Posted by ESPN.com's Bill Williamson

The following is a look at why I placed the AFC West teams where I did in the Week 9 NFL Power Rankings:

Denver Broncos

• Power ranking: 15
  
• Where I ranked them: I had Denver 17th. Can I see the Broncos tumble further? Yes, but as they come out of their bye week, the Broncos are 4-3 and atop of the AFC West. They are my lowest-ranked three-loss team but they are 17th -- for now.

San Diego Chargers

• Power ranking: 21
  
• Where I ranked them: I had the Chargers 25th. Did I ever imagine I'd rank the 2008 Chargers this low? No, never. I'm shocked. I never thought this team would dip lower than 10th. But the Chargers are 3-5 and they are a mess at the bye. I couldn't rank them any higher.

Oakland Raiders

• Power ranking: 28
  
• Where I ranked them: I had the Raiders 28th. This is where this team belongs. The Raiders, until they prove otherwise, are a lower-echelon team.

Kansas City Chiefs

• Power ranking: 30
  
• Where I ranked them: I had the Chiefs ranked 29th. I ranked them higher than San Francisco, the other six-loss team in the NFL. The Chiefs played very hard in their loss at the Jets on Sunday. They should have won. Maybe there is some hope.