The consensus around the league currently favors the Jacksonville Jaguars to win the AFC South in 2023. This isn't necessarily surprising though. Coming off a trip to the playoffs and their first division title since 2017, the Jags have enough talent to repeat both feats this upcoming season. That said, things can change at any given moment.
Even though the Jags had lots of potential heading into the 2022 season, it wasn't a given that they were going to seize the division crown. In fact, they were projected to win six or seven games. The fact that they went 2-6 early in the season did nothing but reinforce the notion that they were going to have yet another losing campaign.
Jacksonville ended up turning the corner and they're currently in the driver's seat to repeat as the AFC South champs. But what about their division foes, who do they stack up against the Jags with the regular season inching closer? Here's a ranking a few days ahead of the 2023 opener.
No. 4 AFC South Power Ranking before Week 1 of the 2023 season: Indianapolis Colts
If you're a fan of the Indianapolis Colts, thanks for reading but why are you reading an article about the Jaguars? Also, you might not pleased with the current direction of the franchise. Owner Jim Irsay stiff-armed Jonathan Taylor in his quest for a long-term extension and their wide receiver corps is depleted.
Michael Pittman Jr. is a fine No. 2 but Indy doesn't have many other options behind him and Alec Pierce. This doesn't bode well for rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson, who's slated to start against Jacksonville in the opener.
Richardson has flashed big-play capability but he might need a couple seasons before reaching his full potential. Working in the Colts' favor is that they have a handful of core contributors at full strength. Linebacker Shaquille Leonard is back in the fold after dealing with injuries last year. On the other hand, offensive Quenton Nelson needs to bounce back from a somewhat underwhelming 2022 campaign. Will he pull it off?
Nelson is one of the few building blocks Indianapolis has and the Colts will need him, along with Leonard and other players, to step up if they don't want their season to quickly go south.
No. 3 AFC South Power Ranking before Week 1 of the 2023 season: Houston Texans
The Houston Texans had a pretty good offseason. Besides hiring DeMeco Ryans as the head coach, they made several important acquisitions in free agency. They added Devin Singletary to their backfield. Alongside sophomore Dameon Pierce, Singletary gives the Texans a one-two punch at running back.
Although Houston moved on from the reliable Brandin Cooks, veteran Robert Woods joins a receiver corps that includes Nico Collins and John Metchie III, who missed his rookie season after dealing with a type of leukemia. On top of that, general manager Nick Caserio signed tight end Dalton Schultz to a one-year, prove-it deal. If he's as good as he was for the Dallas Cowboys as recently as 2021, the Texans' passing game could be in better shape than expected.
The biggest unknown when it comes to the Houston offense though is quarterback C.J. Stroud, the second overall pick in this year's draft. The former Ohio State Buckey has what it takes to become the face of the franchise but just like Anthony Richardson, he's a work in progress. One thing is sure though, he won't have a shortage of weapons in 2023.
Another thing working in Strouds' favor is that the Texans have a solid defense. Not only did they draft Will Anderson Jr. third overall but they also signed Pro Bowl linebacker Denzel Perryman and defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins. Although they have a few holes, they also have several promising players such as safety Jalen Pitre, cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. and nickel Travierre Thomas.
While the Texans may not be a realistic threat to the Jaguars in 2023, they are no longer in the cellar of the league after taking steps in the right direction these past few months.
No. 2 AFC South Power Ranking before Week 1 of the 2023 season: Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are at a crossroads entering the 2023 season. Just like the Texans, they made several important moves in the offseason but it may not be enough to claim back the division. You have to tip your hat to general manager Ran Carthon though. He inherited a team with pretty bad cap shape but still managed to balance the books and replenish the roster.
Long-time mainstays such as linebacker David Long, left tackle Taylor Lewan, offensive guard Nate Davis, and center Nate Jones are gone. However, the Titans signed Andre Dillard, defensive end Arden Key, and cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting in free agency. On top of that, they gave defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons a mega extension and found a way to secure wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins.
The Tennessee 2023 draft class is also promising, having spent all their picks on one offense. One of them was spent on Will Levis, who may be their quarterback of the future. By now you might be wondering why the Titans are playing second fiddle to the Jaguars despite having made so many upgrades. The answer is simple.
Derek Henry is still the best running back in the NFL but an eventual decline is inevitable. Although Tennessee drafted Tyjae Spears in Round 3, their offense runs through King Henry. If he isn't as effective as he's been in previous years, the Titans might have trouble putting points on the scoreboard.
Similarly, Ryan Tannehill dealt with injuries in 2022 and is coming off an underwhelming year. If he can't bounce back, the Titans could turn to either Levis or Malik Willis and neither one has proven they're the long-term answer at quarterback.
No. 1 AFC South Power Ranking before Week 1 of the 2023 season: Jaguars
It's encouraging to see the Jaguars be at the top of a ranking heading into the 2023 season. The fact that the spot is warranted makes it even more exciting. But that's the thing, they're here to stay. They have enough talent on both sides of the ball and enough star power to make you think they can dominate the division and be a playoff contender for years to come.
Leading the way is Trevor Lawrence. The third-year quarterback made a leap in Year 2 and is expected to be even better in 2023 under the tutelage of head coach Doug Pederson. While it's hard to accurately project how much Lawrence will improve, nobody should bat an eye if he's in the MVP conversation late in the season.
That said, Lawrence isn't the only game-changer on offense. Their wide receiver unit is loaded with talent. Calvin Ridley, Zay Jones, and Christian Kirk give the Jaguars a trio of reliable targets in the passing game. On top of that, tight end Evan Engram is back in the fold.
Speaking of Pederson, the Jaguars have a head coach that won't let the team get complacent. He already won a championship with the Philadelphia Eagles and he will get a shot at getting another Super Bowl ring in Jacksonville.
On defense, the Jags have lots of promising talent. While Mike Caldwell's unit isn't nearly as good as their 2017 counterpart, it certainly has enough pieces to slow down opposing offenses next season.
The bottomline is that the Jaguars have star power at key positions, a franchise quarterback in Trevor Lawrence, and an outstanding coach in Doug Pederson. All of them will ensure Jacksonville remains at the top of the AFC South in 2023.