NFL standings 2023: Jaguars still on top of slumping AFC South

The Jacksonville Jaguars’ tenuous hold on first place in the AFC South held for another week, despite a 31-27 loss to the Cleveland Browns.

After entering Week 14 with a one-game lead in the division over both the Indianapolis Colts and the Houston Texans, losses for all three of the AFC South teams kept the Jaguars out in front. With the tiebreaker in hand, Jacksonville doesn’t need to do much to secure the division title. The losses can’t kept stacking up, though.

With the results from the late slate of games Sunday and three primetime games still to come, here’s what the standings across the AFC looks like after Week 14:

AFC South

1. Jacksonville Jaguars: 8-5

2. Indianapolis Colts: 7-6

3. Houston Texans: 7-6

4. Tennessee Titans: 4-8

The Colts and Texans both lost by at least 20 on Sunday, preserving the Jaguars’ lead for another week. Jacksonville owns the division tiebreakers too, so it wouldn’t take much in the last four weeks to secure the title, despite the rough start to December.

AFC East

1. Miami Dolphins: 9-3

2. Buffalo Bills: 6-6

3. New York Jets: 5-8

4. Indianapolis Colts: 3-10

It’ll be hard for the Bills to track down the Dolphins, but Buffalo already has one win against Miami and there’s a Week 18 showdown on the horizon. If the Bills can close the gap to one game in the next three weeks, they’ll play for all the marbles on Jan. 7.

AFC North

1. Baltimore Ravens: 10-3

2. Cleveland Browns: 8-5

3. Pittsburgh Steelers: 7-6

4. Cincinnati Bengals: 7-6

The Steelers were the only AFC North team that lost in Week 14, pushing the entire division back over .500. It’ll be hard for any team to make up ground on the Ravens, though.

AFC West

1. Kansas City Chiefs: 8-4

2. Denver Broncos: 6-6

3. Los Angeles Chargers: 5-7

4. Las Vegas Raiders: 5-7

None of the AFC West teams have a final score in Week 14 yet.

If the AFC playoffs started today...

1. Baltimore Ravens: 10-3

2. Miami Dolphins: 9-3

3. Kansas City Chiefs: 8-4

4. Jacksonville Jaguars: 8-5

5. Cleveland Browns: 8-5

6. Pittsburgh Steelers: 7-6

7. Cincinnati Bengals: 7-6

The Ravens, who will travel to Jacksonville next week, are No. 1 for now, but the Dolphins can take back the lead with a win Monday night. There are now 11 teams in the AFC at .500 or better.

Story originally appeared on Jaguars Wire