The Jacksonville Jaguars are coming off a loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 2. However, they have the pieces to bounce back when they next face the Houston Texans. Heck, the game looks winnable following their Monday Night Football debacle.
If anything, the Jags shouldn't be concerned about a vulnerable Houston team. Instead, they should be worried about a sudden threat that's emerged in the AFC South.
The Jaguars are in better shape (now) than the Texans
After winning the AFC South for two years in a row, the Houston Texans were rightly dubbed the team to beat in the division. However, they didn't make many upgrades in the offseason and are off to a 0-2 start. While there's a chance they could eventually get back on track, there are many things that could ultimately sink their season.
The first one is that their offensive line cannot protect C.J. Stroud or open lanes in the running game. In just two games, the hog mollies up front have given up 25 total pressures and five sacks. Sure, Stroud isn't free of fault, but you cannot get into a rhythm if you don't have good protection.
Couple that with the fact that DeMeco Ryans just called Stroud out, and the Texans don't look like a playoff team at this moment. Meanwhile, the Indianapolis Colts look rejuvenated with Daniel Jones behind center.
The Jaguars must be monitoring the Colts after their 2-0 start
Surprisingly, the Colts are at the top of the AFC South with a 2-0 record. This came as a bit of a surprise because they held an offseason competition between Daniel Jones and Anthony Richardson, and as the saying goes, if you have two quarterbacks, you have none.
It's worth pointing out that Jones was a draft bust with the Giants, getting cut just one year after signing a contract extension. Then again, getting released might've been just what he needed. After being kicked to the curb, he spent the remainder of the 2024 season in the Minnesota Vikings practice squad.
During his time with the Vikes, Jones got valuable tutelage from quarterback guru Kevin O'Connell. That was evident during the offseason and two games into the 2025 season. But leaving aside the Colts' state of the quarterback position, they have a handful of things going for them.
Indy ranks third and fourth in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns scored, respectively. Their defense is also pretty good. They're fifth in the league in yards allowed and 11th in points surrendered. Looking back, the decision to sign cornerback Charvarius Ward and safety Cam Bynum is paying dividends.
Of course, it's only been two games. Many things could happen between now and Week 14, their first matchup against Jacksonville. Having said that, the Colts are suddenly a formidable opponent, one the Jaguars cannot afford to take lightly, especially if they're in the midst of a playoff push late in the year.