The Jacksonville Jaguars somehow continue to outdo themselves. Just one week after nearly beating the Green Bay Packers, they came close to upsetting the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. But with the game on the line, like many other times this season, the Jags came up short and lost.
Truly, there's not much else that's yet to be said. Head coach Doug Pederson cannot steer the ship in the right direction. Offensive coordinator Press Taylor cannot put his players in a position to succeed, and defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen called a good game against Philly but has otherwise been underwhelming in Jacksonville.
Meanwhile, players on both sides of the ball seem to be going through the motions. More often than not, the team looks uninspired and unprepared. Not surprisingly, the Jags have lost games they had a chance of winning but didn't because they shot themselves in the foot.
This begs the question, how does Jacksonville stack up against the rest of the AFC South? Here's a power ranking ahead of Week 10. Enjoy.
4. Jacksonville Jaguars
2024 record: 2-7
Previous ranking: 3
It's hard to stand up for head coach Doug Pederson based on the team's win-loss record. Granted, he's not the sole reason the Jaguars are bad in 2024, but the buck stops with him, and he's certainly not done enough to elevate his players or coaching staff. Add the fact that Jacksonville has lost 12 of their last 15 games, and his future looks bleak beyond this season.
Then again, general manager Trent Baalke also deserves flak for not appropriately revamping the roster in the offseason. Sure, he made some additions but not nearly enough. Moreover, the Jags aren't getting much production from their rookie class outside of Brian Thomas Jr. and Jarrian Jones. That's on him.
It will be interesting to see if Baalke and Pederson will finish the year, but if they don't, Jaguars owner Shad Khan must set his sights on the Detriot Lions duo of John Dorsey and Ben Johnson.
3. Tennessee Titans
2024 record: 2-6
Previous ranking: 4
The Tennessee Titans went against the New England Patriots in Week 9 and had a well-earned win in overtime. Although they won't be doing much of note for the remainder of the year, they showed that they're not throwing in the towel just yet.
The Titans are aware that they're not a good team but they still showed up in Week 9. Tony Pollard toted the rock 28 times for 128 yards and got a shoutout from head coach Brian Callahan after the game. For the season, the veteran running back has 622 yards with three touchdowns.
The defense also came through, with Harold Landry III, Jeffery Simmons, and Arden Key each registering a sack. On the other hand, Tennesse lost safety Quandre Digss and center Lloyd Cushenberry for the year. That's not what a team that's already struggling to begin with needed. Then again, they're doing better than the Jags, and that stings.
2. Indianapolis Colts
Previous ranking: 2
2024 record: 4-5
So far, the Joe Flacco experiment isn't paying dividends. Expected to keep the Indianapolis Colts afloat and maybe lead a playoff push, the veteran quarterback was unremarkable against the Minnesota Vikings, going 16-of-27 for 179 yards with one interception. On top of that, he was sacked three times.
Now, the Colts are 4-5. On the bright side, they're still within striking distance of the Houston Texans, who haven't played well in recent weeks. Flacco may or may not ultimately lead Indy to the postseason, but they at least have a chance. The Jaguars cannot say the same.
1. Houston Texans
Previous ranking: 1
2024 record: 6-3
The Houston Texans remain the best team in the AFC South. On the other hand, they don't look nearly as invincible as they did early in 2024. They're coming off a loss to a struggling New York Jets team on Thursday Night Football.
C.J. Stroud is seemingly suffering a sophomore slump, but it doesn't help that he's playing before an injured-marred offensive line. Then again, that's the situation Trevor Lawrence found himself in last year and nobody batted an eye. Either way, it will be interesting to see if Houston can right the ship or will continue spiraling down.