2023 AFC South Rankings: Why the Jaguars Have the Best Play-Caller in the Division

Is Doug Pederson the best play-caller in the AFC South?

John Shipley | Jul 6, 2023

The Jacksonville Jaguars are looking to make team history in 2023.

The last time the Jaguars won back-to-back divisional titles was in 1998 and 1999, when the AFC South wasn't yet formed. The Houston Texans weren't a franchise and the Jaguars shared the AFC Central with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Tennessee Oilers/Titans, and the Cincinnati Bengals.

Since the Jaguars' migration to the newly-formed AFC South in 2002, the Jaguars have won two AFC South titles in 2017 and 2022. While every other franchise has won back-to-back divisional titles at some point in the division's history, the Jaguars will be looking to do it for the first time this season.

In our preview of the Jaguars' search for another AFC South title, we are going to do a list of rankings of the top positions and units in the division ahead of the 2023 season.

Next up: the offensive play-callers.

Who has the best offensive shot-caller in the AFC South and who is a big question mark?

1) Doug Pederson, Jacksonville Jaguars

Doug Pederson is the top dog in the AFC South when it comes to putting together an offense. One of two head coaches in the division who are also paly-callers, Pederson helped the Jaguars become the No. 10 scoring offense in 2022 after they finished No. 32, No. 30, No. 26, and No. 31 in points per game in their four-year stretch as one of the NFL's worst teams.

Jacksonville finished No. 8 in weighted offensive DVOA last year, largely thanks to Pederson's ability to scheme big plays in both the ground and air attacks. Pederson took Lawrence from a struggling young quarterback to one of the NFL's most efficient and explosive passers over the final stretch of the season. His time helping Nick Foles and Carson Wentz produce factors here, too.

2) Shane Steichen, Indianapolis Colts

The Philadelphia Eagles offense was absolutely electric in 2022, and Shane Steichen deserves a lot of praise for it. The first-year head coach is the other head coach in the AFC South who will be calling the shots for his team's offense, calling plays for the Colts after doing the same for the Eagles for most of the last two seasons.

Steichen doesn't have the years of experience that Pederson does in the role, but he has shown the ability to coordinate one of the NFL's best offenses, which is something that the other two coordinators in the AFC South have failed to do. Steichen should be a big aid to Anthony Richardson as a rookie.

3) Tim Kelly, Tennessee Titans

Tim Kelly had a solid first year as the Houston Texans' offensive coordinator in 2019, with Houston ranking No. 16 in offensive DVOA. The next two years weren't great for Houston's offense, though, finishing No. 24 and No. 28 in 2020 and 2021 and ending with Kelly moving to the Titans as a passing game coordinator in 2022.

Kelly doesn't have the resume of Pederson or Steichen to any degree, but he has done some interesting things scheme-wise and isn't a coordinator who is likely to be the sole reason an offense is held back. A lack of talent is a big reason Houston struggled during his tenure, but that doesn't mean he is the same level as the others in the AFC South.

4) Bobby Slowik, Houston Texans

This isn't a knock on Bobby Slowik at all. The former San Francisco 49ers passing game coordinator and offensive assistant comes from a good coaching tree and has a chance to help C.J. Stroud acclimate to the NFL quickly. But he is still the only coordinator on this list who we haven't actually seen yet.

While Slowik played a large role in the 49ers' offense in recent years, everyone knows the 49ers' offense is Kyle Shanahan's show. Slowik could quickly establish himself as a play-caller and an up-and-comer in coaching ranks in general, but every other play-caller in the AFC South has actually done it before.

Published Jul 6, 2023

JOHN SHIPLEY

John Shipley has been covering the Jacksonville Jaguars as a beat reporter and publisher of Jaguar Report since 2019. Previously, he covered UCF's undefeated season as a beat reporter for NSM.Today, covered high school prep sports in Central Florida, and covered local sports and news for the Palatka Daily News. Follow John Shipley on Twitter at @_john_shipley.