When you think of the top teams in the AFC, probably the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills are the first two that come to mind, and rightfully so. After all, these clubs faced off against each other in last year’s Conference championship and they both should return to the playoffs in 2022 but what about the teams in the AFC South? Are they any good?
Last year’s division champions, the Tennesee Titans, were one and done in the postseason. On the bright side, the AFC South figures to be stronger in 2022 with Matt Ryan joining the Indianapolis Colts and the Jacksonville Jaguars makings several important moves in the offseason. So how do the teams in the division stack up against each other ahead of the season opener? Glad you asked.
No. 4 team in the AFC South ahead of Week 1: The Houston Texans
4. Houston Texans
The Houston Texans finished third in the AFC South last year and beat the Jaguars twice. However, they weren’t as aggressive in adding players in free agency as their divisional foes. Moreover, Trevor Lawrence has more upside than Davis Mills and a Super Bowl-winning head coach in Doug Pederson.
There’s a good chance Houston will exceed expectations but it’s hard to envision them winning more than six games in 2022. Their rookie class has the potential to be really good but they weren’t able to address all their needs in the offseason.
On the bright side, the Texans could be picking in the top 5 next year and they’re set to have nearly $50 million in cap space next year, which they can use to acquire a few difference-makers in free agency. Having said that, don’t expect Houston to do much in 2022.
No. 3 team in the AFC South ahead of Week 1: The Tennesee Titans
This might be a bit of a shocker when you take into account that the Tennesee Titans seized the division last year but there’s a strong chance they’ll take a significant step back in 2022. For starters, running back Derrick Henry might not be as dominant as he was over the last three years.
Leaving aside the foot injury that sidelined him for nine games in 2021, the player known as the King has taken on an insane workload. In 44 games (including the postseason) dating back to 2019, he’s toted the rock 1,021 times. Had he managed to stay healthy last year, he would probably have surpassed the 1,150 hard. Eventually, all the wear and tear is going to affect Henry’s performance, and that could happen as soon as this year.
To make matters worse, the Titans traded A.J. Brown, who had a team-high 63 receptions for 869 yards last year, to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for a first-round selection. To fill the void, they drafted Traylor Burks and acquired Robert Woods for the Rams. But the former is an unknown while the latter is coming off a torn ACL, so it’s hard to tell what kind of impact they’ll have in Tennesse’s passing game this upcoming season.
Last but not least, Harold Landry is likely out for the year. The Titans still have Denico Autry and Jeffrey Simmons but replacing Landry’s production will be a tough task. While it’s too early to stick a fork in Tenessee, they’re facing several questions ahead of the 2022 season.
No. 2 team in the AFC South ahead of Week 1: The Jacksonville Jaguars
This might be the most controversial pick in this power ranking but the truth is that the Jacksonville Jaguars pulled no punches in the offseason and made several moves that should give him a realistic shot at competing in the AFC South and potentially go from last to first in 2022.
Besides inking Pro Bowl guard Brandon Scherff, they revamped their wide receiver corps with the acquisition of Christian Kirk and Zay Jones. Also, Evan Engram, who signed a one-year deal, should become a key cog in Doug Pederson’s tight-end friendly offense. On defense, they signed cornerback Darious Williams, defensive tackle Folorunso Fatukasi, defensive end Arden Key and linebacker Foyesade Oluokun. All of them are slated to have starting or feature roles.
Taking care of most of their needs in free agency, allowed Jacksonville to take the best player available in this year’s draft. Although there were several worthy candidates, they chose outside linebacker Travon Walker, who could turn out to be a franchise building block… or a massive disappointment. Fortunately for the Jaguars, the former Georgia Bulldog has shown tremendous growth over the last few months.
But the biggest reason the Jaguars could have a legitimate shot at making the playoffs — yes, the playoffs — is the presence of Trevor Lawrence, who flashed as a rookie, and should make an immense leap under the tutelage of head coach Doug Pederson.
The Jaguars have become somewhat of a meme in recent years but they have enough pieces in place to compete in what might turn out to be a weak AFC South.
No. 1 team in the AFC South ahead of Week 1: The Indianapolis Colts
Chris Ballard has gotten several franchise building blocks during his stint as the Indianapolis Colts general manager. However, he hasn’t been able to get the quarterback position right despite the fact that he’s made several attempts. In his defense, nobody expected Andrew Luck to unexpectedly retire before the 2019 season. But that was three years ago and he should have found a long-term replacement right now.
In an attempt to stabilize the position, Ballard traded for Matt Ryan. The 2016 league MVP should help the Colts compete for a playoff spot in 2022 after not qualifying last year. While he’s currently 37, he still has plenty of gas in the tank and should be an upgrade over Carson Wentz, who is now with the Washington Commanders.
One thing helping Ryan is that he won’t have to carry the team on his shoulders. Jonathan Taylor showed last season that he can take over games. The 2021 rushing leader is in his prime and should be able to keep defenses honest once again this upcoming season.
On defense, Indianapolis acquired Yannick Ngakoue from the Las Vegas Raiders and has a couple of difference-makers in defensive tackle DeForest Bucker and All-Pro linebacker Shaquille (formerly Darius) Leonard.
The Colts’ biggest weaknesses ahead of Week 1 might be the lack of a bonafide No. 1 receiver. Michael Pittman is a solid option and rookie Alec Pierce could turn out to be a playmaker. On the other hand, it’s hard to get hyped up about Indy’s wide receiver corps. Having said that, Ryan’s arrival should be more than enough to get the Colts back to the postseason.