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ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning is putting together one of the all-time great passing seasons through the first month of this year and even his opponents are impressed by it.

Among them is Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford.

“It’s awesome. I’m happy for him. He’s a great player,” Stafford said. “One of the best, if not the best, quarterbacks of all time and a guy that growing up I watched and really tried to study his game as much as you can. The guy’s a great thinker, a great mind and obviously can put the ball wherever he wants.”

Manning has completed 75 percent of his passes this season (117-of-156) for a NFL-best 1,470 yards and 16 touchdowns.

The real eye-popping stat -- he’s thrown zero interceptions and has a passer rating of 138.

His numbers could be even better, too, as Manning’s pass-catchers have dropped 5.1 percent of his throws. Three of Manning’s receivers -- Demaryius Thomas, Wes Welker and Eric Decker -- all have 24 or more receptions through four games.

“He’s got some weapons there this year that he hasn’t had in a while,” Stafford said. “And he’s making teams pay for it.”

Manning leads the league in almost every passing category, but Stafford is actually doing better than him in a couple of areas.

Manning is second to Stafford in sacks per drop-back -- Stafford has been sacked 1.9 percent of the time to Manning’s 3.1 percent. Stafford also is getting rid of the ball faster than Manning, throwing the ball 2.75 seconds after the snap to Manning’s 2.82 seconds.

A weekly examination of the Broncos’ ESPN.com Power Ranking:

Preseason: 3 | Last Week: 2 | ESPN.com Power Ranking since 2002

With their 59-20 demolition of the Philadelphia Eagles this past weekend, the Broncos moved up a spot and to the top of the ESPN.com Power Rankings as they emphatically launched themselves out of what coach John Fox calls the “first quarter of a four-quarter season." They have done it with an opportunistic defense still without two of its best players and an offense that has overwhelmed four consecutive opponents.

The Broncos are averaging 44.8 points per game, a pace that is eight points better than the highest-scoring offense in league history: the 2007 New England Patriots. Quarterback Peyton Manning has thrown 16 touchdown passes, or more touchdowns than every other team in the league has scored overall. They have beaten their four opponents by an average of 22 points.

Oh, and they have played defense without cornerback Champ Bailey or star pass-rusher Von Miller in the lineup. Bailey has missed four games with a left foot injury he suffered in preseason and Miller will miss two more games as part of his six-game suspension.

“But there’s plenty to work on,’’ Fox said. “We want ... to be playing our best football in February.’’

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- The Broncos pushed themselves to 4-0 Sunday with another record-setting day from quarterback Peyton Manning as they scored a franchise-record 52 points in the win over the Philadelphia Eagles. And after a long look at the video from Sunday’s win, here are some thoughts on the Denver Broncos defense and special teams:

• When the Broncos prepared for their first look at first-year Eagles coach Chip Kelly’s offense, Denver’s coaches said they were using video largely from the regular season's first three games. Which is why running back Chris Polk may have been a bit of a surprise to the Broncos game-planners. When Polk pounded his way for 4 yards through the middle of the Broncos defense for the Eagles’ first touchdown of the day, it was Polk’s first carry of the season. He was a player the Broncos had looked at before the 2012 draft, because at 222 pounds he was one of the more productive big backs on the board. But an extensive medical file, including left shoulder surgery in both 2008 and 2009 to go with knee surgery in 2011, likely kept him from being draft. Polk signed with the Eagles last season as an undrafted rookie.

• The Broncos were fairly effective using a “spy’’ on Eagles quarterback Michael Vick on many third-down situations to try to contain Vick in the run game. The Broncos used a variety of players for the job, including linebacker Wesley Woodyard and defensive end Shaun Phillips. The Broncos then played man coverage in the secondary on many of those third-down plays. And they were far more successful, far more disciplined in the second half. After surrendering 101 yards rushing in the first half Sunday, including 39 from Vick, the Eagles rushed for 65 in the second half with just two of those yards coming from Vick.

• With as much as the Cowboys have thrown the ball to running back DeMarco Murray, the Eagles' success in getting the ball to the running backs in the passing game at times against the Broncos will certainly get a look from the Dallas coaches. Five of Vick’s 14 completions in the game went to running backs and one in particular is the kind of play that could be a concern for an aggressive defense like Denver's. With just under 4:30 left in the second quarter, the Broncos sent five rushers at Vick on a second-and-7. But instead of keeping running back LeSean McCoy into block to help block, McCoy released immediately and the closest Broncos linebacker or defensive back was 8 yards away. McCoy caught a little flip pass, thrown over the rush, and went 21 yards for the first down. Running back Bryce Brown had 35-yard catch-and-run on a similar play in the game.

• Broncos defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio has used safety David Bruton far more on defense than all of his predecessors did on the job during Bruton's time with the team, but when the Broncos signed their special teams captain to a three-year, $4.5 million deal in the offseason they had plenty of other duties in mind. Bruton is consistently one of the team’s best, and most active players in kick or punt blocking units. But Sunday he also showed he can block in the open field when asked in kickoff returns as well. It was Bruton’s and cornerback/safety Omar Bolden's blocks that set Trindon Holliday free for a 105-yard kickoff return for a score in the first quarter. Bolden picked off Eagles wide receiver Jeff Maehl, creating the initial lane and Bruton knocked down Eagles cornerback Jordan Poyer at the 45-yard line and that left Holliday with only the kicker to beat. Bruton locked on and drove Poyer to the ground. “I mean (Holliday) is a tremendous talent, but he needs people blocking for him,’’ said Broncos coach John Fox.

• Steven Johnson’s blocked punt, scoop of the loose ball and 17-yard return for a touchdown was the result of Eagle’s long snapper Jon Dorenbos simply making a poor choice. At the snap, with Johnson lined up in the gap off his right shoulder, Dorenbos inexplicably looks left as soon as he lets the ball go and comes out of his stance, where there is no rusher. Dorenbos briefly puts his right hand on Johnson, but Johnson is already well into the gap on his way to punter Donnie Jones. "I knew I might get in there when he let me go,'' Johnson said.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- The Denver Broncos pushed themselves to 4-0 Sunday with another record-setting day from quarterback Peyton Manning as they scored a franchise record 52 points in the win over the Philadelphia Eagles. And after a long look at the video from Sunday’s win, here are some thoughts on the team's offense:

• When the Broncos signed Wes Welker in free agency, they envisioned adding one of the more difficult match-up players in the league for opposing defenses to an already imposing offense. And the Broncos have certainly gotten that kind of production already, but they have steadily expanded Welker’s role beyond simply a slot receiver and he continues to show he can create match-up problems all over the field. On the Broncos' first-play from scrimmage, the Broncos lined Welker up as the outside receiver to the left, then motioned him down toward the slot just before the snap. He then ran a long-developing route, all the way across the formation to catch the ball to the right of a well-protected and patient Manning, good for 33 yards. Later in the game, on his 4-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter, the Broncos started Welker in the backfield. He’s a versatile athlete and the Broncos will benefit from a continued expansion of what they do with him.
• Manning has driven defensive coaches around the league 12 kinds of bonkers through the years. And the play, beyond all of the precision throws into tight places Sunday, that showed why came during the Broncos first possession of the second half. As the Broncos were busily working toward their fourth touchdown of the game, they faced a second-and-6 from the Eagles’ 7-yard line. And as he was working through his pre-snap reads, Manning simply pointed at Eagles cornerback Brandon Boykin, who was lined up in the slot directly across from Welker, and Manning tells running back Knowshon Moreno “get him.’’ Boykin wasn’t leaning, wasn't looking in at the quarterback or doing anything else that made him appear to be a pass-rusher, yet Manning, looking at the Eagles’ alignment in that particular down and distance, still identified Boykin as the blitzer. And sure enough at the snap Boykin rushed Manning on what was an incomplete pass to Eric Decker in the endzone. The Eagles were flagged for pass interference on the play. On Welker’s 6-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter, Manning beat another blitz out of the slot.
• Many teams use the enhanced audio on game broadcasts to try and nail down a team’s audibles and checks at the line of scrimmage -- they can be heard clearly with even standard equipment. And the Eagles had obviously decided “Omaha,’’ was one of those key words from the Broncos. Manning caught the Eagles defensive linemen trying to jump the snap after hearing “Omaha,’’ and lured the Eagles into two encroachment penalties.
• For the second time in two games, the Broncos put three tight ends in the formation with Demaryius Thomas as the only wide receiver and still completed the ball to Thomas. They turned the trick for a 6-yard gain in the third quarter of the win over the Raiders and did it again for Thomas’ 1-yard touchdown grab Sunday. The three tight ends were lined up left, Thomas to the right, in man coverage and no help for Eagles cornerback Bradley Fletcher on that side of the field because the Eagles linebackers and safeties had to honor the three tight ends on the other side of the formation. Manning simply threw the ball for the pylon in the back right corner of the ednzone, a throw the Broncos repeatedly make in practice and Thomas made a one-handed catch for the score.
• The Broncos have had some high-end moments in the run game, especially when they go to a zone look to the right, behind Louis Vasquez and Orlando Franklin, but they’ve had their share of troubles moving the line of scrimmage as well. They’ve had six runs for negative yardage so far this season and 39 carries have gone for two or fewer yards -- or 32.5 percent of their carries. They have had at least seven runs of two or fewer yards in each of their games with a season-high 12 carries of two or fewer yards against the Giants.
• The crew has made the difference in penalty flags for the Broncos. The Broncos had 13 penalties called against the Giants, including eight on defensive backs in the game. Gene Steratore was the referee for the game. They were flagged just five times the following week against the Raiders, with no flags on the defense with Jerome Boger as the referee. And Sunday, with Pete Morelli’s crew calling the game, the Broncos had just two accepted penalties (cornerback Tony Carter was flagged, but penalty was declined) – both ill-timed, unnecessary roughness penalties on Moreno and Kevin Vickerson. Moreno's penalty took the Broncos' out of field-goal range.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- If it was Monday, it must have been time for Broncos coach John Fox to perform the football eclipse and just block out the sunshine.

And in working his way through a recap of Sunday’s 52-20 win over the Philadelphia Eagles that pushed the Broncos to 4-0 and brought another round of historical benchmarks the team has surpassed on offense along the way, Fox delivered an off-handed missive that won’t be great news to the team’s upcoming opponents.

“We left points out on the field [Sunday]."

And with that Fox kept to his weekly ritual of trying to turn down the flame on the Broncos’ start in which the quarterback has thrown 16 touchdown passes without an interception, more touchdowns than every other team in the league has scored overall, and the Broncos lead the league in scoring by 52 points over No. 2 Chicago.

“We’ll just continue to get better," Fox said. “ … And I expect us to get better. People look at me funny when I say that. There’s still a lot of areas we need to improve at, we can improve at."

In reality, even with quarterback Peyton Manning on the current torrid pace, the Broncos will need, at some point, to run the ball with more authority, especially when in close-out mode. They rushed for just 37 yards on 12 carries in the fourth quarter Sunday. That’s 3.1 yards per carry against a defense that was both demoralized and visibly fatigued. While that looks like a BB off a battleship in a 32-point win, there will be a day when the Broncos need more to grind one out.

• It will be intriguing to watch how the Broncos attack the Cowboys defense, with longtime NFL assistant Monte Kiffin in his first season calling the shots on that side of the ball in Dallas. Especially since the Broncos will have the video of how their offensive coordinator from 2012 -- current Chargers coach Mike McCoy -- handled it this past Sunday in the Chargers’ 30-21 victory. Kiffin has long played a 4-3 look, with the defensive linemen playing the run as they move up the field toward the quarterback with two deep safeties. He forces quarterbacks to play with patience with a combination of coverages designed to keep plays in front of the defensive backs. Fox knows it well from his time in Carolina and Kiffin’s long run as the Buccaneers’ defensive coordinator, while Manning certainly knows it from his time in Indianapolis when Tony Dungy used the defense with the Colts (Kiffin was Dungy's defensive coordinator in Tampa). But that doesn’t always help, or as Fox put it: “Everybody in this league has either played for or coached with Monte.’’ One of the biggest challenges for the Broncos will come up front where Kiffin’s four-man front is often stunting and moving into the middle of the field as well, working the gaps between the center and guards. That will surely mean a test for Manny Ramirez, as well as Zane Beadles and Louis Vasquez.

• Fox said he was sitting face-to-face with Broncos defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio Sunday night when the University of Houston tennis coach, Patrick Sullivan, posted on his Twitter account he had “spotted" Del Rio at Los Angeles International Airport. Fox and the Broncos coaches were at a local steakhouse at the time. “I was actually at Del Frisco’s when that came out," Fox said. Asked if he was checking his Twitter feed at the time, Fox said: “I don’t even know how to spell Twitter." Del Rio has already been linked to the vacant USC coaching job -- he played at USC -- but couldn't start a new job until the Broncos season is over, including any postseason games. Del Rio’s contract is up following the season. Following Sunday night’s game, Del Rio said: “There isn’t anything to say. It’s all speculation at this point, I’ve got a job to do here, my focus is right there." Monday, Fox said: “Like always there’s 8,000 candidates, when it gets serious potential, we’ll keep you posted."

• The Broncos equipment staff saved linebacker Steven Johnson the football from his first career touchdown in Sunday’s win. Johnson blocked a punt early in the fourth quarter, scooped up the ball and returned it 17 yards for the score. Johnson got the ball Monday afternoon. “After I blocked it, I was shocked and I was like, ‘Oh shoot,’ you know? I slowed down, took a deep breath and just picked it up and scored and then celebrated with my teammates."

• Following Sunday’s game, in which Trindon Holliday had his sixth return for a touchdown in his 16 games with the Broncos, Holliday said he believed he has become more reliable catching the ball. Fox hasn’t always allowed Holliday to catch punts deep in Denver territory and Holliday has had some nerve-wracking bobbles in his brief time with the Broncos. But Monday Fox agreed with Holliday’s assessment saying Holliday was “fielding the ball way more consistently.’’ It could mean Holliday gets a few more opportunities in games, particularly as a punt returner. On Holliday’s run with the team Fox said: “I joked with him that if he’d won the Baltimore game, he might have been the guy on Dancing with [the] Stars.’’ Holliday became the first player in league history to return a kickoff and a punt for touchdowns in the same playoff game last January. But the Broncos didn’t hang on and lost to the Ravens. And Ravens wide receiver Jacoby Jones was chosen to appear on "Dancing with the Stars."

• Fox said Monday the Broncos suffered no major injuries in Sunday's game. Defensive tackle Mitch Unrein and linebacker Danny Trevathan each left the game, but returned.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- An examination for four hot issues from the Denver Broncos' 52-20 win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.

Spread it thick: It is what some defensive coordinators envisioned when the Broncos reeled in Wes Welker in free agency: With a quarterback as accomplished -- and as patient at this point in his career -- as Peyton Manning is, defending the Broncos' three-wide look would be a chore. And it has been just that as Manning has targeted Demaryius Thomas, Welker and Eric Decker 38, 37 and 35 times, respectively, and the three have 29, 26 and 24 catches, respectively

Screen it in: When Sunday’s game was still somewhat in the balance, the Eagles did have some success in the screen game against the Broncos' aggressive front seven, including a short toss to running back Bryce Brown that turned into a 34-yard gain early, along with a 21-yarder to running back LeSean McCoy. Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo has used running back DeMarco Murray plenty in the passing game -- 21 catches, tied for second on the team -- so it will be something for the Broncos to consider this week.

Finish it: Whenever Broncos defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio is asked about some tweak in the scheme, he will often get the conversation back to “leverage and tackling" at some point. “It’s basic, as old as football," he said. And when things don’t go right for the Broncos' defense, it’s often because they did not fulfill that maxim. They have been steady in that department for much of the early going, but when the Eagles did move the ball Sunday, there was often a missed tackle to blame. That included a Robert Ayers miss on Michael Vick in the first quarter to go with missed tackles from linebackers Wesley Woodyard and Nate Irving later in the quarter on back-to-back plays, both on McCoy.

Go big: When kick returner Trindon Holliday scores a touchdown, it is almost always an enormous, momentum-swinging play, including his 105-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against the Eagles. In 16 games with the Broncos, last season's playoff loss included, Holliday now has six touchdown returns, with the shortest one being a 76-yard punt return last season. His three kickoff returns for scores have been for 105, 104 and 105 yards.

DENVER -- The Denver Broncos would be hard pressed to get more from a waiver claim than they have from Trindon Holliday.

Well, the Broncos would be hard-pressed to get more production per play from anybody this side of Peyton Manning than they have from Holliday. Sunday was Holliday’s 16^th game with the Broncos, last January’s playoff game included. His 105-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the first quarter of their runaway win over the Eagles was his sixth touchdown return for the team.

Since being claimed off waivers from the Texans, Holliday has three kickoff returns for touchdowns and three punt returns for touchdowns. He returned a punt 81 yards for a touchdown earlier this season.

“It’s cool, we work to make those things happen,’’ Holliday said. “Those guys get it blocked and a lot of times I just have to beat the kicker. I always feel like I have it when that happens.’’

“I didn’t see the entire film,’’ said Eagles coach Chip Kelly, “but I know there was a pretty big hole.’’

But for a quirk of the NFL calendar and a slice of good fortune, Holliday would be doing all of that elsewhere right now. The Broncos were on the hunt for a returner last season following a loss to the New England Patriots that dropped them to 2-3. The Texans, in need of help at linebacker because Brian Crushing had suffered a season-ending knee injury, placed Holliday on waivers. The Broncos and the Colts put in claims and the Broncos were awarded Holliday on the basis of record since the Colts were 2-2 at the time.

Had the claims come just a week earlier the Colts would have gotten Holliday. Week 6 is the first week of the season when waiver claims are awarded on current records rather than the previous season’s. The Colts had finished with the league's worst record in 2011, the Broncos were 8-8.

“It’s worked out here, I feel like this is the place for me,’’ Holliday said. “I just wanted to contribute as soon as I could here. I wanted to find a role and make the most of it.’’

Check that off the list. For the Broncos it's been a match made in touchdown heaven. Even though Holliday is just 5-foot-5, he just might be the fastest man in the league -- Champ Bailey has called him “by far the fastest guy I’ve ever played with.’’ Holliday was an eight-time track All American at LSU and he won the NCAA 100-meter title in 2009 besting a field that included current Oakland Raiders wide receiver Jacoby Ford.

Holliday has run an electronically-timed 9.98 seconds in the 100 meters at the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

The Broncos have lived with the adventure Holliday can be fielding the ball at times -- he’s had plenty of bobbles in his time with the team -- and coach John Fox has often used another player to field punts deep in Broncos territory. But, in the end, they see the effect Holliday has on coverage units. If they can get him some space, his speed is the ultimate closer.

“We know if you give him any sort of crease, he’s gone, that's it, if he gets out front, nobody is catching him,’’ said Broncos defensive tackle Mitch Unrein. “That’s something a lot of teams don’t have.’’

As a reminder, Total QBR is a quarterback rating that takes into account all of a QB’s significant contributions (passing, rushing, sacks, fumbles, penalties) to his team’s scoring and winning and summarizes them into one number on a 0-100 scale, where 50 is average. Since 2008, the team with the higher QBR has won about 85 percent of the time. Complete QBR statistics for all quarterbacks can be found here.

Manning can't be stopped
Peyton Manning had a Total QBR of 95.9 against the Philadelphia Eagles, his highest this season and his second highest in a game since the start of the 2010 season.

Dating back to Week 16 last season, Manning has a Total QBR of at least 80 in each of his last six regular season games, the longest such streak for any quarterback in the last eight seasons.

Manning’s Total QBR this season is 91.4, the second highest for any quarterback through the first four weeks of a season since 2006.




Manning has done the majority of his damage in the second half this season, throwing 10 of his 16 touchdown passes after halftime.

His Total QBR of 98.0 in the second half is the highest in the league, and Jay Cutler is the only other quarterback with a Total QBR over 85 in the final two quarters.

Rivers bounces back
Philip Rivers’ Total QBR dipped to 29.4 in the second quarter Sunday after he threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown. But his play was impressive throughout the rest of the game, raising his Total QBR to 81.3 and leading the San Diego Chargers to a comeback win.

Rivers posted a Total QBR of 98.3 in the second half against the Dallas Cowboys compared to a 42.5 Total QBR in the first half. It was his highest in any second half in the last two seasons. For more on Rivers click here.

Quick Hitters
•  Jake Locker posted a Total QBR of 87.8 against the New York Jets before leaving with an injured hip, his highest in any career game. Locker has a Total QBR of 86.8 in the last two weeks, the second highest in the league behind Peyton Manning. He is completing 67.2 percent of his passes while throwing four touchdowns and no interceptions in his last two games.

•  Russell Wilson’s Total QBR was 20.6 Sunday, the second lowest of his career, and he had far more success running the ball than throwing it. He rushed for 77 yards against the Houston Texans, the second most in any career game, and his expected points added on rushing plays was +2.4, compared to -1.8 on passing plays. Wilson threw for 123 yards Sunday, the second fewest in his career, and completed 12 of his 23 passes.

•  Eli Manning has a Total QBR of 30.0 this season, his lowest through four weeks in the last eight seasons. His Total QBR of 23.7 against the Kansas City Chiefs was his second lowest this season and he was unable to solve Kansas City’s pass rush. Manning posted a Total QBR of 0.6 against five or more pass rushers Sunday, completing two of his six passes with an interception and two sacks.

DENVER -- In the growing avalanche of numbers, career bests and team records pouring down the east side of the Continental Divide four games into this Denver Broncos season, there is one thing that is both staggering for even the most die-hard Broncos fans and gut-wrenching for even the most glass-half-full people still on the schedule.

Denver is averaging a league-leading 44.8 points per game, but no, that’s not the one.

Peyton Manning has thrown 16 touchdown passes without an interception, but that’s not it either. Manning has completed 75 percent of his passes, Wes Welker has six touchdown catches -- as many as he had all of last season -- and Trindon Holliday has two touchdown returns.

But, no, no and no.

The scary thing is that there just may be more in there, more to come. Consider that Manning didn’t throw a touchdown pass in the first quarter of the season opener, that he sat out the fourth quarter of the Broncos’ 52-20 scorched-earth win over the Philadelphia Eagles and that there was a span of roughly 12 minutes in the first half Sunday when Manning was on the sideline as the Broncos' defense was on the field because of Holliday’s 105-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.

So, that’s just under three quarters’ worth of football off the table, meaning that Manning has essentially thrown 16 touchdown passes in 13 quarters. Yes, 16 touchdowns in just over 13 quarters, and you don’t need a slide rule to know that’s in the area between ridiculous and historic.

And if linebacker Danny Trevathan had not tossed the ball aside too quickly on a touchdown that was negated in the season opener because of the ill-advised celebration after an interception return, the Broncos would be the highest-scoring team over the first four games in NFL history.

Asked if he ever had a stretch like Manning is having now, Broncos executive vice president of football operations John Elway, a pretty fair passer in his day, said, "No, because no one has."

Even John Fox, a noted practitioner of the various ways to say "stay in your lane" or "one game at a time," is having a difficult time keeping a lid on how things are going at quarterback. Given yet another chance to drop the word "greatest" or "best" into a sentence about the Broncos’ 4-0 start, Fox said:

“We’re a quarter into it, I’m one of those guys who would probably be understated and overproduce. We’re not anywhere near done with our body of work, we’re only a quarter of the way into it. I’m pleased with where we are, truth be told you can’t be any better than 4-0 after four games, so we’ll try to continue to prepare and do the things necessary to get ready for each week, including Dallas this week."

Then asked if he could understate what Manning has done with the offense so far, Fox simply smiled.

"Again, I’ve said he’s a tremendous quarterback, I don’t think anyone would dispute that," Fox said. "I can state the obvious, but I think everybody here knows that."

And everybody knows the rest after four games. The Broncos have now defeated two read-option teams, the defending Super Bowl champ and a coach who once beat the highest-scoring offense in league history in the Super Bowl. The Broncos have gone fast and they've slowed it down. Their defense has had some lapses in blowout wins, but it grinds teams on third downs -- the Eagles had one three-and-out in three games coming in, but had two Sunday -- and gets to opposing quarterbacks stuck working in Manning’s vapor trail.

And special teams? In four games, the Broncos have scored touchdowns on a punt return, a kickoff return and a blocked punt. You give this team special-teams touchdowns and you’re begging for a spot on the highlight reel.

"We gave up a lot of points and couldn’t stop them," Eagles linebacker Connor Barwin said. "I know [Manning] gets hot and gets going, he got hot on us [Sunday], but like I said earlier in the week, you have to get stops and create turnovers. We didn’t do that."

Misery does love company, as the Raiders didn’t do it, the Giants didn’t do it and the Ravens didn’t do it either. At some point it bears pointing out that those four teams are currently a tidy 4-12. And some will say nobody has dug in yet against the Broncos and forced them to play a roll-up-your-sleeves game with punts flying back and forth and field position at a premium.

Some wonder, almost out of habit or at least with memories of the Broncos’ meltdown on a frigid day last January dancing in their heads, if the Broncos can muscle up to win one on defense and with the run game if needed.

So sure, some question marks remain, with plenty of time -- 12 regular-season games and whatever the postseason becomes -- for those questions to arrive.

"And we know we haven’t done anything yet but get a good start, but I said it before and I’ll say it again right now," Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey said. "You do what this team has done, you score 37 points in one and over 40 in the other ones, you get to the quarterback, stop people on third down the way we’ve done so far, that’s pretty damn good."

That it is.

DENVER -- Looking as relaxed as a guy can look when he’s the defensive coordinator of a team that has yet to have two of its best players in its lineup in four games this season, Jack Del Rio said he was aware Sunday about the speculation about his potential interest in the newly opened USC head coaching job.

But he just doesn't have much to offer right now.

“There isn’t anything to say. It’s all speculation at this point, I’ve got a job to do here, my focus is right there.’’

With that, Del Rio was out a side door of the Denver Broncos' locker room after Sunday’s 52-20 victory against the Philadelphia Eagles at Sports Authority Field at Mile High

Del Rio’s name was linked almost immediately following Lane Kiffin’s firing at USC Sunday, given Del Rio’s head coaching experience and the fact he played at USC in college. ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter reported Sunday morning that Del Rio will be a top candidate for the USC job. The school fired Kiffin shortly after the team returned from a 62-41 loss at Arizona State.

However, several team sources say USC officials will have to be willing to wait to give Del Rio the job. Del Rio’s contract, signed before the 2012 season, is up following the season, but Del Rio couldn’t leave for a new job until the Broncos are done playing, and that includes any postseason games.

So even if Del Rio were to accept a position with a college program, that program would have to wait until early February for him to arrive on campus if the Broncos advance to the Super Bowl. Some in the league who have known Del Rio for an extended period of time say the former Jacksonville Jaguars coach might want to see what NFL head coaching opportunities are there at the end of the season as well.

The first opportunity for NFL teams to interview head coaching candidates from Super Bowl teams is in the week following the conference championship games.

Asked following Sunday’s game about Del Rio’s potential interest in the USC position, Broncos coach John Fox said; “Jack’s committed to the Denver Broncos. I know all of his focus is on coordinating the defense and helping us win moving forward, so I can’t really speak to that, because I’m kind of a social moron this time of year.’’

Asked if he would allow Del Rio to interview with a college team that was interested during the season, Fox said; “Um, again I can’t speak in hypotheticals, we’ll just trot down the road as we go, one day at a time.’’

Del Rio is in his second season as the Broncos defensive coordinator after a nine-year run as the Jacksonville Jaguars' head coach. Now in his second season in his job with the Broncos, he is a rare assistant in that position. When he was hired by Fox before the 2012 season, Del Rio became the team’s seventh defensive coordinator in seven seasons.

But the Broncos finished second in total defense last season to go with fourth in scoring defense. This season, with the Broncos’ historically high-scoring offense having helped the Broncos put together four routs, the defense is tied for 22^nd in scoring defense and 26^th in yards allowed. The Broncos have also played all four of their games without 12-time Pro Bowl selection Champ Bailey and linebacker Von Miller in the lineup. Bailey has been out with a left foot injury, and Miller is suspended for the season’s first six games for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy.