The Panthers are heading into Week 9 with a familiar problem waiting on the other sideline: the Broncos have made a habit of surviving tight games, and they’re carrying that edge into Carolina.
Denver just knocked off Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in a comeback win that pushed the Broncos to 6-2 and into first place in the AFC West. More than that, it kept alive a wild run that has become one of the league’s strangest streaks. According to Michael Silver at The Athletic, Denver has now won 15 straight one-score games in the regular season, matching the NFL record set by Peyton Manning’s 2008 Colts.
That kind of stretch doesn’t happen by accident, and a big part of the credit goes to the sideline. Broncos head coach Sean Payton may not be the easiest guy to warm up to, but he clearly knows how to steer a team through the late-game chaos that decides so many NFL Sundays.
For Carolina, that’s not exactly the matchup you want after back-to-back losses in ugly fashion. The Panthers may get their shot at Denver in Week 9, but history hasn’t been kind to them either. Carolina is 2-7 all-time against the Broncos, and the most recent meeting came in 2024, when Denver rolled to a 28-14 win.
In that game, Bo Nix completed 28 of 37 passes for 284 yards and three touchdowns. Bryce Young finished 24 of 37 for 224 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.
So even if this one turns into another nail-biter, the Broncos have shown they know how to finish it.
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 🡒]