AFC South Week 8 Power Rankings: Jacksonville Jaguars in control of the division
• The rest of the AFC South is lagging
• Here's a ranking of the division ahead of Week 8
No. 2 team in the AFC South heading into Week 8: Houston Texans
The Houston Texans have already tallied as many wins as they did last year in only seven games. It's true that the bar was pretty low to begin with, but they seem headed in the right direction under head coach DeMeco Ryans. Just a couple weeks ago, they managed to upset the Pittsburgh Steelers.
You could make the case that the Steelers are a middle-of-the-pack team and that's correct, but that's the kind of game Houston may not been able to win in any of the previous two seasons. Coming off their BYE, the Texans will have a chance to win their fourth game of the season when they play the Carolina Panthers in Week 8.
Wide receiver Nico Collins is having a breakout season and rookie Tank Dell will suit up Sunday after being cleared from the concussion protocol. Together, along with veteran Robert Woods and tight end Dalton Schultz, they give first-year quarterback C.J. Stroud a vast arsenal of weapons.
Their defense isn't bad either. In fact, they rank eighth in points allowed in the NFL. Trading back to draft Will Anderson Jr. third overall is looking like a sound move while linebacker Blake Cashman has become an integral part of their identity.
The bottom line is that the Texans may need to wait one more year to become a legitimate challenger for the AFC South but they should be thrilled about the roster they've built.