The Jacksonville Jaguars are 2-1 to start the season and have enough things going in their favor to potentially make a run for the AFC South title in the first year of the Liam Coen era. The Indianapolis Colts are 3-0 and currently sit at the top of the division. However, a loss against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 4 would narrow down the gap between the Jags and them.
For that reason, Jacksonville would surely like to see the Rams dispose of Indy. The issue is that it may not be as easy as it sounds.
The Colts have the potential to make noise in 2025
The Houston Texans are the reigning division champions, but they currently find themselves in the cellar of the AFC South with a 0-3 record. Meanwhile, the Indianapolis Colts and the Jacksonville Jaguars have quickly seized the top two spots. Based on how things play out in the upcoming weeks, this could turn out to be a two-way race for the division crown, so every early win either club racks up could turn out to be highly valuable when it comes to tiebreakers.
In Week 4, both the Jaguars and the Colts will face off against NFC West teams. Jacksonville will get the 49ers, and Indy will face off against the Rams.
On paper, Los Angeles is a tough team, but the Colts are arguably better. Daniel Jones is enjoying a career revival under Shane Steichen, and running back Jonathan Taylor is back to his old self. He currently leads the league with 338 rushing yards, and his three rushing touchdowns are tied for second-best.
On top of that, free-agent acquisitions Cam Bynum and Charvarius Ward have had an immediate impact on defense, so it's easy to see (even if a bit surprising) why Indianapolis is at the top of the AFC South three weeks into the 2025 season.
That said, the Rams aren't necessarily a slouch. Their pass rush, led by Jared Verse, Braden Fiske, and Kobie Turner, could make it a long day for Jones. Couple that with a healthy Puka Nacua catching passes from Matthew Stafford, and Los Angeles has a legitimate shot at fending off the Colts, even if they're projected to lose.
Related: The baffling Robert Saleh accusation of the Jags is under league-wide scrutiny
The Jaguars must take care of business vs. San Francisco 49ers
Of course, it won't matter that the Colts beat the Los Angeles Rams if the Jaguars cannot take care of business when they play the San Francisco 49ers. They're currently a three-point underdog and will need to show up in Week 4 if they want to have a chance of pulling off the upset.
Working in their favor is that the Jags will be mostly healthy, but they'll need to establish the run and cut down on the drops. Similarly, their defense will need to keep generating turnovers.
The bottom line is that this is quickly shaping up to be a defining week in the AFC South, and the Jaguars would surely prefer a specific outcome.