Bo Nix and the Broncos head into Week 9 with plenty of momentum after their comeback win over the Kansas City Chiefs, and Denver now sits alone in first place in the AFC West. On Sunday, they’ll try to keep that run going on the road against a Panthers team that is coming off a loss and dealing with a long list of injuries.
Carolina dropped below .500 in Week 8 with a Thursday night loss to the Green Bay Packers, and the extra time before this matchup could help Dave Canales’ group get a little healthier. Even so, the Panthers have been hit hard on both sides of the ball, and oddsmakers still have Denver favored away from home.
That makes sense when you look at what the Broncos have done so far. Denver was the No. 1 seed in the AFC last season, and after a difficult early stretch in 2026, it has still managed to get to 6-2 with the best record in the division. The Broncos have also been one of the league’s most reliable teams against the number, going 4-0 against the spread as favorites and 6-2 overall ATS, the best mark in the NFL.
The matchup also lines up well for Denver on the ground. Rookie running back Jonah Coleman seems to have moved into the lead role with RJ Harvey (knee) on injured reserve, and he made the most of that opportunity against Kansas City.
Coleman played more than 66 percent of the snaps in that win, ran 11 times for 41 yards and a touchdown, and added four catches on five targets for 63 yards. His late fourth-quarter burst helped set up the go-ahead rushing score.
J.K. Dobbins will still be part of the mix, but Coleman has flashed real explosiveness this season, averaging 4.5 yards per carry.
That could matter against a Carolina defense that has had trouble stopping the run, ranking 28th in yards per carry allowed and 26th in EPA/Rush. The Panthers did hold down a struggling Green Bay rushing attack last week, but this is a much different test.
The bigger picture also leans Denver. The Broncos have already faced Patrick Mahomes twice, along with Sam Darnold, Brock Purdy, Matthew Stafford, Justin Herbert and Trevor Lawrence, and still rank No. 11 in EPA/Play, No. 10 in success rate and No. 10 in yards per play allowed on defense. Carolina’s offense has been productive enough to sit as a top-15 unit in EPA/Play, but its defense has not matched that level, coming in 20th in EPA/Play, 19th in success rate and 17th in yards per play allowed.
Bo Nix’s offense remains the one area that has lagged behind, but he has looked better in the last two weeks, with wins over Arizona and Kansas City. With the run game improving as well, Denver has enough going for it to make a strong case on the road, especially against a Panthers team that has looked shaky in back-to-back games against Tampa Bay and Green Bay.
The pick here is Denver to win outright and move to 7-2.
In Other News...
Panthers Trade Buzz Centers On Bryce Youngs Urgent Need
The Panthers need for another reliable pass-catching option has only grown as injuries have thinned out the group around Bryce Young, and that has pushed a familiar name into the conversation. According to Steven Ruiz of FOX Sports, Carolina has been linked to Colts wide receiver Josh Downs, who has reportedly asked for a trade, with the idea being that he could be available for a pair of 2027 fourth-round picks.
For a team trying to give Young a better chance to settle in and keep the offense moving, the fit is easy to see on paper. Downs is the kind of addition that would make sense for a roster looking for help now and a little more stability in the passing game, but the report is still speculative, and there is no confirmation the Panthers are actually moving on it. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Face A Tough Jackson Powers-Johnson Gamble Up Front
The Panthers are kicking around another possible fix for an offensive line that has had to stay flexible all season, and Jackson Powers-Johnson has surfaced as a name worth watching. The Raiders lineman has experience at both guard and center, which gives him the kind of versatility Carolina tends to value when it is trying to patch together protection and keep its options open up front.
Of course, the appeal comes with a catch. Powers-Johnson recently lost his starting job in Las Vegas, so any trade talk would have to start with figuring out why that happened before Carolina even considers sending over a late draft pick. It is the sort of gamble teams make when they believe a change of scenery could unlock value, but for the Panthers it would still require a careful read on whether the upside is real or just a tempting roster-flier. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers May Have A Real Trade Answer For Their Biggest Defensive Problem
The Panthers defensive issues have been piling up for weeks, and the run defense has been at the center of it. Injuries in the secondary have only made life harder on a unit that has already struggled to get stops, and the decision to fire defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero underscored just how urgent the problem has become as the NFL trade deadline approaches.
Jaelan Sieler has emerged as a name worth watching if Carolina decides it needs help up front. The Dolphins defensive end would fit the kind of move the Panthers need most right now, adding another body with the potential to steady the front and take some pressure off a defense that has been stretched thin. Whether Carolina actually follows through is the question hanging over the next few days. [Read more 🡒]