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NFL Power Rankings, Week 8: Cowboys find spark, Raiders look like pretenders

By Randy Gurzi

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - OCTOBER 20: Dak Prescott #4 of the Dallas Cowboys celebrates a first quarter touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles in the game at AT&T Stadium on October 20, 2019 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - OCTOBER 20: Dak Prescott #4 of the Dallas Cowboys celebrates a first quarter touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles in the game at AT&T Stadium on October 20, 2019 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /
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LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 13: Daryl Williams of Carolina Panthers leads his team into the dressing room after warming up during the NFL game between Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 13, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 13: Daryl Williams of Carolina Panthers leads his team into the dressing room after warming up during the NFL game between Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 13, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images) /

12. Carolina Panthers (13)

No player has done more to increase his stock this season than Kyle Allen of the Carolina Panthers has. Sure, Teddy Bridgewater has been great in relief of Drew Brees but no one ever questioned Bridgewater’s talent, just whether or not his knee would hold up. There’s also been a lot of hype around Gardner Minshew, but he hasn’t been able to win as much as Allen has since he stepped into the lineup for an injured Cam Newton.

Newton went down following an 0-2 start and Allen has done nothing but win. The former undrafted quarterback has reeled off four consecutive wins and is now 5-0 in his career as a starter after winning his only start in 2018.

And it’s not as if the team is having to protect Allen and win with him being a game manager. He’s just playing really well as he’s completed 65.6 percent of his passes for 901 yards and seven touchdowns. What’s more impressive is Allen has yet to throw an interception this season — or in his career for that matter.

His performance not only put the Panthers back in the mix for the NFC South, but it has people talking as though Newton is about to be on the trading block — something that would have seemed unbelievable just a few seasons ago.

Now in their bye week, Allen and the Panthers have a tough task ahead of them in Week 8. Carolina will travel to San Francisco to play the 49ers, which will tell us a lot about how real this team is.

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