They know how much the Southern Division of the American Conference, which brings together the Jaguars, Texans, Colts and Titans, has been an abomination, a calamity, an inexhaustible source of ridicule in recent years. Those days are definitely over.
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We may not be talking about these teams being the most serious contenders yet, but the season is long over. The Jaguars and the Texans clearly demonstrated this in a hard-fought duel that narrowly ended in Jacksonville’s favor at 24:21.
However, not so long ago duels between these two rivals had to be avoided like the plague.
Last season, the Jaguars showed they meant business by winning the division and then surprising even more by winning a playoff game. It was the great epiphany for Trevor Lawrence.
This fall, the quarterback with the big head of hair and the entire team were a little slow to get going. Now the Jags have only lost one game in eight weeks.
Against the Texans, Lawrence had the second-highest total yards of his career (364), with one touchdown through the air and one on the ground. The most encouraging thing for him is that his chemistry with his receiver Calvin Ridley seems to be right again in the last two weeks.
Ridley has scored three touchdowns in the last two games. There is still no symbiosis between the two and Ridley disappears during parts of the games, but there is reason to believe that the two can flash.
On the verge of another climb
Despite the setback, the Texans gave the Jaguars a good scare. Getty Images via AFP
The Texans (6-5) are two games behind the Jaguars (8-3), but the team is young and is showing significant improvement.
Once again, rookie quarterback CJ Stroud almost played the hero. Trailing by 10 points with nine minutes to play, the Bulls’ youngster started the attack with an offensive sequence that led to his second touchdown pass of the game.
He then brought his team back into the Jaguars’ zone, but Matt Ammendola’s long 58-yard field goal attempt hit the crossbar.
Stroud finished the game with 304 yards, his fifth straight game over 300 yards. He clearly inspires his people and uses his legs more to give his receivers time than to run like a headless chicken.
Speaking of receivers: He should be in the car with Tank Dell and Nico Collins, two 24-year-olds, for a while. Stroud distributed the ball to 10 different players, showing he is far from reverting to his first reading. The Texans have a real gem in their hands and no one will want to miss the duels against Lawrence in the next few years. This may be one of the next great quarterback rivalries.
The surprise of it all
Jonathan Taylor dominated the Buccaneers defense with 91 yards rushing and two touchdowns. Getty Images via AFP
With all of this going on, we could easily forget the amazing job new head coach Shane Steichen has done with the Colts. By the way, they also have a 6:5 record and are even ahead of the Texans with their win at the start of the season.
However, they had to play the first four weeks without running back Jonathan Taylor, who scored two touchdowns in the win against the Buccaneers. They will also be without rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson, who had some encouraging success in his debut, for the remainder of the year.
The Colts are quietly laying a solid foundation for their future. It would be surprising if they qualified for the January tournament, but they are far from ridiculous.
The Jaguars were the worst team in the league from 2008 to 2021 with twelve losses. The Texans have won four games or fewer four times in the last six years. The Colts have been looking for one another since Andrew Luck’s surprise retirement in 2019.
In recent years, only the Titans have managed to keep the respectability rating in this division to a minimum. Now they’re the ones hesitating, and that’s a good thing. Anything too predictable becomes boring.
5 KEY MOMENTS
1. The Eagles again!
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For the second straight year, the Eagles overcame a 10-point deficit to win this week’s game against the Bills. They needed overtime, and once in overtime, the Bills’ defense seemed overwhelmed. The Bills are now 0-6 in their last six meetings that required overtime, and all too often the opponent comes at them like a knife in soft butter when it matters most. It was quarterback Jalen Hurts who ended the debate with a touchdown on a 12-yard run, his second of the game, as well as three touchdown passes. The Bills’ two missed field goals were crucial.
2. The Pats sink
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The Patriots would have a free victory on the sidewalk that they couldn’t get from the ground. The Giants gained just 220 yards and Bill Belichick’s men had no guarantee of a win. Late in the game they had a chance to tie the score at 10-10 with a short 35-yard field goal, but Chad Ryland failed miserably. This is the same Ryland that Belichick chose over veteran Nick Folk and who is very common this season. Another questionable decision from the grandmaster in recent times.
3. Bates lays down the law
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We already knew that safety Jessie Bates III was an important addition to the Falcons defense. He showed it again against the Saints with two important turnovers. The former made a big difference in the game when he intercepted a pass from Derek Carr and returned it for a 92-yard touchdown. He also recovered a fumble in the third quarter when he tackled Taysom Hill at the Falcons’ 9 line. So we’re talking about two turnovers in which his team had its back against the wall. The Falcons are once again in first place in their division.
4. Samson frustrates Mayfield
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The Colts played with fire against the Buccaneers and nearly blew a 10-point lead twice in the second half. They were leading 27-20 in the final minutes of the fourth quarter and needed a strong defensive game to snuff out the threat. Baker Mayfield was able to advance the offense near midfield when linebacker Samson Ebukam put his hand on his collar and caused him to lose the ball. This sealed the third straight win for the Colts. Ebukam finished the game with two sacks and another tackle for loss.
5. The Broncos move on
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After a disastrous start with one win and five losses, who would have thought that the Broncos would be 6-5 after Week 13? Person! Sean Payton’s men defeated the Browns to secure their fifth straight victory. The crucial moment came early in the fourth quarter when Browns receiver Elijah Moore fumbled the ball when the Broncos were down 17-12. The Broncos got the game back and four plays later Russell Wilson connected with Adam Trautman for the touchdown that gave them a 12-point lead.
WINNER OF THE WEEK
1. The Steelers
Okay, they only scored 16 points, but rejoice, Steelers fans. In the first game without former offensive coordinator Matt Canada, the offense topped 400 yards for the first time in the last 59 games. Anyway
2. Josh Allen (the other one!)
There’s more to life than just Bills quarterback Josh Allen! The Jaguars’ other Josh Allen is also having quite a season. In the win against the Texans, he dominated with 2.5 sacks, including two on the Texans’ final series, forcing them to attempt a long field goal that failed.
3. Kyren Williams
We told you to watch the Rams’ second-year running back against the Cardinals. We felt we didn’t express that well! Kyren Williams exploded with 143 yards rushing (8.9 yards per carry) and another 61 yards passing with two touchdowns.
4. Rashee rice
Why highlight a good performance but nothing exceptional (8 receptions, 107 yards, 1 touchdown)? Because the Chiefs desperately need a wide receiver to step up, and rookie wide receiver Rashee Rice could be just what the doctor ordered.
5. The Eagles
If they lag behind in the rain, they always find a way to climb back up the slope in front of them. Here they are firmly at the top of the national conference with a record of 10:1.
LOSER OF THE WEEK
1. MacJones
Another game, another day of misery. Patriots quarterback Mac Jones was limited to 89 yards and had two interceptions. He was benched for the fourth time this season. This is truly the end for him with the Patriots.
2. The Bengals
The Bengals have once again discovered that life isn’t easy with Jake Browning in place of Joe Burrow. Their offense was anemic against the Steelers and the season seemed to be going down the drain in Cincinnati.
3. The Panthers
We know they’re bad, no surprise. However, they don’t have to be inedible either! In the last five games they have not exceeded the 15 point mark.
4. The Saints
Still strange, the Saints loss… Offensively, they looked good with 444 yards, but their five presences in the pay zone didn’t result in a touchdown. Fun way to escape first place in the south.
5. Diontae Johnson
Rarely has humanity seen a performance as pitiful as that of the Steelers receiver. When teammate Jaylen Warren fell victim to a blunder, Diontae Johnson preferred to walk by like a carefree hiker in a park rather than sacrifice himself. Awkward!