Last week, ESPN's NFL power rankings were slightly more upbeat about the Denver Broncos when they placed the team at No. 28. By defeating the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 2, the Broncos moved up to No. 24 in the latest ESPN rankings:
The win over the Bengals should quiet the Tebow noise. Sunday at Tennessee will be telling. (Kuharsky)
I'm not quite sure that the win quieted the "Tebow noise." Really, it depends on how we define the question of "Tebow noise." Kyle Orton didn't fall apart and there are no billboards calling for his benching yet. Still, Tebow did get into the game--as a wide receiver.
The Titans, though, will be a tough test, as Kuharsky writes. Tennessee has been two different teams in two games so far. They lost to a Jacksonville team that started Luke McCown at quarterback and then defeated a Baltimore team that had dominated the Steelers one week earlier. And with it being a road game, the Broncos need to get off to a good start.
The Kansas City Chiefs 10 spots from No. 21 to No. 31 following their abysmal loss to the Detroit Lions, 48-3. Only the Seahawks are worse, but a loss to the Chargers could sink them into the cellar's very pit of despair next week.
The Chargers fell out of the top 10 and down to No. 12 while the Raiders are at No. 20 following their back-and-forth loss to the Buffalo Bills.
For more on the Broncos, visit Mile High Report.