State of the AFC South Following Week 9

One more week is in the books in the NFL and one more week of AFC South action has played out. Through nine weeks, the division's standings remain the same as they virtually have all season long.

With the Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans each coming off of bye weeks, the entire AFC South competed on Sunday and compiled a 2-2 record. We break down the state of the division here and what it could mean for each team moving forward.

AFC South standings

Tennessee Titans (6-2, 2-0): Despite the Chicago Bears scoring 17 points in the fourth quarter, the Titans were able to fend off their opponent and leave Week 9 with a 24-17 victory.
Indianapolis Colts (5-3, 0-1): The Colts had a chance to get a big win against a tough foe on Sunday but they failed to hold onto their 10-7 halftime lead, falling 24-10 to the Baltimore Ravens.
Houston Texans (2-6, 2-1): The Texans picked up their second win of the season in Week 9, a 27-25 victory over the Jaguars.
Jacksonville Jaguars (1-7, 1-3): Jacksonville came close to toppling the Texans and Deshaun Watson, but they lost their seventh-consecutive game after a failed two-point conversion.

Jacksonville Jaguars

What to like: The Jaguars have never had much luck with first-round quarterbacks in their history, to say the least. But while it is a small consolation, the Jaguars could be making the argument for themselves as the standard when it comes to evaluating and developing sixth-round quarterbacks. The Jaguars shocked the league last season when they started 2019 sixth-rounder Gardner Minshew for 12 games and saw him establish himself as, at least, a serviceable starter and high-quality backup. Meanwhile, 2020 sixth-rounder Jake Luton is the 9th quarterback ever to have 300+ yards and a touchdown in his NFL debut. Jacksonville needs to hit on a top-tier quarterback sooner than later, but they have at least shown the ability to find Day 3 gems at the position in recent years.

What to dislike: It has now been three whole seasons since the Jaguars have defeated the Houston Texans. Jacksonville is 0-6 against the Texans since the start of the 2018 season, with their last victory against Houston coming on Dec. 17, 2017. The Jaguars have been outscored 136-64 in that period. In Deshaun Watson's four years in the league, the Jaguars have yet to beat him in a game that he has started. If a team can't stop getting swept by a divisional rival and their star quarterback, they will find themselves at the bottom of the AFC South as the Jaguars have over the last three seasons.

Next opponent: The Jaguars will travel to Green Bay to play the 6-2 Packers in Week 10.

Indianapolis Colts

What to like: The success of the Colts in 2020 has largely been driven by their defense. And while they lost in Week 9, their defense was once again a reason they even had a chance to win. The unit allowed 17 points (Colts scored on a Jonathan Taylor fumble) and held the Ravens to just 266 yards on 63 plays, a great 4.2 yard per play average for the defense. Add in the fact that the Colts allowed just 2.9 yards per rush on 38 carries, and the Colts defense once again showed up on a big stage.

What to dislike: Where to start? All of the Colts' major problems are on offense but none of them look like they are going away anytime soon. Philip Rivers is playing poorly, racking up just 5.3 yards per attempt on a 58.1% completion rate on Sunday. His throws past 10 yards all look like they struggle to move through the air, and his wide receiver room isn't helping him much either. Add in the disappointment of Taylor's rookie season, a year in which he is the team's third-best healthy back, and the Colts are a mess on the side of the ball they were supposed to excel at.

Next opponent: The Colts will travel to play the Tennessee Titans in Week 10.

Houston Texans

What to like: A week after trade rumors about Texans wide receiver Will Fuller hit overdrive, the Texans took the field with their fifth-year receiver and saw him become a key part to their victory in Jacksonville. Houston ended up not trading Fuller to the Green Bay Packers due to Green Bay's low offer, resulting in Fuller likely ending his Texans tenure at the end of this season. The Texans got at least one more win thanks to Fuller before then, though, with the speedy wideout's 77-yard touchdown in the third quarter being the difference to a Houston win in Week 9.

What to dislike: Houston's rushing attack was once again anemic against the Jaguars. The Texans have struggled to run the ball effectively all season, but they hit a new low against the Jaguars. Take away Watson's 50 yards on 10 carries and the Texans rushed 18 times for 57 yards -- just 3.1 yards per carry. This includes an 18-yard run from David Johnson as well, so these figures could have been even worse than they were.

Next opponent: The Texans will travel to play the 5-3 Cleveland Browns in Week 10.

Tennessee Titans

What to like: Just a few days after the Titans traded for former Pro Bowler Desmond King, Tennessee saw the move pay off in a major way. The Titans got a major steal with King to begin with, trading away just a sixth-rounder to the Los Angeles Chargers to get one of the league's best returners and best slot cornerbacks. The trade has already swung in the Titans' favor as well, with King playing a pivotal role in their victory against the Bears. After Jeffery Simmons forced a David Montgomery fumble, King scooped up the ball and returned it 63 yards for a touchdown, a massive play in the close game.

What to dislike: Most times a team gets just 11 first downs over the course of four quarters, it is going to be hard for them to find sustainable success. Such is the case with the Titans, who are going to have to find a way to move the ball against talented defenses. Only four of Tennessee's first downs came on the ground, a stark contrast from the usual ground-and-pound style of the offense.

Next opponent: The Titans will host the Colts in Week 10.

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