Thursday, September 21, 2023

Denver Broncos Week 3 NFL Power Rankings Roundup

Throughout the 2023 NFL season, we will compile a consensus NFL Power Rankings that averages the rankings of all 32 NFL teams.

Below you will find a Week 3 roundup for the Denver Broncos in our consensus 2023 NFL Power Rankings.

ESPN -- Rank: 28

Player: LB Josey Jewell
Current contract situation: Under contract through the 2023 season

Jewell has consistently been one of the team's most productive, most prepared and most reliable players in his time with the Broncos. He signed a two-year deal before the 2022 season and is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent. Jewel is a mainstay in all of the personnel groupings on defense -- he played 56 of 59 defensive snaps in the opener and 65 of 73 defensive snaps in Sunday's loss to the Commanders. The new coaching regime has big plans for rookie Drew Sanders at linebacker at some point, so the Broncos will face a decision down the road if those snaps come at Jewell's expense or not. -- Jeff Legwold

NFL.com -- Rank: 23

Denver is one of two 0-2 teams to have lost both contests at home, along with New England. The Broncos' losses have been by 1 and 2 points. It feels like they were a few plays away from being 2-0, but you can't overlook the fact that the Broncos were up 21-3 Sunday with the ball on the Washington 40-yard line midway through the second quarter. From there, Washington put up 18 straight points (and it should have been more), as Denver's offense froze and the defense allowed scoring chances on six straight possessions. Russell Wilson's second-quarter fumble and third-quarter interception sandwiched a pair of three-and-outs. Sean Payton's postgame comments seemed to center around Wilson and the offense. Where this thing goes is anyone's guess, but the road to the playoffs is longer now.

CBS Sports -- Rank: 27

They are 0-2 and head to Miami this week to play the Dolphins. They seemed to be cruising to a victory over the Commanders, but it all fell apart. Bad look.

USA Today -- Rank: 28

They opened 0-2 at home for the first time. Per ESPN, Sean Payton had been 72-0 with an 18-point lead ... before Sunday. Another, uh, memorable campaign already brewing in the Rocky Mountains.

The Athletic -- Rank: 28

It's too early to say if Russell Wilson is "fixed" or not, but the quarterback is fourth among quarterbacks in EPA per play (.21). Last year, he was 36th at minus-.12. Denver scored 33 points Sunday against a Washington defense with one of the best lines in the league. "It hasn't been terrible" counts as progress for the Broncos right now.

FOX -- Rank:

It's not as if the Broncos were a preseason favorite. But with Sean Payton overseeing things in Denver, you figured they had a good shot to at least beat the Raiders, or the Commanders — or maybe even both. Instead, they're 0-2 with a road trip to play the high-flying Dolphins up next. The Broncos definitely look better than last year, but it's yet to show in the results.

Yahoo! -- Rank: 28

I can't believe officials didn't call defensive pass interference on a two-point conversion with no time left. It was a clear penalty. The Broncos shouldn't have been in that position anyway. They led 21-3 at home and couldn't finish. After three touchdowns on three drives, the Broncos had four first downs in their next six drives. Those drives: fumble, punt, punt, interception, field goal, punt. For a brief moment it looked like Russell Wilson was back, and then the rest of the game happened.

PFT -- Rank: 28

Sean Payton is already making it subtly clear that, if Russell Wilson doesn't figure things out, he won't be back next year.

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