As improbable as it seems, and with as many close calls as can be imagined, through eight weeks of the 2015 NFL season, four undefeated teams remain. It hasn’t always been easy. As Monday’s Colts-Panthers game proved, it hasn’t always been pretty, but as the NFL season reaches it’s half-way point, the New England Patriots, Denver Broncos, Cincinnati Bengals, and the Carolina Panthers have all found a way to 7-0 records.
It is a true rarity to have more than one undefeated team this deep into the season, but to have four of them is nearly unprecedented. With nine games remaining on the schedule for each of these squads, let’s take a look at the immediate prospects of football’s brightest and best franchises.
Undefeated NFL Teams Making Statements in 2015
New England Patriots
The Patriots stand out as the most dominant of the teams on this list right now. While they’ve played in a few contests that have looked closer on the scoreboard than they actually were; and aside from a close contest with the divisional rival New York Jets, the defending Super Bowl champions have made 7-0 look relatively easy. The offense is on fire right now, and the defense is more than holding up it’s end of the bargain.
Tom Brady is playing quite possibly the best football of his sixteen-year career and that is most definitely saying something, dropping touchdown passes left and right (20 , to be exact). His lone interception of the season actually came on a perfectly thrown pass that bounced off the hands of Julian Edelman, who had just injured his figure at the time. Brady has been the catalyst for this team’s success but he’s been far from the only reason the Pats have succeeded. With Washington, the talented but inconsistent New York Giants, and the Buffalo Bills as the next three games on New England’s slate, this team could very easily be 10-0 when they make a Week 12 trip to Denver to take on the Broncos (Segue on the way, folks).
Denver Broncos
Speaking of those aforementioned Denver Broncos, their path towards 7-0 has been much bumpier than that of their rivals in Foxborough. While Peyton Manning’s struggles have been somewhat overblown, the fact remains that the defensive side of the football has been where the Broncos’ bread is buttered (try saying that three times fast) thus far in 2015.
Indeed, Wade Phillips’ defense has been sensational, the top unit in the league, while the offense has often sputtered. The team has to be happy with Sunday night’s 29-10 drubbing of the previously undefeated Green Bay Packers however. Not only did the defense hold Aaron Rodgers (yes, Aaron Rodgers) to a mere 77 passing yards, but the offense seemed to find some semblance of it’s previous form with big games out of Manning (340 yards passing) and Demaryius Thomas (168 yards receiving), while C.J. Anderson and Ronnie Hillman combined to score three rushing touchdowns.
The Broncos’ next three contests are against the struggling Indianapolis Colts, the Kansas City Chiefs who appear to be finding their footing, and the Chicago Bears. None of these match-ups represents a gimme to be sure; but once again, a strong possibility remains of two 10-0 teams facing off when the Broncos and Pats enter that huge Week 12 contest.
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals achieved a 7-0 record with a come-from-behind win against their divisional rivals, the Pittsburgh Steelers this past weekend. And, while it was the Bengals’ ugliest showing of the season, the end result remained the same as it has for all of the 2015 season: victory.
One of the most talented teams in the entire NFL, the Bengals boast a very solid defense and an offense that is loaded with weapons. Andy Dalton has been an MVP candidate in his own right this year. While he didn’t have his best game on Sunday, he did enough to pick up the win when the game was on the line. With players like A.J. Green, Tyler Eifert, Marvin Jones, Jeremy Hill, and Giovani Bernard in the mix, that offense will see plenty more big games in 2015.
The Bengals have a Thursday night tilt with the Cleveland Browns, a club that doesn’t have a lot of wins, but has managed to play competitively with some very solid teams in 2015. It would be a mistake to look past them. Following that match-up, the Browns take on the Houston Texans, before traveling to Arizona to take on the explosive Cardinals. None of these games is a sure thing; but the Bengals have proven that they are an elite AFC squad, and could make many more big waves during the season.
Carolina Panthers
The Panthers are the lone NFC team on this list, but more importantly than that, they may be the most disrespected 7-0 team of all time. No matter how many games this team wins, no matter how many times they face adversity and persevere, people continue to label them as overrated and a fluke.
This defies logic. 7-0 is not a fluke. The Panthers certainly haven’t made it look as easy as the Pats, and they’ve certainly made some mistakes along the way. Monday’s roller-coaster game with the Colts saw them throw away a 17 point lead in the fourth quarter before having to kick two overtime field goals to pick up the victory.
But here’s the thing: they did in fact, pick up said victory.
A fluke team doesn’t consistently perform in clutch situations and make big plays at key moments. That’s what a great team does. Propped up by excellent defensive play with big-time contributions from players like Luke Kuechley and defensive player of the year candidate Josh Norman, this team is legitimate. Cam Newton continues to come through when it counts, and the work he is doing without Kelvin Benjamin cannot be understated.
The Panthers face their toughest test to date in Week Nine, when they play host to the Green Bay Packers, before taking on Tennessee and Washington in the ensuing weeks. A strong showing against the Pack would go a long way to changing the public’s perception of the Panthers, but the fact remains that they have earned the right to be labeled contenders and could be well on their way to a third consecutive NFL South title.
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