Denver brings a four-game winning streak and a clear ground-game opportunity into Sunday’s visit to Carolina.
Sunday’s 1 p.m. ET kickoff in Charlotte pits 6-2 Denver, the No. 2 seed, against 3-4 Carolina, the No. 4 seed, with the Broncos ranked No. 14 in the DYMA Power Index and the Panthers No. 19. Denver has won four straight, while Carolina has lost two in a row. The key matchup is Denver’s run game against a Panthers defense allowing 140.7 rushing yards per game: J.K. Dobbins has 306 rushing yards and three touchdowns, while Carolina’s Chuba Hubbard has 540 yards and five touchdowns. Denver’s defense has recorded 23 sacks, matching Carolina’s 23 sacks allowed, so protecting Bryce Young—and keeping Hubbard involved—could determine whether the Panthers can halt the Broncos’ surge.