Where the Jaguars landed in power rankings after Week 16

The Jacksonville Jaguars are rolling with three straight wins to surge back to first place in the AFC South.

The latest win was a 19-3 suffocation of the New York Jets on Thursday Night Football that was never really close. The Jaguars only scored one touchdown, but that was more than enough with the Jets managing only 227 yards of total offense.

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Jacksonville is trending in the right direction at the right time of year and experts are impressed. Here’s where the Jaguars landed in power rankings after their fourth win in five weeks:

Touchdown Wire (Mark Lane)

Jaguars ranking: 9 (last week 11)

Writer’s take:

The Jaguars have overcome so much to even get to this point that admiring the accomplishments isn’t simply enough. Jacksonville has to take it all the way and wrest control of the AFC South from the Titans. Adding Doug Pederson completed the rebuild, regardless of how the 2022 season ends.

USA Today (Nate Davis)

Jaguars ranking: 10 (last week 14)

Writer’s take:

While it might now seem like smooth sailing to the AFC South throne, Jacksonville better beware its Week 17 opponent – Houston. The Jags haven’t beaten the Texans in five years.

NFL.com (Dan Hanzus)

Jaguars ranking: 9 (last week 11)

Writer’s take:

Jacksonville remains on the come-up. The Jaguars looked like the better, more prepared team in the wind and rain of the Meadowlands on Thursday night, coasting to a 19-3 win — their first prime-time road victory in 22 years. Trevor Lawrence easily outplayed Zach Wilson in a showdown of the top two overall picks of the 2021 NFL Draft, while the improving Jags defense allowed a single field goal on a drive that started deep in their own territory. Now tied in the standings with the lifeless Titans, Jacksonville feels like a team destined to win the AFC South. What a difference a year makes.

ESPN (Michael DiRocco)

Jaguars ranking: 12 (last week 16)

Writer’s take:

The loss to the Broncos on Oct. 30 is what sparked Trevor Lawrence’s turnaround. He threw two interceptions that day, one in the end zone and another on the first play of the Jaguars’ final possession inside of two minutes remaining. Lawrence said recently that he never wants to feel like that after a game again and that it “kind of flipped a switch in me.” Since that defeat, the Jaguars are 5-2, Lawrence is second in the NFL in completion percentage and passer rating and fifth in Total QBR, and he has thrown for 1,909 yards and 14 TDs with one interception. And the Jaguars have a shot to win the AFC South.

Pro Football Talk (Mike Florio)

Jaguars ranking: 10 (last week 14)

Writer’s take:

No one should want to play them in the playoffs.

CBS Sports (Pete Prisco)

Jaguars ranking: 13 (last week 17)

Writer’s take:

All they have to do is beat or tie the Titans in Week 18 and they win the division. This week’s game with the Texans means nothing.

Yahoo Sports (Frank Schwab)

Jaguars ranking: 10 (last week 12)

Writer’s take:

This sentence was inconceivable five weeks ago, but at this point it would be a huge disappointment if the Jaguars don’t win the AFC South. All they have to do is win a home game against the Titans, whose quarterback will be overmatched rookie Malik Willis or Ryan Tannehill rushing back from ankle surgery. This is their division to lose.