Win vs. Colts helps Jaguars stop the bleeding in AFC South Power Rankings for Week 6

The Jacksonville Jaguars took a step in the right direction when they beat the Indianapolis Colts in Week 5. While they're no longer the only winless team in the NFL, they still have plenty of work left if they want to compete for the AFC South title.

The Houston Texans are currently at the top of the division and have a three-game lead over the Jags. Add the fact that they lost to Houston already, and they have to make up a lot of ground.

That begs the question, who is the AFC South looking ahead of Week 6? Here's a ranking of the division.

4. Tennessee Titans

2024 record: 1-3

Previous ranking: 3

The Titans are facing lots of uncertainty ahead ahead of Week 6. Fresh off their BYE, they'll probably be without Will Levis a few games. The sophomore quarterback suffered a shoulder injury in Week 4 but is pushing to be back on the field.

Head coach Brian Callahan is still confident Levis will eventually put it all together but it's hard to tell how much patience Tennesse will exercise. For the time being, journeyman Mason Rudolph is behind center in Nashville. Ultimately, the defense looks solid but the lack of certainty at quarterback is holding the offense back.

3. Jacksonville Jaguars

2024 record: 1-4

Previous ranking: 4

Baby steps. The Jaguars gave Houston all they could handle in Week 4 and still lost. The good news is that they built off of it and played even better against the Indianapolis Colts. Trevor Lawrence played like his usual self while Tank Bigsby and Brian Thomas Jr. showed enough to make you think they'll be staples of the offense. On the other hand, the Jacksonville defense has left much to be desired.

Expected to be one of the best units in the NFL, the defense has instead struggled with Ryan Nielsen at the helm. Execution seems to be the main issue, especially in the back end.

But despite their struggles on defense, the Jags should feel good about their chances ahead of their Week 6 matchup against the Chicago Bears even though they're a 1.5-point underdog.

2. Indianapolis Colts

2024 record: 2-3

Previous ranking: 2

What seemed like a promising season for the Colts is quickly going off the rails. They'll tentatively be without wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. for a few weeks while he recovers from a back injury. Their front four has also been decimated by injuries.

DeForest Buckner, Tyquan Lewis, and Samson Ebukam are all on the Injured Reserve list. Similarly, Anthony Richardson has had trouble staying healthy and has been underwhelming when he's suited up for Indy.

Maybe if the Colts avoid further injuries and Richardon stays healthy, they'll have a shot this season. For the time being, it doesn't look like they'll be making noise.

1. Houston Texans

2024 record: 4-1

Previous ranking: 1

It's hard to see the Texans losing ground in the AFC South at this point. Sure, they'll be without star receiver Nico Collins but they have sophomore Tank Dell in the fold.

Early in the season, Dell had taken a backseat due to the arrival of Stefon Diggs, but he'll once again step into a featured role with Collins out of the mix. Also, running back Joe Mixon should return to the lineup soon, so the Jaguars will have a step up if they want to catch up to them.

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