NFL: Power Rankings at the quarter-mark of the 2018 NFL season

18. Denver Broncos (2-2)

I liked Denver’s team a lot going into the year and I still believe they are one of the most solid 2-2 teams. They have a big offensive line that they want to run the ball with, the rookies Royce Freeman and Philip Lindsay have looked outstanding and bring very different skill-sets to the table to contribute to this offense, Emmanuel Sanders has looked spectacular at times and another rookie in Courtland Sutton has emerged as a big vertical target in this passing game.

Defensively, we all know what they bring to the table. Von Miller and rookie Bradley Chubb can wreak havoc on opponents coming off those edges and their cornerback trio can match up with just about anybody. It all comes back to the quarterback position. For all the heroic fourth-quarter performances last year with the Vikings and even now with the Broncos, Case Keenum has been below-average overall.

He has thrown six interceptions compared to just three touchdowns despite the offense relying heavily on the run game. Regardless of that, Denver’s two losses came at Baltimore against one of the top teams in the league and they were an overthrow to Demaryius Thomas away from winning against the undefeated Chiefs.

19. Dallas Cowboys (2-2)

Finally the Cowboys handed the ball to Zeke for more than 20 times. I thought the Dallas offense had been a mess thanks to play-calling, sub-par wide receiver play and Dak Prescott missing easy reads. On Sunday versus Detroit, they only won on a last-second field goal, but I thought they played with an identity.

Their offense line looked better than they had done all year, they fed their workhorse and went play-action off that. I thought Scott Linehan’s play-calling got a little more creative, they tested the Lions D on the perimeter and I’d like them to go zone-read more often in some spots, because it has been very effective so far.

Defensively, they have a multitude of guys who can get after the quarterback and I like Byron Jones and Chidobe Awuzie out at the two corner spots. Most impressively, however, when they get Sean Lee as the leader of their defense back, they might have one of the premier linebacker trios in the NFL. Jaylon Smith finally looks like the guy I was in awe of at Notre Dame and first-round pick Leighton Vander Esch shows what had scouts intrigued.