The NFL has six unbeaten teams a quarter of the way through the season. The Packers, Panthers, Falcons, Broncos and Bengals all improved to 4-0, while the Patriots had their bye week and remained 3-0.
So do any of these teams have a shot to go unbeaten in 2015? Let’s rank their chances.
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6. Carolina Panthers
The Panthers have been mighty impressive, but there are a ton of red flags. Their best wide receiver is Ted Ginn Jr., whose career-high in receptions is 56, and whose kick and punt return stats come before his receiving numbers on Pro-FootballReference.com. Jonathan Stewart is their lead running back, and he hasn’t gotten hurt yet.
They’ve also feasted on a weak schedule. After their Week 5 bye, they’re at Seattle, then home for a desperate Eagles team, Andrew Luck and the Colts, and then the Packers. It’s not happening.
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5. Denver Broncos
The Broncos might have the best defense of the undefeated bunch, but this offense just is not what it used to be. They can’t go too many more weeks with C.J. Anderson and Ronnie Hillman failing to gain traction, not with Peyton Manning’s arm strength dwindling to nothing.
Denver struggles to protect Manning as well, so eventually the D will have an off game, and if so, it’s easier to imagine Manning, at 39 years of age, having a hard time bailing them out.
4. Cincinnati Bengals
There’s a solid argument for the Bengals as the best all-around team of this group. Andy Dalton is certainly not the best quarterback, but his surrounding talent is overwhelming. Jeremy Hill and Gio Bernard are a perfect thunder-and-lightning tandem at running back. A.J. Green is a top-5 wide receiver, and tight end Tyler Eifert plays like a receiver himself. On defense, Geno Atkins is a star, and the remaining units lack holes, even if they also lack star power.
The problem is the Bengals’ hyper-competitive division, which produced three playoff teams in 2014. Even the Browns have been frisky in 2015, making it near impossible for Cincinnati, as talented as they are, to escape unscathed.
3. Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons have the best receiver in the game right now in Julio Jones, and the NFL’s hottest running back, Devonta Freeman. Head coach Dan Quinn has brought a hard-nosed mentality and a smart scheme to a defense that doesn’t have top talent, but has enough to make big plays.
Overall, Atlanta has more holes than the Bengals and Broncos, but they also have an incredibly easy schedule going forward. From Week 5 on, the Falcons will play three games against an opponent who currently has a winning record. Two of them will be against the Panthers, who may be a mirage thanks to their own soft schedule, and the other is against the Vikings, at home.
2. Green Bay Packers
Surprise! The Packers have the best quarterback in the world, Aaron Rodgers, but there are some landmines on their schedule, particularly at Denver (Week 8), and at Arizona (Week 16). Throw in the typical division rivalry games, and a Week 5 date with St. Louis’ stacked D-line, and it’s not hard to envision two or three losses.
1. New England Patriots
Rodgers is the best quarterback, but Tom Brady’s playing like he is. Their schedule is favorable, until the end when they have three road games vs. the Broncos, Jets and Bills in their final six tilts.
Rob Gronkowski is arguably the most unstoppable force in football, Julian Edelman is perpetually open, and Brady puts it right where they want it. Dion Lewis has become a running and passing game threat, with LeGarrette Blount serving as a goal-line sledgehammer.
Defensively, they lost a bunch of talent in the offseason but Bill Belichick’s been able to scheme past it.
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