2. Houston Texans (0-1)
The Houston Texans might actually have a serious problem on their hands, as the offense appears to be broken, as CJ Stroud just has not looked like himself since his rookie season. The main issue is the offensive line, and while GM Nick Caserio did overhaul the unit this offseason, the early returns aren't looking all that great.
Houston has gone 10-7 and won the AFC South in each of the past two seasons. They have cemented themselves as a 'good not great' team and are clearly trying to break through to that next tier, but it appear to be one of the hardest things to do in the NFL.
Only time will tell if the Texans can get this thing back on the right track. If so, we could be having a different conversation about this team. For now, though, after a long reign atop the AFC South, they've dropped to no. 2 in our latest AFC South power rankings as Week 2 kicks off on Thursday.
1. Indianapolis Colts (1-0)
The Indianapolis Colts blew out the Miami Dolphins, and QB Daniel Jones looked every bit of a franchise passer. However, this is still only a Week 1 game, and many teams have looked unstoppable in the early parts of the season.
I am reminded of the 2024 New Orleans Saints; the team raced out to a 2-0 start and then proceeded to lose seven games in a row. Now I am not saying this is going to happen to the Colts, but it's not like Jones has proven himself in the NFL, and we're still not quite sure if Shane Steichen is a legitimate NFL head coach.
All I am saying is we need to pump the brakes a bit, but it's not crazy to rank Indy first in our AFC South power rankings ahead of Week 2.