Broncos Plummet in NFL.com's Week 2 Power Rankings

Where to place the Denver Broncos among NFL contenders after Week 1's poor showing?

After the Denver Broncos were surprisingly dispatched by a Geno Smith-led Seattle Seahawks team, fans and analysts alike are questioning whether Russell Wilson and Nathaniel Hackett can lead this team to the playoffs. Time will tell. 

But with the shocking defeat comes a downgrade in the NFL power rankings. NFL.com's Dan Hanzus placed the Broncos No. 8 in his Week 1 power rankings, before a game had been played. 

What does Week 2 look like? Hanzus explained his rationale for dropping the Broncos precipitously, and how disappointing the team looked against an opponent it was favored to beat. 

Denver Broncos Rank: 16

“Nathaniel Hackett worked his whole career to get to Monday night. Unfortunately, it won’t be a night he’ll recall fondly. The new Broncos coach watched his team lose two fumbles at the enemy 1-yard line, then found himself at the center of criticism for poor clock management in the final seconds of an ugly 17-16 loss to the Seahawks. Russell Wilson threw for 340 yards and a touchdown in his Denver debut, but he also bore some responsibility for a sloppy effort that included too many penalties and not enough execution at the most crucial moments of the game. Denver was a heavily hyped team following the blockbuster trade that brought Wilson to town. Monday night felt like the hangover after a summer-long party.”

What happens next on the Broncos? Don't miss out on any news and analysis! Please take a second, sign up for our free newsletter, and get breaking Broncos news delivered to your inbox daily!

Everyone agrees that Hackett had a very disappointing head-coaching debut in Seattle. Broncos fans lost their minds watching the last two minutes of the game waste away as Hackett refused to call a timeout, instead opting to kill the clock to attempt a 64-yard field goal that Brandon McManus missed. 

Hackett later admitted that he should have gone for it on 4th-&-5, which is nice to hear, considering the past coaching regime's refusal to shoulder any blame.

As for Wilson's performance and not executing in the most crucial moments of the game, there’s an argument to be had. He wasn’t perfect by any means, but he wasn’t the reason both Broncos' running backs fumbled on the goal-line twice. 

Wilson wasn’t even given a chance to convert on fourth down with all the marbles on the line to make the game-winning field-goal attempt more manageable. The blame for the penalties falls squarely on Hackett and the hostile environment that is Lumen Field, home to the '12th Man.'

The Broncos are already losing traction in the division race, and will need a quick turnaround against the visiting Houston Texans this week to stay in the conversation for the playoffs. It's time to live up to all the offseason hype and take care of business at Mile High.

---

Follow Dylan on Twitter @arx_d

Follow Mile High Huddle on Twitter and Facebook.

Subscribe to Mile High Huddle on YouTube for daily Broncos live-stream podcasts!