3 reasons the Jacksonville Jaguars could fail to win the AFC South in 2023

2. The Titans challenge the Jaguars for the AFC South title

The Jags made the playoffs because they were a good team. However, they also needed the Tennessee Titans to experience a late-season collapse. Had the Titans not been hit by the injury bug, Jacksonville might not have qualified for the postseason. In fact, Tennessee kept things close in the season finale and the Jaguars needed a last-minute forced fumble to clinch the division.

If you look at things from the Titan's perspective (why would you do that?), they had to put a league-high 34 players on Injured Reserve last year. If they had been slightly healthier in the second half of the season, they might not have lost seven straight games to end the year.

That was last year though, this is a new season and the Titans made enough changes to ensure they can challenge the Jaguars for the division. Ryan Tannehill has a chance to rebound from an injured-plague season and Tennessee drafted the explosive Tyjae Spears to give their running game a boost.

Although Derrick Henry is coming from yet another successful season, all the wear and tear he's gotten throughout his career will lead to his eventual decline. Having Spears in the fold ensures King Henry's reign will go on for at least a couple of seasons. Also, the Titans managed a way to land DeAndre Hopkins, giving Tannehill, or whoever lines up under center, a bonafide No. 1 receiver.

On top of that, the Titans will get outside linebacker Harold Landry III, who'll terrorize opposite quarterbacks alongside Denico Autry and Jeffery Simmons. Last but not least is head coach Mike Vrabel.

Just like his Jaguars counterpart, Vrabel will have his players performing at a high level even if things look dire. The bottom line is that the Titans pose a threat to the Jaguars, one they shouldn't take lightly or else run the risk of taking a backseat in the division.