NFL Power Rankings heading into 2018’s fourth quarter

#14 Denver Broncos (6-6)

Denver Broncos v Cincinnati Bengals

I said before the season started that people should look out for this Broncos squad because of how much they reminded me of that Super Bowl team back in 2015/16 and I had them a game outside a Wild Card spot. They looked dead for a while after three straight losses to the Ravens, Chiefs and Jets, but they have now won three straight, including the Chargers and Broncos.

Denver is dangerous because they have the personnel to match up against just about any group of receivers and they have a ferocious pass rush. Bradley Chubb has been brought into the team’s circle of tradition for edge rushers, with Von Miller taking him under his wing the way DeMarcus Ware did with a young Von.

Chubb is already technically refined beyond his years and how he converts speed to power, to along with Miller coming off the opposing end as that fastball. The Broncos rush defense totals aren’t very good because of how badly they started the year, but over their last six games they have allowed just 83 a game, which would rank second only behind the Saints over the course of the season. Like a couple of other teams I already mentioned – Denver is limited offensively.

Philip Lindsay has been one of the best backs in the entire league and in terms of pure top-end speed maybe the fastest overall. I loved him at Colorado and he headlined my impact performers among undrafted free agents, but not even I could have seen him be fourth in the NFL in terms of rushing yards at this point of the season, especially considering the Broncos invested a third-round pick in Royce Freeman already.

I liked Denver’s decision to trade Demaryius Thomas because he looked slow and to be frank, uninterested. I was really high on Courtland Sutton coming into the draft to be that big-bodied receiver and is he is perfect complement to a still super-dynamic Emmanuel Sanders. Losing their top two tight-ends really hurts, but this offense goes through the rushing attack and big third down conversions. That’s how you can win with Case Keenum under center, because I think it is clear now that he is not the type of guy who will just toss it all over the field. He can be really clutch on third downs and when he needs to lead his troops down the field, but you want to limit opportunities for mistakes.

(Update: Emmanuel Sanders is headed to IR with a torn achilles tendon)

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#15 Carolina Panthers (6-6)

Carolina Panthers v Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Wow. How can you go 6-2 and look like a real contender, but then you lose four in a row? Getting blown out by the Steelers on the road happens, but they should have absolutely won at least two of their last three. Riverboat Ron decided to go for two to win the game versus Detroit with about a minute left and the play was there, but Cam simply missed his receiver. They held the league’s number one rushing attack of the Seahawks to 75 yards on 28 carries, while gashing those guys for 220 with one less attempt themselves.

They dominated the game for large stretches, but let Seattle hang around and in the end it came down to them making plays when they really needed them while the Panthers didn’t. And then there was this huge letdown game versus the Buccaneers, who they once were up 35-7 against in their first matchup, but then had Cam throw this one away with four picks and they handed them over 100 yards in penalties.

Newton is still on pace for his best season in terms of quarterback rating and completion percentage by an enormous margin, sitting at 69.5 percent. He has looked very comfortable in all but two games, especially with D.J. Moore and Curtis Samuel emerging as dynamic weapons. Yet, what really gets this offense going is Christian McCaffrey. That dude does it all for Carolina. CMac is averaging 5.3 yards a carry and he is on pace for over 100 catches. That’s almost as insane as those people who thought he wouldn’t be able to run in-between the tackles.

With Greg Olsen back on IR once again Cam loses his favorite target. Defensively that 50-burger the Steelers put up against them definitely influences their point average, but they have not been a shutdown defense at any point of the season since their season-opener. Outside of that week win one over the Cowboys, the Panthers have only held one team under 20 points all season. Their pass rush hasn’t gotten home lately until Sunday, their takeaway numbers have stalled recently and their corners have gotten exposed a couple of times in man coverage. At 6-6 the Panthers are definitely still alive in the Wildcard hunt, but they have already lost the tiebreaker to Seattle and they just need to wake back up after that slump.