Denver Broncos Not As Bad As Cardinals, Lions Or Panthers In SB Nation's Power Rankings

The Denver Broncos dropped only one spot to No. 28 in the latest SB Nation NFL Power Rankings this week. Joel Thorman has the following on the Broncos:

Josh McDaniels is fired leaving plenty of questions for the Broncos in 2010 and beyond. None may be more important than Tim Tebow’s future role on the team. LW: 27

The teams below the Broncos are the Detroit Lions, the Cincinnati Bengals, the Carolina Panthers and the Arizona Cardinals. The Bengals are on a nine-game losing streak and the Cardinals have a seven-game losing streak.

The Broncos face the Cardinals this weekend in what will be a game for pride. Eric Studesville will lead the Broncos in his first game as the interim head coach and has announced that Kyle Orton will be his starter, which means Tim Tebow will continue to wait on the sidelines for his chance at running the offense.

Is it possible the Broncos and Cardinals will swap spots in next week’s rankings? Eric Studesville will try his best to help give the Broncos that elusive fourth win, because there’s no way a rookie quarterback by the name of John Skelton should beat the Broncos.

NFL Playoff Picture: Denver Broncos Still Among Bottom In Power Rankings

The NFL playoff picture enters its fourth quarter, and the Denver Broncos are nowhere to be found. That shouldn't be surprising, as the Denver Broncos are 3-9 and have just fired Josh McDaniels. It should come as no surprise when outlets release their power rankings to find the Denver Broncos at the very bottom--they've been there for weeks. However, SB Nation Atlanta's Unbiased Power Rankings continue to keep the Broncos in the fourth of their five tiers.

Here's who the Broncos are grouped with:

Because they only take into account what happens on the field, these rankings do not reflect the impact Josh McDaniels' firing will have on the Broncos. With Eric Studesville as the interim head coach, the Broncos will need to determine what Tim Tebow's role is with the team for the rest of the season and in the future. Instability may be with the Broncos for the rest of the season, and a descent into tier V is likely.

Among teams in tier IV, the Broncos have lost to both the San Francisco 49ers (Spygate II) and the St. Louis Rams The Denver Broncos face the Arizona Cardinals on the road this Sunday. The Cardinals are 3-9 with a seven-game losing streak. Seems like a good test for Eric Studesville in his first head coaching chance.

SBNation.com's Power Rankings when they are available.