The NFL season is 13 weeks in, but the race for the playoffs is far from over. The Patriots have a strong three-game lead in the AFC East, but the other three divisions in the conference are still too close to call.

It is Week 14 of the 2025 season, and if you told me back in August that the Indianapolis Colts and the Jacksonville Jaguars would be locked in a dead heat at 8-4 for the AFC South crown, I probably would have asked to see your time machine.

The NFL division power rankings show that the AFC South needs to be treated with more respect than it typically is.

This is the latest point in any season in NFL history where five divisions are separated by a game or less. The top two teams in the AFC North ( Ravens and Steelers ), AFC South ( Jaguars and Colts) and NFC North ( Bears and Packers) all play each other on Sunday, too.

AFC South standings: What Texans win over Colts, Jaguars victory means for playoff race originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here. The AFC South is one of the tightest divisions in the NFL, and it got even tighter on Sunday.

Houston's in-division dominance is nothing new for Ryans, though. In fact, with a 13-4 record against the AFC South within the past three years, Ryans is now the winningest head coach facing division opponents since he was hired in 2023.

Also: Can the 49ers still be dangerous in the playoffs? And are the Lions, Cowboys or Panthers more likely to make the postseason field?

NFL week 13 scores and reports as the Carolina Panthers upset the Los Angeles Rams, Buffalo Bills dominate the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Jacksonville Jaguars top the AFC South after the Houston Texa