The Indianapolis Colts were supposed to challenge the Tennesse Titans for the AFC South title in 2022. Matt Ryan was expected to stabilize the quarterback position and help Indy get over the hump.
However, things haven’t gone the way Colts general manager Chris Ballard probably expected, and the team is struggling to keep up with their division foes. On the other hand, the Jacksonville Jaguars have taken advantage of the weakened state of the AFC South and currently find themselves at the top.
So how are things looking for the AFC South ahead of Week 3? Glad you ask, here’s a power ranking.
No. 4 team in the AFC South ahead of Week 3: The Houston Texans
The Houston Texans sit at a familiar spot after losing 16-9 to a Denver Broncos team that currently lacks direction at the coaching level. The Texans were always going to have a hard time beating the Broncos but they looked overwhelming throughout the whole game and only mustered three field goals.
Davis Mills went 9-of-38 for 177 yards and fumbled twice. That kind of performance won’t help him when building his case to keep his job beyond 2022. In Mill’s defense, he wasn’t the only Texan that failed to show out against Denver. As a whole, the offense totaled 234 yards and had a measly15 first downs.
On the bright side, the defense logged 3.5 sacks and Dameon Pierce logged a respectable 15 carries for 69 yards. Moving forward, Houston needs to consider getting him more involved, which could prove to be tough if they start trailing in incoming games.
Next, the Texans will fly to Illinois to take on the 1-1 Chicago Bears.
No. 3 team in the AFC South ahead of Week 3: The Indianapolis Colts
You know you’re doing something wrong when you can’t even beat the worst team in the league (and this ranking), which is what happened to the Indianapolis Colts when they tied with the Houston Texans in Week 1.
But in spite of their miscues in the opener, Indy was projected to beat the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 2. The only problem? The matchup took place at TIA Bank Field, where Indy last won a game in the distant year of 2014. Heading into the game, Colts players talked about how this was just another game but in the end, they were shut out 24-0. Yikes!
Matt Ryan threw three interceptions and Indianapolis couldn’t get the running game going with All-Pro running back Jonathan Taylor tallying a paltry four yards on five carries in the second half. Taylor ended up logging 54 yards but most of them came when the game was already out of reach.
The Colts defense wasn’t much better and failed to get after quarterback Trevor Lawrence, registering just three total pressures and no sacks. Sure, not having wide receiver Alec Pierce and Michael Pittman Jr. on offense and linebacker Shaquille Leonard on defense hurt Indianapolis’ cause but they haven’t shown enough during the last two weeks to make you think they can turn things around. In fact, things could potentially get worse, so it may be a good idea for the Colts to start scouting the top prospects in college football this season.
No. 2 team in the AFC South ahead of Week 3: The Tennessee Titans
The Tennesee Titans made the playoffs in 2021 and they did it despite not having running back Derrick Henry for half the season. But there’s turnover in the NFL from one year to another and the Titans are 0-2 after a couple of uninspiring performances. First, they lost to the New York Giants in the opener and they were next dismantled by a Buffalo Bills team that looks like a Super Bowl contender.
Henry has been a shelf of his former self, toting the rock 34 times for 107 yards with one touchdown over the last two weeks. That stat line doesn’t look that bad at first sight but you then realize that the player also known as the King is averaging a subpar 3.1 yards per carry.
As expected, Ryan Tannehill struggled to put the team on his shoulders without a consistent running game forcing the Bills to stack up the box. The veteran quarterback completed just 55 percent of his passes for 117 yards with two interceptions. The Titans’ defense could only do so much and ended up allowing 41 points.
Tennessee will next face off against a Las Vegas Raiders that is also 0-2. Barring a tie, one of the two teams will get their first win of the year, and it might not be the Titans if they keep playing the way they have.
No. 1 team in the AFC South ahead of Week 3: The Jacksonville Jaguars
Nobody should really be surprised the Jacksonville Jaguars are currently the best team in the AFC South. Then again, that doesn’t say much when you consider that the division as a whole has gone 1-5-2 over the last two weeks, with the Jags getting the only win of the bunch.
Having said that, the Jaguars have several things going for them. For starters, Trevor Lawrence has improved considerably since the end of the 2021 season. The former Clemson Tiger completed 83.3 percent of his passes with two touchdowns and no interceptions against the Colts in Week 2. This was only the second time in his young NFL career that he scored more than two passing touchdowns and threw no interceptions, and there’s a reason to think that the best is yet to come.
Moreover, the Jaguars have a couple of dynamic running backs in Travis Etienne and James Robinson. Even though the Colts made it difficult for them to run the ball, they kept feeding Robinson the ball, a decision that paid off when he broke off a 37-yard touchdown run.
Then, there’s the fact that Jacksonville has enjoyed a clean bill of health. It’s very rare for clubs to report no injuries and the Jags have done it for two straight weeks. In a sport as violent as football, this gives them a considerable advantage.
The Jaguars will fly to the West Coast to take on the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 3. They’re a 7-point underdog but they have a top 5 defense and enough firepower on offense to go toe-to-toe against the Bolts and extend their lead in the AFC South.