The Jacksonville Jaguars have now won three games in a row and find themselves with the best record in the AFC South following their dismantling of the Indianapolis Colts in Week 6. Although Indy had success moving the ball on their first drive, the Jags didn't allow them to reach the end zone until the fourth quarter.
In the end, the game wasn't as close as the 37-20 record suggested, and the Colts' losing streak against the Jags as visitors now sits at nine games. But what about the Tennessee Titans and the Houston Texans? How did the rest of the division fare in Week 6? Here's a ranking of the AFC South.
No. 4 AFC South Ranking Post-Week 6: Tennessee Titans (2-4)
The Tennessee Titans thought Ryan Tannehill could bounce back from an underwhelming 2022 campaign but he didn't and could potentially miss time after suffering a high ankle sprain in Week 6.
#Titans QB Ryan Tannehill suffered a high right ankle sprain Sunday in London, sources told @TDavenport_NFL and me, putting his availability in the coming weeks into question.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) October 16, 2023
Titans have a bye, which helps. But he could miss time. pic.twitter.com/uZJCe5W6qT
This wouldn't be an issue if the Titans had a contingency plan in place but neither Will Levis nor Malik Willis seems ready to take reins. The latter filled in for Tannehill when he left the game against the Baltimore Ravens but he held the ball too long and consistently looked overwhelmed.
In retrospect, those training camp reports about Willis making a leap in Year 2 might not have been anything other than offseason hype. That said, it's telling that the Titans could've gone with Levis but opted not to. Maybe he isn't ready, perhaps Willis is the better of the two. Either way, Tennessee doesn't seem to have an answer at quarterback.
To make matters worse, the Titans have benched several underperformers who were expected to have key roles in 2023. Among them are left tackle Andre Dillard and cornerback Kristian Fulton. Add injuries to Teair Tart and Jeffery Simmons on the defensive line and it's hard to see Tennessee getting out of the division cellar anytime soon.
3. AFC South Ranking Post-Week 6: Indianapolis Colts (3-3)
The Indianapolis Colts were expected to show up at EverBank Field and compete for the top spot in the AFC South. However, they proved to be no match for a Jaguars team that has gained steam the last three weeks. Jonathan Taylor and Zack Moss were supposed to pound the ball and wear Jacksonville down but they only mustered a combined 40 rushing yards between the two. Their underwhelming outing wasn't their fault though.
The Colts' offensive line got manhandled and had no answer for Jacksonville's defensive front. The Jags consistently kept seven players in the box and forced Gardner Minshew to beat them through the air.
Not gonna spend a lot of time on this, but just to tie up a loose end... C Ryan Kelly and others talked about how the Jags stubbornly played a 7-man front, which impacted the Colts' decision to throw so heavily. Case in point: This is the 3rd play from scrimmage: https://t.co/mjbXoEgJfJ pic.twitter.com/b1HaOmAIeG
— Stephen Holder (@HolderStephen) October 16, 2023
Their strategy paid off. Although Minshew gained yards in chunks, Indy's offense stalled more often than not and it wasn't until the fourth quarter that they scored their first touchdown. By then the game was out of reach.
The score was 31-13 after the Colts reached the end zone and any potential attempt at a a comeback was futile. Simply, the Jaguars knew what to expect from the Colts offense and executed. They forced four turnovers and brought Minshew down three times.
Granted, the Colts also registered three sacks and one interception but they couldn't capitalize on them. At 3-3, Indianapolis isn't out of the division race just yet but it won't be easy to catch up with the Texans and Jacksonville. Especially, when you take into account that they'll next face a stout Cleveland Browns defense that doesn't let opponents move the ball.
2. AFC South Ranking Post-Week 6: Houston Texans (3-3)
The Houston Texans are a young team that is learning how to win. They'll take a couple steps in the right direction only to take one back. Having lost fallen to the Atlanta Falcons in Week 5, they returned to the win column when they disposed of the inconsistent New Orleans Saints in Week 6. It wasn't easy and quarterback C.J. Stroud showed he's a rookie when he threw his first interception of the season.
Nobody realistically thought Stroud would go the whole season without throwing the pick but the Texans proved they can win even when their franchise quarterback makes mistakes. The Houston defense also deserves credit for relentlessly rattling quarterback Derek Carr and slowing down the Saints' running game.
Although Carr was able to move the ball, the Saints only managed to reach the end zone once. Running back Alvin Karama wasn't much better. He totaled over 100 yards from scrimmage but his production didn't translate into points.
While the Texans' front seven won't get the spotlight often in 2023, no team can take them lightly. Jonathan Greenard, Will Anderson Jr., and Jerry Huge had seven pressures each in Week 6. Similarly, linebacker Blake Cashman tallied 15 total tackles.
The Texans still have a long way to go but being .500 at this stage of the season isn't something analysts expected. Props to first-year head coach DeMeco Ryans, who has his team ready to play every Sunday.
1. AFC South Ranking Post-Week 6: Jacksonville Jaguars (4-2)
Do you remember when the Jacksonville Jaguars lost two games in a row this season? There were questions about Doug Pederson's decision to hand playcalling duties to offensive coordinator Press Taylor and the offseason acquisition of kicker Brandon McManus didn't look that great. On top of the offensive line was struggling and the running game was non-existent. But three weeks can be a long time, long enough for the Jags to fix the issues that were holding them back and go into a winning streak.
It's possible that the Jaguars bought into the offseason hype or maybe they just needed a bit of time to gel. Regardless of the reason, they're playing like the team the consensus thought they were before the beginning of the 2023 season. Their offense has so many playmakers that teams will be exposed if they devote too many resources to stopping just one.
Speaking of the offense, Trevor Lawrence deserves credit for getting the ball to his players and minimizing mistakes. He isn't currently part of the league's MVP talk but he's done more than enough to help the Jags win games. The same is true for running back Travis Etienne, who has been an important part of the team's gameplan the last three games.
The defense has also done its part. Mike Caldwell's group has made it difficult for teams to run the ball and currently leads the league in turnovers. While you won't hear the national media talk about the Jaguars' ascension in recent weeks, no team on their schedule can afford to take them lightly.