The Jacksonville Jaguars are no longer flying under the radar after going 13-4 in 2025, but they aren't getting their proper due either. Meanwhile, the rival Houston Texans are getting the spotlight ahead of the regular season despite the fact that they finished second in the division last year.
The truth is that Houston is a pretty good team that could make a deep playoff run. The Jags cannot afford to take them lightly. Having said that, the gap between these AFC South teams isn't that wide. Heck, Jacksonville could be the best of the two, but you could argue that the Texans are better, but only by a narrow margin. That's precisely what an NFL analyst did in his latest power ranking.
The Texans get a higher spot than the Jaguars in the latest NFL Power Ranking
Jason La Canfora of Fansided did an NFL Power Ranking and placed the Jaguars at No. 13. That's not necessarily a bad spot, as he probably sees Jacksonville as a wild card team. The issue is the team that he placed just one spot above them, the Texans.
Sure, it's just one spot, but it's still frustrating to see analysts pick Houston when the Jags won the AFC South last year. In La Canfora's defense, they could've swept their division foes but suffered a meltdown against Davis Mills in their second matchup last season.
Moreover, the Texans did advance further in the playoffs. Still, there's currently not that much of a gap between Jacksonville and the Texans. That's reflected in La Canfora's ranking.
The Texans are better on defense, but the Jaguars have the better quarterback
Nobody will deny that the Texans have one of the top defenses in the NFL, with top-notch talent at all three levels. Whether it's pass rushers Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson, linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, cornerback Derek Stingley Jr., or defensive back Jalen Pitre, Houston is stacked on that side of the ball. The same cannot be said about the offense.
C.J. Stroud is coming off an underwhelming season and remains a question mark at quarterback. On top of that, the Houston offensive line has left much to be desired despite the fact that the Texans have spared no expense to improve it.
Meanwhile, the Jaguars have a star-studded offense, with Trevor Lawrence leading the way. The former Clemson Tiger played like a top-10 quarterback to finish 2025 and should be even better next season. He has no shortage of weapons in his arsenal, and the running game should take lots of pressure off his shoulders next season. Simply put, Jacksonville has enough firepower to counter the Texans' defense.
Of course, there's only one way critics will finally concede that the Jaguars are the better team, and that will be by winning football games next season, something they're well-equipped to do.
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