Broncos 2021 NFL power rankings tracker: How national experts rank Denver entering Week 7

The Broncos’ 3-0 start? That’s a distant memory at this point.

Three straight losses, including a lopsided 34-24 loss to the visiting Raiders on Sunday, have shifted early-season optimism to a sense of dread and déjà vu in Broncos Country. As Denver Post columnist writes, the quarterback’s still problematic. So’s depth. The secondary. And the offensive line.

True, Denver has the most fourth-down conversions (9) in the league this season, but third down is another matter. At 29.9%, the Broncos have the worst third-down conversion percentage in the NFL.

Next up? A very quick turnaround as Denver heads to Cleveland to take on the reeling Browns, who have plenty of injury issues of their own.

Here’s a look at how various national experts rated the Broncos in their power rankings entering Week 7:

Bleacher Report (No. 18) | Last week: No. 15

“It’s not especially difficult to pinpoint why the Broncos lost to the Raiders on Sunday. The team was something of a mess on both sides of the ball. On offense, the Broncos turned it over four times, including three Teddy Bridgewater interceptions. On defense, the team had little answer for the Raiders, allowing 426 yards of offense and 340 yards through the air.” See the full rankings.

CBS Sports (No. 21) | Last week: No. 18

“They’ve lost three straight games and didn’t look good for much of that loss to the Raiders. Is the heat back on Vic Fangio? It could be,” Pete Prisco writes. See the full rankings.

ESPN (No. 20) | Last week: No. 15

“The turnovers are up, and the results are down. And defensively, a team that has immense cover-rush potential hasn’t shown it often enough in a three-game losing streak, especially against a Raiders offense that came into Sunday’s contest having seen its head coach and playcaller resign just days earlier,” Jeff Legwold writes. See the full rankings.

NFL.com (No. 20) | Last week: No. 19

“The Broncos’ 3-0 start was built on the backs of some of the worst teams in football. Three weeks later, Denver is 3-3 and looking like the definition of average. Sunday’s loss was the most troubling yet, as a Raiders team awash in turmoil shut out the outside noise and outclassed the Broncos in every phase of the game. Some garbage-time production from Teddy Bridgewater couldn’t cover up another inefficient offensive performance that included three interceptions, five sacks and too many missed opportunities,” Dan Hanzus writes. See the full rankings.

Sporting News (No. 21) | Last week: No. 18

“The Broncos are free-falling with their offense still trying to prop them up but Vic Fangio’s defense is totally losing it after a strong 3-0 start. The Browns next on the road on a short week won’t help them get well,” Vinnie Iyer writes. See the full rankings.

Sports Illustrated (No. 22) | Last week: No. 16

“Like Chicago, this is a team that needs the defense to stand on its head in order to win games — that’s not just stopping opponents, but taking the ball away in the process. They have forced one turnover over the course of their three-game losing streak,” Gary Gramling writes. See the full rankings (subscription).

USA Today (No. 21) | Last week: No. 17

“They’ve been rudely reality-checked back to .500, they’re 3-0 start as dubious as it seemed. Our advice? More carries for the RB duo of Melvin Gordon and Javonte Williams, who are collectively averaging 4.7 yards per rush,” Nate Davis writes. See the full rankings.

Yahoo Sports (No. 20) | Last week: No. 16

“The good vibes off the 3-0 start are gone. The hot start by Teddy Bridgewater has dissipated. The defense, which was supposed to be Vic Fangio’s calling card, got worked over by the Raiders. Fangio’s seat is going to get quite hot if the losing streak continues,” Frank Schwab writes. See the full rankings.