NFL Power Rankings, Week 10: Eagles upgrade at receiver during bye week

6. Carolina Panthers

Hanging on to a 35-7 lead, the Carolina Panthers seemed to be on their way to an easy win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before watching it slip away, although the good thing is they did hang on for the win. Over the last couple of weeks, the Panthers have been making quite a name for themselves as one of the top teams to beat in the NFC, and when looking at the progress Cam Newton is making with this offense, it’s easy to see why.

Between Christian McCaffrey finishing as the leading rusher and receiver with two scores along with Curtis Samuel finding the end zone twice on his own, Carolina’s offense showed their true potential during Sunday’s win. And if they continue to play at this high of a level, there’s no question Ron Rivera’s team will most likely go on to earn one of the six playoff spots in the NFC.

Even better, this impressive play by the Panthers as of late shows they have what it takes to even finish on top of the NFC South, although that’s not going to be easy when looking at the case the New Orleans Saints are making as well. With two tough games on the road against the Pittsburgh Steelers and Detroit Lions, this will be another chance for Carolina to show what kind of contender they can be.