Although the AFC South was predicted to be among the NFL’s weakest divisions, several have expressed astonishment with the group. The Tennessee Titans are trailing the Jacksonville Jaguars, who remain the favourites to win the championship again. The Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts have also surprised many.
Here are some reasons, through Week 6, to be both positive and negative about each club in the division.
Texans in Houston (3-3)
Optimist: The Texans have jumped from 31st to 14th place in scoring offence, and C.J. Stroud is much above everyone’s expectations. With 1,660 yards and nine touchdowns, Stroud is tied for ninth place in the scoring category. He has scored a touchdown in every game but one. Thought to be among the worst starting the season, he has improved Houston’s receiving room to a respectable collection of ball catchers, making Nico Collins appear like a semi-competent No. 1 receiver.
Pessimist: The Texans defence has performed equally as poorly as Stroud has. They allow the sixth-most points per game (24.7), rank 30th in total defence (379.5 yards per game), and have nine sacks, which is tied for the second-fewest in the league. With a bottom-three defence, six of their 11 opponents still have records of.500 or better, therefore they may struggle to win the balance of the season.
Colts in Indianapolis (3-3)
Optimist: Despite starting rookie phenom Anthony Richardson for only about three of the squad’s six games, Indianapolis is a.500 football team. In addition, in the two games after returning off injured reserve, Jonathan Taylor has only been able to total 14 carries for 37 yards. Gardner Minshew may be able to win the Colts enough games to make them competitive at the end of the season if he can get Taylor rolling and keep rival defences honest with the run game.
Pessimist: Richardson decided to have surgery to fix a broken AC joint in his throwing shoulder, which will cause him to miss the remainder of the season. Although Minshew is a reliable backup quarterback, it’s doubtful that he will be the Colts’ postseason quarterback. In his four plus seasons as a starter, Minshew is just 9-17, and Indianapolis probably won’t win many games if they force him to throw the ball 25–30 times every play.
Jaguars of Jacksonville (4-2)
Optimist: Despite not even playing at their peak, quarterback Trevor Lawrence and wide receiver Calvin Ridley of the Jacksonville Jaguars are now leading their division. This season, the 24-year-old Lawrence has only had one 300-yard game and hasn’t thrown more than two touchdowns in any one contest. In his prior outings, Ridley has not had more than four receptions, and he has only had two games with 100 yards or more. The Jags may become a threat if Lawrence flicks the switch or if the duo finds a common ground.
Pessimist: Lawrence hasn’t turned it on for Jacksonville after six games of the season. This was meant to be the year of his breakthrough. Between a 1,000-yard rusher and a Pro Bowl tight end, he has the finest collection of receivers he has ever had. However, the majority of the season has seen the Jags offence appear stagnant. Maybe this is their true selves, and this is Lawrence. If so, there’s still a chance to make the playoffs, but it seems doubtful that you’ll do much more than just get in.
Titans of Tennessee (2-4)
Optimist: The Titans may finally be ready for a change if they lose to the Atlanta Falcons following their bye. Derrick Henry, Kevin Byard, DeAndre Hopkins, and Denico Autry are just a few of the players the team could sell off to raise draught capital. This could help spark a rebuild as first-year general manager Ran Carthon puts his mark on the team rather than trying to add pieces to what former general manager Jon Robinson left him. Carthon can provide the supporters with a new beginning, as Will Levis is expected to be the starting quarterback in 2019.
Pessimistic: Tennessee is just one game below.500 with four games remaining against teams who advanced to the playoffs the previous season, even with a victory against the Falcons. Although it would appear that creating a new roster around players like Levis, Treylon Burks, Jeffery Simmons, and Chigoziem Okonkwo is the wisest course of action, the Titans will undoubtedly make an effort to make the playoffs. The roster isn’t good enough to do it, which is the primary issue. Tennessee is only kicking the can down the road until it has to acknowledge it’s time to rebuild by choosing not to trade components before the deadline.
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