The AFC South barely budged this week, even after Indianapolis stumbled in Pittsburgh. The Colts’ loss exposed the same rough edges that have been hanging around for a while - and yet, the division picture stayed almost exactly where it was.
That leaves Jacksonville still on top, Indianapolis still in the middle, Houston clinging to its first win, and Tennessee stuck at the bottom. There’s movement in the details, but not much movement in the order.
The Colts are still sitting at No. 2, even if the trip to Pittsburgh did them no favors. Daniel Jones has started to show signs of regression, and the defense - after back-to-back strong outings - took a clear step back. The unforced errors finally caught up with them, and the Steelers having extra time to prepare for the matchup didn’t help matters.
There’s also work to do up front and on the perimeter. The offensive line isn’t opening lanes for Jonathan Taylor, and with Alec Pierce out, Daniel Jones has lost the vertical element in the passing game.
Defensively, the tackling was sloppy again, and the linebacker play remains an ongoing problem. For a unit with this much talent, the inconsistency stands out.
Still, the Colts are not looking like a team headed toward the bottom of the AFC South. They’re too flawed to be the division’s clear No. 1, but they’re also too capable to slide any lower than this without things getting worse. And next week brings a home date with the Titans, which is exactly the kind of chance they need to settle things down.
At the other end, Tennessee remains in rough shape at 0-5. Their second-year quarterback still hasn’t taken a step forward, the offensive line has done too little to protect him, and even a defense that looks improved can’t hold up when the offense can’t stay on the field. This has the feel of a team drifting toward taking a quarterback next year, and a top-three draft pick looks increasingly likely.
Houston got its first win of the year, but the result came against Tennessee, so it’s hard to read too much into it. The Texans settled for field goals far too often against the weakest team in the division.
Even with the idea of trading for Marvin Harrison Jr. floating around, there’s little reason to expect that kind of move to suddenly fix everything. They’re still an underperforming group, just with one win now instead of none.
Jacksonville remains No. 1 after a comeback win over the Philadelphia Eagles in London. But that one came with plenty of late drama. The Jaguars needed a miracle finish and a major collapse by the Eagles’ special teams to pull it out.
Philadelphia was missing several starters, including Saquon Barkley and DeVonta Smith, and still came within one second of leaving the States with the win. Jacksonville’s record looks strong, but the film says they’re not untouchable.
In Other News...
Quenton Nelsons Frustration Sums Up A Growing Colts Problem
The Colts came out of Pittsburgh with a 34-22 loss, but the bigger concern was how little they got done on the ground. Indianapolis never established the kind of run game it usually wants, and guard Quenton Nelsons frustration after the game reflected a problem that has been building rather than one bad afternoon.
Jonathan Taylor was held to 45 yards on 15 carries, and the lack of balance left Daniel Jones throwing 44 times to keep the offense moving. For a team that wants to control games with its front and its rushing attack, the result was a familiar kind of pressure, one that makes every missed crease and stalled series feel bigger as the season goes on. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Have A Steelers Problem Fans Wont Ignore After That Game
A frustrating Steelers game left plenty for Colts fans to sort through, and the concerns went well beyond the final score. The broader breakdown pointed to shaky tackling effort, uneven run blocking, quarterback inconsistency, limited tight end involvement and a defense that never seemed to settle in, while the play calling itself felt too cautious for a team trying to control a familiar AFC opponent.
The most glaring issues came on the defensive side, where the linebacker rotation drew heavy criticism and the overall unit was framed as lacking the instincts needed to keep up in an NFL game. Add in the growing doubts about confidence and aggression, and the result was less a one-off dud than a reminder that Indianapolis has some real Steelers-sized problems to clean up before the next meeting. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Still Have One Big WR Problem After Passing On Harrison Jr
The wide receiver market just got a little more interesting for teams still searching for help, and Indianapolis was at least in the conversation before passing. Marvin Harrison Jr., whose production has tailed off across his first three NFL seasons, is now on the move, with Houston landing him from Arizona in a deal that cost future draft capital. For a Colts team trying to stabilize a receiver room that has been hit by injuries and uneven play, the move serves as another reminder of how thin the margins can be when a proven name becomes available.
Indianapolis still has work to do there, because the current group has not fully answered the need. Alec Pierce remains sidelined with a heel injury, leaving Josh Downs, Keenan Allen and Laquon Treadwell as the main options for now. The Colts were reportedly involved in the Harrison talks, but they came away empty-handed, and the bigger question is whether they can find a receiver solution before the season keeps pressing the issue for them. [Read more 🡒]