13. Carolina Panthers (Last week: 10)
This was not the effort we expected out of this Panthers defense, which was torched in primetime against a Steelers offense that the Ravens quieted the Thursday prior. Still, I think it’s a blip on the radar and Carolina is a true contender.
What to know: We had worries about Byron Bell taking over for longtime tackle Jordan Gross this offseason, and against Pittsburgh those fears became realities.
