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Week 9 Power Rankings -- A Look Around The Web

By John Bena

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Any loss, even to the high-flying Colts is bound to have an effect in the Power Rankings, the only question is how much and how far down.  Let's take a look around the web.

ESPN - #6(LW: 3) - A bit of a Halloween edition to ESPN's rankings, with a Trick AND Treat to enjoy --

Trick: Jake Plummer. He played better Sunday, but when your QB is ranked 31st in passer rating, that's a problem.

Treat: Champ Bailey. By far the NFL's best cornerback right now.


CBS - #7(LW: 3) - A 4-position drop from CBS, and a warning of things to come --

The defense was cut to pieces by Peyton Manning and now the Broncos face a Pittsburgh team on the road playing for its playoff life. That won't be easy.

Covers.com - #7(LW: 7) - Tough break for the Under, as the Broncos failed to cover the number for the first time this season --

The Broncos held their ground in the rankings this week by taking the Colts to the wire. That's the good news. The bad is that for the first time, Denver failed to cash for under bettors.

Football Outsiders - #12(LW: 10) - Damn, that DVOA is hard to figure out....

Top 10 reasons why DVOA hates the Denver Broncos:
  1. Acronym stands for "Denver? Verily, only average."
  2. Quarterback has the lowest neck-beard road-rage coefficient in the league.
  3. Too much time spent in Coors Field humidor has weakened Broncos DVOA rating.
  4. Marilyn Musgrave-Angie Paccione attack ads are poisoning political discourse in this country, and the spreadsheets are very upset about this.
  5. FO intern? Roc Alexander.
  6. First place rank in rushing touchdowns allowed offset by first place rank in repulsive new art museum wings.
  7. Coors Light ads are awful.
  8. Local college rub-off effect: Colorado Buffaloes are so bad that they've named Ward Churchill as head coach just to get the team riled up about something.
  9. DVOA was designed by Jean-Luc Connerie, a bitter lifelong fan of the Quebec Nordiques.
  10. It's a dispassionate statistical system based on studying eight years of NFL play-by-play data, and it recognizes that the Broncos have yet to enjoy a dominating victory and the quarterback was awful for the first seven weeks.

RealFootball365 - #7(LW: 4) - Good point by the guys at RF365, who point out Jake's woes -

The Broncos' offense just can't win. The team was 5-1 when it scored less than 20 points in a game. Jake Plummer and Co. then put up 31 against the Colts, but they still lost. It ain't easy being Jake.

Yahoo Sports - #4(LW: 3) - Only dropped 1 by Yahoo, who gives D-Will a vote of confidence -

Cornerback Darrent Williams will bounce back after giving up three touchdowns to Indianapolis' Reggie Wayne. But you can bet the Colts will be going after him again if these two teams meet in the playoffs yet again.

FoxSports - #4(LW: 3) - Same for FoxSports, who only move us down 1.  More pot shots at the D, however.

The Broncos defense entered Sunday's game having allowed just two touchdowns through the team's first six games. Only the 1934 Lions -- remember them? -- had given up less points through that point in the season. And then the Colts came to town. Yikes. Manning and the boys from Indy put up 34 points, marching up and down the pitch, often times looking unstoppable. So much for those "Best Defense Ever" articles starting to sprout up all over the Internet.

Sports Illustrated - #3(LW: 3) - Dr. Z takes the opportunity to take a shot at our silent O and D lines.

When the offense was going well, the linemen made a pact not to speak to writers. Now that the Dee is hot, their guys are dummying up, too. You think that's funny? How would you like it if you turned to this column and it was blank? But Z, you've got to write something. Sorry, I don't speak to readers.

GridIronGrumblings - #7(LW: 4) - 3 spot drop on this fantasy site

NFL.com - #5(LW: 3) - Only a couple of spots in Carucci's Power Poll, and he likes our match-up with the Steelers --

After coming up just short vs. the Colts, the Broncos have an excellent get-well opportunity at Pittsburgh.

Not too shabby, no lower than 7, except on Football Insiders, and they get a bit too numbers oriented for my taste.  Big game this week to get back on track towards a division title and first round bye.

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