The Jacksonville Jaguars breezed through the Indianapolis Colts in Week 6, taking a double-digit lead with two touchdowns in a 16-second span early in the second quarter and never letting their AFC South rival back in the game.
After three straight wins, the Jaguars are 4-2 and all alone atop their division heading into a Thursday night game against the New Orleans Saints.
But it’s not all sunshine and rainbows in Jacksonville right now. The team was a little frustrated with its sluggish finish to the 37-20 win Sunday. It suffered some concerning injuries as cornerback Tyson Campbell is unlikely to play in Week 7 and quarterback Trevor Lawrence’s status is up in the air.
Still, the Jaguars are looking more and more like the team that was expected to be a legitimate AFC contender in 2023.
With six weeks in the books, here’s where power rankings think the Jaguars stack up compared to the rest of the NFL:
USA Today: 7th
Last week: 7th
A club that just spent two weeks in London now hits the road for two more games outside Duval County. RB Travis Etienne has 339 yards and four TDs from scrimmage during Jacksonville’s three-game winning streak.
No. 1 team: San Francisco 49ers
ESPN: 10th
Last week: 10th
Lesson learned: The defense is better than expected.
The pass rush still needs work (Jacksonville has 12 sacks, tied for 20th in the NFL), but the Jaguars are third in the NFL against the run, averaging 75.3 yards per game, and have forced an NFL-high 15 turnovers. Second-year defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell has been more aggressive this season: He’s blitzing at a 5% higher rate than last season, and it’s paying off.
No. 1 team: San Francisco 49ers
The Athletic: 8th
Last week: 10th
Half of Jacksonville’s wins have come in London, but they’ve won three in a row and took control of the AFC South on Sunday with their second win against the second-place Colts. (Even though one of their losses is to better-than-expected Houston.) Trevor Lawrence has 982 passing yards and five touchdowns versus two interceptions since Week 3.
No. 1 team: Miami Dolphins
Pro Football Talk: 6th
Last week: 7th
Just when the AFC South looked jumbled up, it doesn’t.
No. 1 team: Miami Dolphins
CBS Sports: 7th
Last week: 9th
They’ve won three straight to get to 4-2 and atop the AFC South. The Trevor Lawrence knee injury is concerning as they head to New Orleans.
No. 1 team: Kansas City Chiefs
Yahoo Sports: 10th
Last week: 10th
The Jaguars are stacking wins and the path is wide open for them to run away with the AFC South. The knee injury to Trevor Lawrence, which makes him iffy for Thursday night’s game against the Saints, is something to monitor though.
No. 1 team: San Francisco 49ers
Touchdown Wire: 6th
Last week: 7th
The offense finally exploded after playing like unemployed crocodile hunters for the first five weeks of the season. Trevor Lawrence is one of the five best quarterbacks in football today, and I am feeling very good about my pick for the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
No. 1 team: Kansas City Chiefs
Jaguars Wire: 6th
Last week: 8th
There are five teams sitting at 5-1, but nobody’s undefeated. Every team has dealt with speed bumps and concerns. With the Jaguars rolling right now, they’re on the cusp of showing they’re one of the NFL’s elite.
No. 1 team: Detroit Lions
