AFC South optimist, pessimist view of every team

The AFC South was expected to be one of the NFL's worst divisions, but the division has surprised some people. The Jacksonville Jaguars are still the favorite to repeat as champs, but the Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts have been pleasant surprises while the Tennessee Titans are bringing up the rear.

Here are reasons to be optimistic and pessimistic about every team in the division through Week 6.

Houston Texans (3-3)

Optimist: C.J. Stroud is far exceeding everyone’s expectations and the Texans have leaped from 31st to 14th in scoring offense. Stroud ranks fourth in yards (1,660) and he’s tied for ninth in touchdowns (nine), and he’s scored at least one touchdown in all but one game. He’s made Nico Collins look like a semi-competent No. 1 receiver and turned Houston’s receiver room, which was believed to be one of the worst entering the season, into a solid group of pass catchers.

Pessimist: As good as Stroud has been, the Texans defense has been just as bad. They rank 30th in total defense (379.5 yards per game), they allow the sixth-most points per game (24.7), and they’re tied for the second-fewest sacks in the league (nine). Six of their 11 remaining opponents have a .500 or better record, and with a bottom-three defense, wins could be hard to come by the rest of the year.

Indianapolis Colts (3-3)

Optimist: Indy is a .500 football team despite only having rookie sensation Anthony Richardson for essentially three of its six games. Additionally, Jonathan Taylor has been limited to a combined 14 carries for 37 yards in the two games he’s been back from injured reserve. If the Colts can get Taylor going and keep opposing defenses honest with the run, Gardner Minshew may be able to win them enough games to be competitive at the end of the year. 

Pessimist:  Richardson will miss the rest of the season after opting for surgery to repair a damaged AC joint in his throwing shoulder. Minshew is a solid backup QB, but it’s unlikely he’s the guy to lead the Colts to the playoffs. Minshew is just 9-17 as a starter in four-plus seasons, and Indy likely won’t win many games asking him to throw it 25-30 times per outing.

Jacksonville Jaguars (4-2)

Optimist: The Jags currently sit in first place in the division and quarterback Trevor Lawrence and receiver Calvin Ridley haven’t even been at their best. The 24-year-old Lawrence hasn’t thrown more than two touchdowns in any game this year and he’s had just one 300-yard game. Ridley has had just two 100-yard games, and he hasn’t had more than four catches in any of his other appearances. If the tandem gets on the same page, or even if Lawrence flips the switch, the Jags could become dangerous.

Pessimist: Jacksonville is six games into the season and Lawrence hasn’t turned it on yet. This was supposed to be his breakout year. He has the best group of receivers he’s ever had, a Pro Bowl tight end and a 1,000-yard rusher. But the Jags offense has just looked stuck for most of the season. Perhaps this is who they are and this is what Lawrence really is. If so, the playoffs are still a possibility but anything beyond just making it in seems unlikely.

Tennessee Titans (2-4)

Optimist: A loss to the Atlanta Falcons after the bye and the Titans might finally hit the reset button. The team has plenty of players it could sell off to stockpile draft capital (Derrick Henry, Kevin Byard, DeAndre Hopkins, Denico Autry), which could help kick start a rebuild with first-year GM Ran Carthon putting his stamp on the roster instead of trying to add pieces to what former GM Jon Robinson left him. The fans want a fresh start, and with Will Levis as the likely QB1 next year, Carthon can give it to them.

Pessimist: A win over the Falcons and Tennessee is just one game under .500 with just four games left against teams that made the playoffs last year. While on the surface it seems the best course of action is for the Titans to start rebuilding their roster around Levis, Treylon Burks, Chigoziem Okonkwo and Jeffery Simmons, they’ll sure try to scratch and claw their way to a playoff spot. The only problem is this roster isn’t good enough to do it. By not trading pieces at the deadline, Tennessee is only kicking the can down the road before it has to admit it’s time to rebuild.