The Indianapolis Colts clearly haven't had the season they expected. They've parted ways with some of their best players, and with general manager Chris Ballard no longer in the building, more big changes are due.
Shane Steichen's guys have fought hard every week. They know there's no incentive to tank when you don't have a first-round pick, and while they haven't gotten the job done, it's nice to see that they're at least trying.
That said, there are no moral victories in pro sports; you either get it done, or you don't. The Colts didn't in their loss to the Dallas Cowboys, so they're still stuck behind in the updated AFC South power rankings.
AFC South power rankings: the Indianapolis Colts are still behind after another loss
4. Tennessee Titans (1-7)
The only reason the Tennessee Titans didn't lose this week is that they didn't play. But after parting ways with Jeffery Simmons, it's hard to believe Robert Saleh's team will do much better in the second half of the campaign.
Just watching the Titans make the loss to them feel even worse. There's no reason the Colts should've dropped that game, and there's a big chance they would've kept DeForest Buckner and Quenton Nelson for a little longer if that hadn't been the case.
3. Indianapolis Colts (2-7)
New week, same Colts. They fought hard and were pretty close to pulling this one off... until they weren't. Unforced errors cost Shane Steichen's team a game that was in the bag, which has been the story of the season so far.
Even Sauce Gardner failed to do his job down the stretch in this one, prompting even more criticism about his now-infamous trade. The Colts have been more competitive than their record shows, but ultimately, you're only as good as your record says you are.
This team might not be that far behind, but something's got to change. The head coach will most likely be gone, and maybe even the quarterback will be on his way out. Will that be enough? We'll have to wait and see.
2. Houston Texans (3-5)
The Houston Texans made the most of their bye week to prepare for the soulless Los Angeles Chargers, and they definitely made a statement. They might be the best 3-5 team we've seen in this league in a long time.
C.J. Stroud heard all the outside noise and is playing out of his mind. He would've even been a top MVP candidate if the Texans hadn't failed to close so many games early in the season, but with nine games left to play, let's not count him out just yet.
1. Jacksonville Jaguars (6-2)
The Jacksonville Jaguars are well-coached and balanced, and they've added an amazing player to the secondary with the Jessie Bates III trade. As much as we hate to admit it, they're a legitimate dark horse to come out of the AFC.
Of course, watching them beat whatever's left of the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday Night Football wasn't impressive at all, but that's what good teams do: they don't lower themselves to lesser opposition and punch down on teams below their weight class.
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