The AFC South still belongs to Jacksonville, but the division is hardly settled. After seven weeks, the Jaguars sit at the top of the rankings at 4-2, while everyone else is stuck chasing from well behind.
That gap matters, even if Jacksonville is not exactly running away with anything. The Jaguars are still the class of the division because they’re a balanced, well-coached team and they have the best quarterback in the AFC South by a significant margin. At the same time, they’re not immune to their own self-inflicted wounds, especially when the stakes rise.
Houston checks in second at 2-5, and the Texans are starting to show signs of life on defense. That side of the ball is beginning to live up to the expectations around it, but the offense and overall late-game execution are still dragging them down.
They just dropped another game they were supposed to win easily, and those closing-time problems could wind up defining DeMeco Ryans’ tenure in Houston. Even so, the Texans still look like a team that could potentially get on a real run if things finally click.
Indianapolis follows at No. 3, and the Colts keep finding the same painful pattern. Shane Steichen’s team is competing hard, and they had another chance to knock off the last undefeated team, but it ended in another loss.
Spencer Shrader also had a rough afternoon in a spot where the Colts needed him to be steady. Daniel Jones’ play has once again pointed straight toward an offseason reset at quarterback, and Steichen’s hot seat is getting hotter with every close loss.
The Colts have been in position to win just about every game they’ve played, but late-game mistakes, blown leads and shaky quarterback play have left them sitting at 2-5.
Tennessee rounds out the list at No. 4, and the Titans’ latest loss only made their ugly Week 6 defeat look worse. They did play decent defense against Deshaun Watson and the Cleveland Browns, but that doesn’t change the bigger picture.
The roster is thin, the team isn’t good, and Cam Ward isn’t looking like the answer they hoped for. Robert Saleh may be a strong defensive coordinator, but the head coach label has not fit nearly as well.
In Other News...
Colts Injury Report Puts Two Key Week 8 Concerns In Focus
Wednesdays injury report gave the Colts a mixed bag as they turned the page toward Week 8, with a few important defensive and offensive pieces showing up on the practice field in different capacities. Linebacker CJ Allen was a full participant despite an ankle issue, while rookie linebacker Bryce Boettcher was held out with a groin injury. Around them, the list of limited participants included Drew Ogletree, Tyler Warren and Matt Goncalves, underscoring how many moving parts Indianapolis is managing this week.
The most encouraging development came from Sauce Gardner, who returned to limited practice after being sidelined by a calf injury. His availability is one of the bigger questions hanging over the Colts right now, especially with the defense trying to steady itself after two games without him. For a team trying to keep its lineup intact in midseason, the Thursday and Friday updates will matter just as much as the first report. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Are Betting Big On A Rookie To Replace Quenton Nelson
The Colts are moving on from a significant piece of their offensive front, and the plan now is to hand the left guard job to rookie Jalen Farmer. A fourth-round pick with limited NFL experience, Farmer has been in line for a bigger role since camp, and Indianapolis has spent the past few weeks preparing him for the jump with coaches and teammates helping smooth the transition.
Farmer will have plenty of eyes on him as he tries to step into a spot that mattered for years in Indianapolis. The coaching staff has publicly backed his readiness, and the locker room has followed suit, but replacing a proven veteran in the middle of a reshuffled line is the kind of test that can define an early season for an offense still trying to settle in. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Suddenly Face A Jonathan Taylor Decision That Changes Everything
The Colts have already made it clear they are willing to shake up the roster after moving Quenton Nelson and DeForest Buckner, and that alone has changed the way the rest of the league is reading their next steps. With the front office openly signaling that more deals could follow, attention has naturally turned to players like Josh Downs and Jonathan Taylor, two names that would have seemed untouchable not long ago.
Taylor is the one who creates the most immediate tension because Indianapolis now has to balance a possible trade market with the realities of the next game on the schedule. The question is no longer just whether the Colts might listen if a serious offer comes along, but how they handle his status in the meantime as the situation around him continues to build. [Read more 🡒]