Week 8 did exactly what was expected to the AFC South: It created a gap between the lower-tier teams (Tennessee Titans and Jacksonville Jaguars) and those with an actual chance to make the playoffs (Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans). What’s even better is that the Colts fell to the Steelers and the Texans beat the Titans, making it a one-game race for the top spot.
Now, in the hotly contested AFC South, here are three matchups to watch for, since the Titans have a bye week.
Philadelphia Eagles @ Houston Texans, 11/1, 1 p.m.
The Texans come off a commanding win over the Titans last week and get an Eagles team that’s fresh off of a loss to the Arizona Cardinals and will be ready to play. The Texans have only won one game over an opponent with a winning record, so they’ll be looking to prove the rest of the league that they can compete with anyone.
The formula has been pretty simple for the Texans: Run the ball as much as possible and throw only when necessary. With Ryan Fitzpatrick at the helm and Arian Foster is the backfield, this makes sense.
Foster ran for 151 yards against the Titans, but will have a little tougher test against the 13th-ranked Eagles rushing defense. Will Fitzpatrick be able to keep up with Nick Foles and the Eagles high-powered offense? That could be the key to the game.
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Cincinnati Bengals, 11/1, 1 p.m.
The Jaguars are once again one of the worst teams in the league, but there are a few reasons to be excited for the future. Running back Denard Robinson has ran for 235 yards in two games for the Jaguars, giving the team hope it can move the ball.
The Jaguars will be up against one of the toughest defenses in the league in the Bengals. However, the Bengals have allowed 4.8 yards per rush to opposing running backs, so it could be possible for Robinson to be successful.
The Bengals will have A.J. Green back and ready to play against a Jaguars pass defense that ranks 30th in the league. If Andy Dalton and his offense starts clicking early, this could be a long game.
Indianapolis Colts @ New York Giants, 11/2, 8:30 p.m.
The Colts were one of the top teams in the league going into Week 8, but a 51-34 blowout in Pittsburgh seemed to damper those thoughts a little bit. The defense allowed 639 yards to the Steelers, a mark that cannot be repeated Monday night against the Giants.
The return of safety LaRon Landry from suspension should help the Colts pass defense, as they face Giants passing attack that has been weak this year. Without Victor Cruz, the Giants have amassed 1,534 passing yards, good for 26th in the league.
Andrew Luck is the leading passer in the NFL this season, but he can only do some much to help this team. If the Colts want maintain its lead in the AFC South, the defense is going to have to get back to what it was before the Steelers game.