AFC South Predictions 2026: Jaguars Repeat As Division Champions?

This will come as a major shock, but the Houston Texans could finish in last place in the AFC South. There’s one reason to believe that the squad might take a step back from their gaudy 12-5 from a year ago: CJ Stroud. Last time the NFL saw Stroud on the field, he threw four interceptions in the divisional loss to the New England Patriots.

Ending a season on that type of note can’t be good for a quarterback’s psyche. It’s important that Stroud starts off 2026 on a high note because if he struggles, some rumblings of him being benched will begin. No team does well when they don’t know who their signal-caller is.

On top of that, how much better can the Houston defense be? Last year, they were historically great, ranking top two across all major statistical categories. Will they play with the same passion and hunger if they see that their quarterback is struggling? 

It’s been nearly two years since Stroud has consistently played good football. I believe a benching for him this season is imminent. 

3. Tennessee Titans(8-9)

The young Tennessee Titans squad led by Cam Ward and newly appointed head coach Robert Saleh will be better than their 2025 counterparts. Last year, they finished 3-14 and were tied for the worst record. This offseason, though, they made major moves. 

To start off, the Titans, as mentioned above, hired Saleh, a well-respected defensive mind who got the best out of the New York Jets. Brian Daboll was hired as offensive coordinator as the franchise hopes he can develop Ward as he did for Josh Allen. 

On the player front, the defense got a few upgrades. Tennessee brought in John Franklin-Myers from the Denver Broncos and traded for Jermaine Johnson II from the Jets. They will be solid defensively, and if Ward can continue progressing, they can be a tough out for anyone. 

The Titans aren’t quite ready to win big yet, but they’ve made the right moves to start a foundation.

2. Indianapolis Colts(11-6)

It feels like people have forgotten how good the Indianapolis Colts began the season. They were one of the most efficient offenses of all time through eight games and started the season 8-2 in their first ten. Then a few weeks later, Daniel Jones tore his Achilles and the team had a free fall from 8-9. 

According to reports, Jones is on track in his recovery and has begun 7 on 7 drills in practice. By late July, he should be expected to do 11 on 11 and then be good to go by Week One in September. Colts fans hope that he can pick up right where he left off. 

The former 2019 draftee logged 24 total touchdowns with a passer rating of 100.2. This Indianapolis offense works well with him because they run the ball well and offer him good pass protection. 

What the Colts did to begin the season last year was no fluke. They just have to hope that the injury luck works in their favor. If it does, they will end up second in the division. 

1. Jacksonville Jaguars(13-4)

The Jacksonville Jaguars will win this division in back-to-back years. I believe they have the best quarterback in the bunch in Trevor Lawrence, and head coach Liam Cohen did a great job in year one leading this team to a 13-4 record. His ability to enhance quarterback productivity is no secret.

In 2024, Baker Mayfield had Cohen as an offensive coordinator and threw for a career-high 41 touchdowns. Lawrence, in his first year with Cohen, had 38 total touchdowns. The final month of the season was when he really took off, as he logged 14 touchdowns and had no turnovers. 

It was a massive leap from the 11 touchdowns and seven interceptions Lawrence had in 2024. Jacksonville also has the fewest questions in the division. The Texans have real issues at quarterback, the Titans are still young and have a new coach, and the Colts have a quarterback returning from injury. 

That’s a good enough reason to believe the Jaguars will top the AFC South again. 

End Of My AFC South Rant

The narrative of the AFC South is beginning to shift. For many years, it was looked at as the throwaway division. Only one team would represent the South in the playoffs, and it was normally the lowest seed of all the division winners. 

In 2025-2026, however, Houston and Jacksonville were regarded as two of the best teams in the NFL. Indianapolis was also right there before the injuries. 

With Tennessee making major improvements, this has become one of the sneaky best divisions in football. 

What are your predictions for the division? Will the Jaguars repeat? Will the Titans completely shock the NFL world and win the South?