that they can beat good teams. As encouraging as their wins over the Indianapolis Colts and the New England Patriots were, they have yet to show they can go toe-to-toe with the best teams in the league. They had a chance against the Buffalo Bills in Week 3 and they were embarrassed. The good news is that they'll get another opportunity against the Green Bay Packers.

2. Indianapolis Colts

2024 record: 4-3

Previous ranking: 2

You could argue that the Jaguars are as good as Indianapolis after beating them in Week 5. However, you are what your record says, and Jacksonville has a losing record while the Colts are just one game away from the division lead. Speaking of the AFC South race, they'll have a chance to narrow down the gap between them and the Texans in Week 8.

These two division foes will face each other in Week 8. If the Colts prevail, they would be tied with Houston but would lead the AFC South by virtue of having beaten them. The Jags should most definitely be invested in the outcome of the game.

1. Houston Texans

2024 record: 5-2

Previous ranking: 1

The Houston Texans are coming off a loss to the playoff-bound Green Bay Packers. They'll need to fend off the Indianapolis Colts if they don't want to give up their narrow lead in the division. Coincidentally, the Jaguars will face the same Packers in Week 8.

It will be interesting to see whether the Texans will bounce back against Indy or start a losing skid. Either way, the next few games could define the rest of their season.

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