The Jacksonville Jaguars are 2-1 and starting to look like the most complete team in the AFC South. After a dominant 35-6 victory over the New England Patriots, Jacksonville proved it can win in every phase of the game.

Quarterback Trevor Lawrence threw three touchdown passes, the rushing attack averaged 4.6 yards per carry, and the Jaguars defense suffocated Drake Maye to the tune of a 20 QBR, two interceptions, and a 14-of-25 passing line. The Houston Texans sit at 0-3. The Tennessee Titans sit at 0-3. The Indianapolis Colts grabbed a win but haven’t looked convincing.

Jacksonville, meanwhile, is chugging along as a well-rounded football team with no glaring holes.

A changing of the guard in the AFC South

The assumption over the last couple of seasons has been that Houston is the team in this division. That assumption is looking shakier by the week.

The Texans and Titans are both winless through three games, and the Colts haven’t inspired much confidence even after picking up a victory. Jacksonville, on the other hand, has a coach-quarterback combination in head coach Liam Coen and Lawrence that inspires real faith.

The biggest mistake in the offseason take economy may have been not giving the Jaguars more credit. They won their division last year. They won a bunch of games. They have continuity at the top. The reason they were overlooked likely comes down to perception.

Jacksonville was punished for being too well-rounded and not being elite at any single thing. They don’t have a Myles Garrett. They don’t have a consensus top-three receiver. They don’t have a quarterback the league already reveres as a deity. But they also don’t have any glaring weaknesses, and that balance is proving to be their greatest strength.

The defense deserves just as much attention

With an offensive-minded head coach like Coen, the default conversation always drifts toward Lawrence and the skill players. Lawrence earned that attention with three touchdown passes against New England, and the rushing game put together a productive afternoon.

But it’s the defensive effort that should have people truly buying in.

The Jaguars held the Patriots to 3.2 yards per carry. The only New England player who averaged over four yards per carry was Maye himself, which says everything about how Jacksonville bottled up that ground game.

Forcing two interceptions and limiting Maye to one of the worst performances of his NFL career made this a complete beatdown. Jacksonville stopped the run, forced turnovers, and made life miserable for a young quarterback. That is a formula for sustained success.

Too much depth to fail

The wide receiver room is becoming something special. Parker Washington continues his ascension. Jakobi Myers and Brian Thomas Jr. may not be the top-end stars some projected them to be, but they are both solid complementary pieces.

Travis Hunter looked impressive on defense against Maye, hauling in an interception at cornerback. If Hunter settles into a bigger role on that side of the ball, that’s fine for Jacksonville, because the offensive depth can absorb it. Josh Cameron already has two touchdowns as a Day 3 receiver through three weeks.

The running back group adds another layer. LaQuint Allen, Bhayshul Tuten, Chris Rodriguez, and the rest of that tandem create a grimy, unconventional rotation that gives Coen a variety of looks. It may not always be pretty, but the Jaguars have so many different options and so many different ways to beat opponents that it works.

This wasn’t a game where Jacksonville did one or two things well and survived. The Jaguars beat the Patriots in every single facet that separates good teams from bad ones — explosive in the passing game, efficient on the ground, dominant on defense, and opportunistic with turnovers.

That kind of well-roundedness is hard to scheme against, and right now Jacksonville looks like the team to beat in the AFC South.