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1. Jacksonville Jaguars (2025 Record: 13-4)
What a year they had in Duval County last season. Ever since coming into the league, Trevor Lawrence has been a very up-and-down quarterback. However, under first-year head coach Liam Coen, 2025 was the best I’ve seen Trevor look since becoming a pro, and I’m excited to see how he builds on that. What impressed me most about the Jaguars last year was their 4-1 start. They hit a rough patch in the middle of the season but turned things around and ended the year on an eight-game winning streak. This was a team that went 4-13 in 2024, and in 2025 they won 13 games while picking up victories over the Kansas City Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers, and Denver Broncos. Now the question is: Can they build on what they started in 2025? A healthy Travis Hunter should make all the difference for this Jacksonville group. They lost Travis Etienne and Devin Lloyd in free agency, and those two were important pieces on both sides of the ball.
2. Houston Texans (2025 Record: 12-5)
I thought they were done at one point after starting 0-3. Unfortunately, one side of the ball was much stronger than the other. The defense was the strength of this entire football team, while the offense struggled and missed the presence of Joe Mixon. Eventually, the Texans found their rhythm and ended the season on a nine-game winning streak. They finished second in the AFC South and won their first road playoff game in franchise history against the Pittsburgh Steelers. This was the best defense I saw all season, and Will Anderson was the anchor of it. Not only is DeMeco Ryans one of the best coaches in the league, but he’s also one of the best defensive minds in football. The Texans signed Anderson to a contract extension, and he deserved every penny. If they can put everything together, they could be a dark-horse Super Bowl contender in the AFC.
3. Indianapolis Colts (2025 Record: 8-9)
The Colts were one of the biggest surprises in football at one point last year, and they appeared to be running away with the AFC South. Through nine games, they held an 8-1 record, which was the best mark in the AFC at the time. However, they ultimately came back down to reality, and to be honest, I was never completely sold on them. I loved seeing Daniel Jones bounce back. I think he performed better in a smaller market than he did in New York because of how cutthroat the media can be there. Offensively, the Colts relied heavily on Jonathan Taylor. If you shut him down, you essentially shut down their entire offense. Unfortunately, Daniel tore his Achilles in December, and the Colts were forced to bring Philip Rivers out of retirement. They lost their final eight games and missed the playoffs. This offseason, they signed Alec Pierce to an extension, a move I’m still questioning, and they traded Michael Pittman to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
4. Tennessee Titans (2025 Record: 3-14)
The Titans have been in shambles for a few years now. First, they fired Mike Vrabel, and look what he did with the New England Patriots in his first season there: he got them to the Super Bowl and won Coach of the Year. Now, I’m not saying the Titans would’ve made the Super Bowl with him, but they certainly would’ve been better than they’ve been recently. I will say that Cam Ward has tremendous upside. If Tennessee can continue adding pieces around him, he should flourish. I know many people thought the Titans would go defense with the fourth overall pick, but Carnell Tate fell right into their laps and gives Ward another weapon on the outside. I also liked the hiring of Robert Saleh as head coach. I think he’ll benefit from being in a smaller market, especially since I always felt he became the scapegoat in East Rutherford. This is still a young football team that is trying to climb the ladder.
2026 Predictions
- Texans (11-6)
- Jaguars (9-8)
- Colts (6-11)
- Titans (4-13)
I like the Houston Texans to return to the top of the AFC South and win this division. We already know what their defense is capable of doing and how dominant it can be. The biggest question is whether the offense can match that level of consistency. If it can, Houston will be a very dangerous football team. I need to see C.J. Stroud return to his rookie-season form. During the offseason, the Texans acquired David Montgomery from the Detroit Lions, which was a solid move to strengthen their backfield. It seems like a key injury always hurts this team at the worst possible time, just as it did last season when Nico Collins was injured in the Divisional Round. This Houston defense is Super Bowl-caliber if you ask me.
