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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.’’

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.

DENVER -- Observed in the locker room after the Denver Broncos' 52-20 win against the Philadelphia Eagles:

Catch their breath: Because of Trindon Holliday's 105-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, the Broncos' defense actually found themselves on the field for 25 consecutive plays from scrimmage against the Eagles' fast-break offense, and the Eagles came away with just two field goals on the two drives. It was a section of the game that might have turned the tide. “Our guys went through a tough stretch there and answered the bell,’’ Broncos coach John Fox said.

Regular week: The Broncos opened the season on a Thursday night, then faced the Eagles just six days after a Monday night win over Oakland. This week will be the first “normal’’ game week of the season. “And I think that could be a good thing to get settled in some,’’ cornerback Champ Bailey said.

Williams a no-go: For the first time this season, Broncos’ first-round pick Sylvester Williams was a game-day inactive on Sunday. Williams had played just eight snaps on defense against the Raiders on Monday night. But Fox said the decision was "no offense,'' that the team wanted more defensive backs in the lineup against the Eagles' three-wide look and kept 10 active for the game.

Close not enough: Cornerback Champ Bailey (left foot) was inactive for the fourth time this season -- the first time he’s missed four consecutive games since the ’08 season. Bailey continues to say he’s close. He said Sunday the team’s winning ways have made it slightly, just slightly, easier to take. “When I’m ready to play, I’ll play. Winning makes everything easier. I’m still really focused on what’s good for my body, but yeah through the process I’m glad we’re winning.’’

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- The number is now one. Yes, after all of the games that have passed since, all of the players who have come and gone in the Denver Broncos' locker room since Halloween 2004, cornerback Champ Bailey now stands alone.

A party of one. He is the only player remaining who was in a Broncos uniform for a remember-when game against Michael Vick. At the time, Vick’s jersey sales were off the chart and he was the next level of athleticism with a power arm. Vick represented what the future of the position just might be.

When he was the guy, even those among the NFL’s elite would simply stop to watch when he had the ball in his hands and a small window of open space in front of him.

“At that time, no question, there wasn’t anybody really like him," Bailey said. “That’s how we looked at it that week. We put on the tape and you watched him and he just did things other guys weren’t doing, with speed nobody else had, really. That game, I still look at that even now like that’s still probably one of his best games of his career. We had no answer for what he brought that day."

On that day, Vick was 18-of-24 passing for 252 yards and two touchdowns in a 41-28 Falcons win that saw any memory of Jake Plummer's franchise-record 499 yards passing disappear in Vick's jetwash. Vick did not throw an interception and the Broncos sacked him just once. Vick also ran for 115 yards on 12 carries, including a 44-yard, double-take worthy effort on a third-and-3 play during the Falcons’ first possession of the day.

That was all before Vick’s arrest, his incarceration, his life’s rebound and his career resurrection in Philadelphia. Vick returns to Denver Sunday, his first trip back as a starting quarterback since the ’04 affair and he returns as a slightly different player, almost a decade older and once again on the cutting edge of whatever becomes of Chip Kelly’s offense in the NFL. Asked this week if he could recall the ’04 trip to Denver, Vick said; “I think Jake Plummer was the quarterback, Mike Shanahan was the coach ... and it’s not an easy place to play."

Reminded he had rushed for more than 100 yards in the game, Vick said with a laugh; “Well, I was a lot younger back then."

“He was a bigger threat running the ball back then, I believe," Bailey said. “But he’s still a threat, a great threat running the ball. But he was just on point that day. He didn’t show all that on tape in previous games. That was one of his best games of his career. I know it because he probably ran for 100 and threw for two-something ... I look back and I think that was a big moment for him, because I don't think I had seen him put a whole game together like that, running, throwing, in the pocket, on the move, until that day."

And there have certainly been times in Vick’s career when his NFL peers perhaps appreciated his athletic gifts more than the public at large. In Vick’s time in Atlanta, players often responded to any question that included “most dynamic" or “most athletic" or “toughest to defend" in it with Vick’s name.

“I think that’s true," said Broncos defensive tackle Kevin Vickerson, an eighth-year veteran. “Guys I knew would always be talking about how (Vick) played, what he did. And then I would talk to friends who weren't in the league or something like that and they would say they didn't see it, or whatever, but I think guys in this league have known what (Vick) can do."

And also in Kelly’s read-option attack Vick, who is suddenly the oldest player on the Eagles’ roster. Another sort of remake for the only quarterback in league history to have thrown for at least 20,000 yards and rushed for at least 5,000 yards in a career. He has a 400-yard passing game already this season -- 428 yards in the loss to the Chargers earlier this month -- and he’s also been sacked six times, by the Chiefs last week, as the Eagles try to settle in to a new way of doing things in a 1-2 start.

“But I just look at it now, he’s still doing those things, he’s still breaking off those big runs, escaping, all those things," Vickerson said. “It all looks the same to me."

Vick has been battered at times in his three previous seasons as the Eagles' starter. He missed three games each in the 2010 and 2011 seasons with rib injuries and missed six games last season after suffering a concussion against the Cowboys last Nov. 11. And questions have swirled about whether Vick is the long-term answer at quarterback as for Kelly's offense, or as a long-term an answer as a 33-year-old quarterback who is his team’s second-leading rusher can be. But as far as the Broncos are concerned those are decisions for another day by other people.

They see only Vick now, for the most part, as he was back in 2004.

“Michael Vick has been a talented football player as long as he’s been in the league," Broncos defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio said. “He’s been a guy that can beat you with his feet and beat you with his arm … I kind of feel like that’s always been the case and in particular when he’s healthy and part of a good team."

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- With the fast-paced Philadelphia Eagles on deck, the Denver Broncos got a little healthier in the secondary as the week wore on and are still hoping to add Champ Bailey to that mix before Sunday's kickoff.

Safety Duke Ihenacho (right ankle) practiced for the first time this week on Friday. He was limited in the workout and is officially listed as questionable for Sunday’s game, but is expected to be ready to play if he has no additional issues in the coming days.

Cornerback Tony Carter (right ankle) practiced fully Friday and was listed as probable. As for Bailey (left foot), he practiced on a limited basis for the second consecutive week. And as the Broncos did last week, they formally listed Bailey as questionable for Sunday’s game against the Eagles.

Asked if he could make a decision on Bailey’s status after Friday’s practice or would have to see Bailey work on the field in the hours before Sunday’s game, Broncos coach John Fox said: “We’ll make it official an hour and half before kickoff on gameday." Bailey characterized his status as "close, very close.''

Linebacker Paris Lenon (thigh) was the only player held out of practice Friday and was formally listed as doubtful. Lenon is not expected to play against the Eagles. Tight end Joel Dreessen (knee), who like Bailey has yet to play in a game this season, was limited Friday and listed as questionable.

Safety David Bruton (neck), wide receiver Demaryius Thomas (left ankle), long snapper Aaron Brewer (rib), running back C.J. Anderson (knee), cornerback Omar Bolden (left shoulder), wide receiver Wes Welker (left ankle), wide receiver Eric Decker (right shoulder), tackle Orlando Franklin (shoulder), guard Chris Kuper (ankle) all practiced fully and were all listed as probable.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Play cornerback for 14 seasons before this one, as the Denver Broncos' Champ Bailey has, and you've seen some of the game’s greatest quarterbacks do all kinds of damage to all kinds of defensive game plans.

Bailey says no quarterback he has faced, or watched, over that timeline has started a season like Peyton Manning has started this one.

“I haven’t seen any quarterback be as sharp as him through the first three weeks of the season," Bailey said. “Usually you have some bumps the first three games, but he's smooth sailing right now."

Manning has thrown 12 touchdown passes -- a record over a season’s first three games -- without an interception -- a total that is more than 29 teams had scored so far this season after three games. The Broncos have scored 127 points, tied for the second-highest total over a season’s first three games in league history. Even long-time opponents, especially those who saw Manning's performance against the Raiders on Monday night, say Manning has flashed some of the best accuracy of his career over this current stretch.

An assessment Bailey agrees with.

“He’s going to put the ball where it needs to be, and that’s so frustrating (for defensive backs) because you can have good coverage," Bailey said. “You saw that the other night, people were in tight coverage, but he puts that ball in there and he’s the best at it."

Broncos offensive coordinator Adam Gase has no shortage of accountability. Gase, in his first season as the Broncos’ play-caller on offense, sets a high bar when evaluating his players. He keeps it there for himself as well. Gase was not fond of a pass play he dialed up in the third quarter of the Broncos’ 37-21 victory against the Raiders. The Broncos were leading, 30-7, at the time and on a first-and-10 from the Raiders' 13-yard line, had Manning in the shotgun. Former Broncos defensive end Jason Hunter beat Broncos’ left tackle Chris Clark around the corner, then swatted the ball out of Manning’s right hand. Hunter then recovered the fumble and the Raiders scored six plays later. Gase simply felt at that point in the game, with the Broncos holding a 27-point lead, the play called for Manning to hold the ball longer than necessary. “The sack-fumble is the one that bothers me because that was a bad play call, I put Chris in a bad position there," Gase said. “That was a ball-holder, we didn’t need it, that would be one I would want to take back … That one bothers me, and I’m going to make sure it doesn’t happen again." Gase was then asked Thursday, if he put the play’s result on his shoulders, and he said; “Absolutely, that play call was terrible."

• Broncos defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio has had plenty of rehearsals for the Eagles’ ultra up-tempo offense, like every series of every offseason practice after the Broncos decided to pick up the pace as well. He’s hoping all of that work against Manning & Co. will enable the Broncos to keep the assignment mistakes to a minimum Sunday. “We’re comfortable going fast, that doesn’t mean everything will be beautiful on Sunday," Del Rio said. “But we work at that tempo a lot, it’s part of what we do daily, so we should be more comfortable.’’ Del Rio added that if the Broncos handled their communication business properly, they will have the opportunity to audible defensively if the Eagles change their play at the line of scrimmage. Even if Philadelphia is doing it all at warp speed. “(If) they check we can check,’’ Del Rio said. “ … I think with the way Peyton operates out here, we find ourselves needing to do that at times. That’s part of the cat and mouse.’’

• Broncos linebacker Wesley Woodyard on playing at altitude; “There is no hype about the altitude. The altitude is a different beast, they’re going to get a test of it."

• Bailey, who hasn’t played in a game since injuring his left foot in an Aug. 17 preseason loss in Seattle, has practiced the past two weeks, but has yet to be listed officially as a full participant. He was listed as limited every day last week and both Wednesday and Thursday this week. The 12-time Pro Bowl selection tested the foot in the pregame hours Monday night, but both he and the Broncos decided he wasn’t quite ready. He said after Thursday’s practice he’s still not quite where he wants to be, and can't quite do everything he needs to do to play. "Not everything I want to do," Bailey said. “I don’t want to be out there half-stepping, this is the NFL, you can’t be out there half-stepping, you have to get the job done … I can’t do everything I want to do yet, I’m very close, I feel like I am anyway." The Broncos have used rookie Kayvon Webster far more on defense in some of the specialty packages in Bailey’s absence. They do have other injury concerns in the secondary as well. Safety Duke Ihenacho has been held out the past two days because of an ankle injury suffered against the Giants and re-injured against the Raiders, and cornerback Tony Carter was limited Thursday after being held out of practice Wednesday because of an ankle injury. However, the Broncos kept 11 defensive backs on the roster, so they have been able to cover for Bailey on the depth chart even with veteran cornerback Quentin Jammer having been a game-day inactive for all three games.

• Former Broncos wide receiver and Ring of Fame member Rod Smith worked with the team’s wideouts during some of Thursday’s practice.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Broncos safety Duke Ihenacho and linebacker Paris Lenon were the only two players held out of Thursday’s practice at the team's Dove Valley complex

Ihenacho (right ankle) and Lenon (thigh) also did not practice Wednesday. Cornerback Tony Carter (right ankle), who had been held out of Wednesday’s practice, did participate Thursday on a limited basis. Ihenacho was originally injured in the Broncos’ win against the Giants, then tweaked the injury against the Raiders this past Monday night.

Cornerback Champ Bailey (left foot), who has missed the Broncos’ first three games, took part on a limited basis.

“It’s been tough, still is tough, because it’s still up in the air," Bailey said. “I’ve never dealt with anything like this, I’m just trying to make the right decision."

Asked if he would be ready to return for Sunday’s game against the Eagles, Bailey said; “Hopefully."

Tight end Joel Dreessen (knee) was also limited. Safety David Bruton (neck), wide receiver Demaryius Thomas (left ankle), long snapper Aaron Brewer (rib), running back C.J. Anderson (knee), cornerback Omar Bolden (left shoulder), wide receiver Wes Welker (left ankle), wide receiver Eric Decker (right shoulder), guard Chris Kuper (ankle) all practiced fully.

The Denver Broncos and Philadelphia Eagles will collide in high-speed fashion Sunday at Sports Authority Field at Mile High in a 4:25 p.m. ET kickoff.

The 3-0 Broncos feature the league's highest-scoring offense -- their 127 points are 31 more than any other team this season after three weeks -- and quarterback Peyton Manning has thrown for more touchdowns (12) than 29 teams have scored overall.

The Eagles, at 1-2, lead the league in rushing and yards per play (7.0), so this one could have the look of a drag race, think Mile-High Nationals, a summer staple for race fans on the Front Range.

Eagles team reporter Phil Sheridan and Broncos team reporter Jeff Legwold break down the game.

Legwold: Phil, you have been around the Eagles for a long time and have seen the organization go through many changes. Coach Chip Kelly's offense was certainly the talk of the offseason around the league, as most teams discussed wanting to join the fun, to go faster, to get more snaps, to stress defenses with speed. But given what the Broncos have done on offense this season, how fast does Kelly really want to go in Denver? Is there a risk of exposing his defense if he gives the Broncos too many possessions?

Sheridan: There is enormous risk, Jeff, but my sense of Kelly is that he'll want to put the pedal to the metal anyway. He's trying to build a culture, with an aggressive approach to every aspect of the sport. I don't see him easing up for one game, no matter the specific challenges. Besides, I think the Eagles' only chance is to try to match the Broncos score for score and take their chances with a close, high-scoring game. As the Eagles learned the hard way the past two weeks, their defense is not good enough to shut down an opponent at crunch time.

That leads me to this question: Doesn't Denver's up-tempo offense put stress on the Broncos defense? Oakland seemed to move the ball as the game wore on. Doesn't that suggest the Broncos will be vulnerable to Michael Vick, LeSean McCoy and the rest of the Eagles offense?

Legwold: I think that is the risk overall with the move toward up-tempo offenses around the league. It's all well and good to be fast on offense, snapping the ball at light speed, but those 45-second possessions that end in a three-and-out are just about the worst thing for any defense that just got to the sideline. That's one of the most interesting items about the Eagles so far: They have had just one three-and-out that ended in a punt in 38 possessions.

The Broncos were aggressive against the Raiders defensively last week, and linebackers Wesley Woodyard and Danny Trevathan did a quality job keeping Terrelle Pryor hemmed in. The Broncos are a speed defense overall, up and down the depth chart, so the teams that try to run out of open formations, like the three wide, tend not to do as consistently well as the teams that keep them in the base defense and pound away a bit. But McCoy and Vick will easily be their toughest challenge in the run game of the young season. In terms of defense, how would you expect the Eagles to approach the Broncos -- come after Manning a bit or drop into coverage and hope they can fill the gaps?

Sheridan: The Eagles' best bet might be to close their eyes and just pray Manning fumbles the snap. Don't think that's in the game plan, though. Seriously, they know their only hope is to generate some pressure from unexpected sources, be incredibly disciplined in their gap and coverage assignments and be exponentially better at tackling than they have been. They're not going to outsmart Manning, but if they can make him a little uncomfortable and get a break or two -- a fumble, a tipped pass that gets picked off -- they can keep the Broncos from running away with the game. Denver thrives on yards after the catch, which is what killed the Eagles in their two losses.

I was interested in your comments about getting the Broncos into their base defense, because the Eagles have used a lot of three wide receiver sets to get defenses into nickel personnel. So much depends on the corners, so let me ask A) If Champ Bailey is playing, and B) Why Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is so much better than he was in Philadelphia for two lost seasons?

Legwold: Bailey has not played since injuring his left foot in a preseason loss to the Seahawks in mid-August. He certainly wants to play, keeps saying he's "close" and even upped to it "very close" last week. The Broncos would like him out there, especially in this one, but he's going to have to move around better than he did a couple of hours before kickoff Monday night when it was pretty clear he was going to miss his third consecutive game. But if he shows a little better movement this week, especially Thursday and Friday, I think he'll be in uniform.

On DRC, the Broncos gambled a bit on tough love. They essentially, and Rodgers-Cromartie has said this as well, told him what was wrong with him on his visit. They told him why he wasn't playing as well as he should and that they could fix it if he was willing to be coached hard. He said he was and has been. A gifted athlete, Rodgers-Cromartie has been the saving grace with Bailey's injury and has played like a No. 1 guy. I won't be surprised if the Broncos try to work out a little longer deal at some point in the coming months.

I know we've spent plenty of time on offense, but I am wondering if Kelly sees Vick as the long-term future at quarterback -- or as long term as a 33-year-old can be -- or does Kelly have bigger plans at the position?

Sheridan: I would love to know the answer to that one too. The Vick situation is fascinating. If he has a great year and somehow gets the Eagles into the playoffs (not as far-fetched as it sounds in an NFC East where half the teams are 0-3), it would be awfully hard to let him walk. But can you re-sign a guy at his age, with his injury history, and expect him to be the guy when you're really ready to contend in one or two or three years? My hunch is that Kelly would love to get one of the quarterbacks in next year's draft, that this year is about getting as much of the rest of the program in place as possible. But that would make much more sense if he had gone with Nick Foles or even rookie Matt Barkley than with Vick, who is just good enough to keep you from drafting high enough for a franchise quarterback.

Since it's a subject of discussion, let me ask you about the altitude. Do the Broncos believe it gives them a physical advantage, or do they see it more as a psychological thing? Is their home-field advantage about thin air or having good teams with loud, passionate fans rocking the stadium?

Legwold: The Broncos believe it gives both a physical and mental advantage. Objectively, for an elite athlete to work for three or so hours in Denver likely has minimal impact on performance. But who's to say even a sliver of impact isn't enough to tip the scales at times. The Broncos' record at home over the decades is well over .600 since 1960, and in September games, they are over a .700 winning percentage at home. The Olympic Training Center is in Colorado and many of the world-class cyclists on the planet train in the area, so it means there's some athletic benefit for the Broncos to work in the altitude. The Broncos particularly feel it's an advantage when they go fast on offense. Watch the Ravens defense in the second half of the opener and it was pretty clear that group didn't enjoy Manning at 5,280 feet.

Phil, great stuff and that should cover it. It could be a long night for both defenses with these two high-powered offenses going at it.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- With the Philadelphia Eagles' fast-break attack on the docket for Sunday, the Denver Broncos found themselves a little short-handed in the secondary in Wednesday’s practice.

Cornerback Tony Carter (right ankle) and safety Duke Ihenacho (right ankle) were both held out of the workout. Carter left Monday night’s win over the Raiders in the first half and did not return. His was the most serious injury the Broncos had in the game and he remains a question mark for Sunday’s affair. Ihenacho was originally injured in the Broncos’ win over the Giants and then tweaked the injury against the Raiders. Linebacker Paris Lenon (thigh) was also held out of Wednesday's practice.

Broncos coach John Fox had classified the injuries Tuesday as "nothing serious.''

Cornerback Champ Bailey (left foot), who has missed the Broncos’ first three games, was limited Wednesday. Bailey looked fluid in his movements in the open period of practice.

“He practiced all last week … and felt good, no setbacks,’’ Fox said. “And now we’re in the first day of a fresh week … when you don’t play football for a minute, it takes a little bit to get back in football shape and that’s kind of where we are now.’’

Tight end Joel Dreessen (knee) was also limited. Safety David Bruton (neck), wide receiver Demaryius Thomas (left ankle), long snapper Aaron Brewer (rib), running back C.J. Anderson (knee), cornerback Omar Bolden (left shoulder), wide receiver Wes Welker (left ankle), wide receiver Eric Decker (right shoulder), guard Chris Kuper (ankle) all practiced fully.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- When the Denver Broncos snatched up cornerback Kayvon Webster with the 90^th pick in this past April’s draft, some of their brethren in the personnel game around the league thought, sure, it was a good pick, but perhaps a bit of a reach in the third round.

Yet, three games into Webster’s rookie season, his play may have already authored a rather tidy response.

Whatever.

“That guy, I've been saying he’s going to be a player. I just think Kayvon’s going to have a long career in this league," Broncos linebacker Wesley Woodyard said. “He’s going to be one of those guys who is a dominant corner in the future, take my word on that."

With all of the injuries the Broncos have had in the secondary already this season -- Champ Bailey has yet to play because of a left foot injury he suffered in mid-August and cornerback Tony Carter suffered an ankle injury in Monday night's win -- Webster's already quick progression up the depth chart has been expedited even a little more. And by the time Monday night’s game was over, Webster had been in on 25 snaps on defense to go with 18 on special teams. He has shown himself to be both confident in coverage as well as physical when asked to square up and tackle.

Or, in short, he’s been exactly who the Broncos thought he was.

“Kayvon has got a lot of swagger," said Broncos safety Rahim Moore. “He’s so confident; he’s not a rookie to me. I’ve seen that when he first came into training camp, he’s an unbelievable player."

What the Broncos saw in Webster as he closed out his career at South Florida was a cover corner who also led his team in tackles as a senior with 82. And while scouts often lament how much game video they have to wade through to see any cornerbacks in press coverage in college football, where most coordinators prefer to back off in coverage, Webster liked to play it close.

“I think maybe it helped me, that people saw I could match up,’’ Webster said. “I want to be able to do whatever they ask me to do.’’

For his part, Bailey has seen plenty rookies come and go through the years in his decorated career and he has consistently said it takes two things for a rookie cornerback to advance very far past the rookie part. That it takes the confidence in yourself to bounce back from the inevitable tough plays -- "You're matched against some of the best athletes in the world, they're going to score a touchdown sometimes no matter what you do." -- and it takes the willingness to learn and listen.

“It’s all about remembering they brought you here for a reason, so you have talent,’’ Bailey said. “But talent is just the start. You have to keep fighting on every play, give up a touchdown, get back and play the next play like you didn’t. And know what you’re supposed to do, every time. Get in the book, study, because if they don’t trust you, they won’t play you, guys aren't going to want to play next to you because you decided to do something besides prepare yourself, and then somebody else gets your locker after you’re gone."

Webster said his more veteran teammates in the defensive backs’ meeting room are constantly dropping “pop quizzes’’ on him, asking him his assignments in specific situations, simply to see if he is indeed following along.

He also believes those ambush quizzes are at least part of the reason, when the Broncos had a need to fill on the field, Webster has heard his name called.

“They get you ready, they keep you prepared," Webster said. “They ask you questions in front of the whole team, you have to answer them. I want to be able to answer them the best I can, I don’t want them looking at me thinking I didn’t stay on top of it. But I just listen all the time. And then if you have a question, ask it, ask Champ, ask Chris [Harris], we’re a pretty tight group, you can go to them without any problem. So, yeah, listen, study, ask questions and get answers, that’s how I’m doing it right now."

A weekly analysis of the Eagles' quarterback play.

Rewind: Thursday’s performance by Michael Vick really was like a rewind -- all the way back to 2012. After two nearly mistake-free games under Chip Kelly, Vick turned the ball over three times, including a pick-six and a late fumble that ended any hope for an Eagles comeback against the Kansas City Chiefs. Vick also took six sacks.

Fast-forward: The Denver Broncos have some of the same elements that created problems for Vick in the Chiefs game. If Champ Bailey returns, he and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie would give Denver two corners capable of duplicating the Chiefs’ man-to-man coverage. That forced Vick to hold the ball too long, neutralized DeSean Jackson and eliminated the screen game from Chip Kelly’s offense. Denver’s front seven may not be as dominating as K.C.’s, but it is still pretty imposing. And Broncos defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio was handed some interesting insight by the Chiefs’ game plan.

Sacked: Kelly has often said that all sacks are ultimately the quarterback’s responsibility. He has veered from that as he protects his current quarterback. “It depends on which [sack] you’re talking about,” Kelly said Tuesday. “There could have been a sack where Mike held the ball too long. There could also be a sack on seven-man protection, and he thinks he is picked up and he gets hit at the top of his drop.”

Prediction: This game figures to be a shootout, and Vick is going to have to rise to the challenge of competing against Peyton Manning. Just a hunch, but expect him to have a bounce-back game. It may not be enough to outscore the Broncos' offense, but Vick tends to respond when there’s pride on the line.

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

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

Quarterback Peyton Manning added three more touchdowns to the growing pile in Monday night’s 37-21 victory over the Oakland Raiders, and as a result the Broncos held their spot in ESPN.com’s Power Rankings. Manning now has 12 touchdowns for the season, or four more than any other quarterback in the league. The Broncos are also the only team in the league with two players who have at least four touchdown receptions -- Julius Thomas and Wes Welker -- in the first three games.

And while they haven’t slammed the door on an opponent yet, the Broncos' defense has had moments when it's looked outright dominant in the first three games. All the more impressive when you consider that linebacker Von Miller and cornerback Champ Bailey have not played this season -- Miller because of a six-game suspension and Bailey because of a left foot injury.

“I feel like our offense should score every time they’ve got the football, they’re that great, they’re that type of offense," said Broncos linebacker Wesley Woodyard. “ ... On defense, we showed what we can do, we just have to show we can do it for 60 minutes, being good most of the time isn’t good enough."

DENVER -- Observed in the locker room after the Denver Broncos' 37-21 win against the Oakland Raiders:

Closing in: You don’t need to be around Champ Bailey for very long to understand how difficult it is for the 15-year veteran not to be on the field when the Broncos (3-0) have so much going for them. The cornerback, who injured his left foot in a preseason loss to Seattle, struggled a bit in warm-ups Monday, and the Broncos decided to hold him out of a third consecutive regular-season game. After the victory, though, Bailey maintained he’s “close’’ to being back. But for a player who’s never played in a Super Bowl, it’s clear Bailey wants to join what is clearly a team with February potential.

Lost opportunity: Rookie running back Montee Ball, who was put into Monday’s win to help close things out down the stretch, lost his second fumble of the season. And given Ronnie Hillman's 66 yards on nine carries, it could push Ball down the depth chart in a rotation where carries are already difficult to come by.

Webster comes up big: He was an unheralded pick in April’s draft, but rookie cornerback Kayvon Webster continues to impress the Broncos with his poise and preparation. The key: pop quizzes from his teammates. “Sometimes they just start asking me questions to see if I know what we’re doing," Webster said, "sometimes even when the coaches aren’t around.’’

Ihenacho tweaks ankle: Broncos pulled safety Duke Ihenacho, who injured his right ankle in the Week 2 victory over the Giants, out of Monday’s game in the second half. Ihenacho tweaked the ankle late against the Raiders, but looked to be moving pretty well after the game.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey maintained his progress through the week and has been formally listed as questionable for Monday night’s game against the Raiders.

Bailey was limited in Saturday’s practice, but showed enough for the Broncos to not rule him out as they had in the first two weeks of the season.

Bailey, who returned to practice this week and has not played since suffering a left foot injury in the Aug. 17 preseason loss in Seattle, said through the week he was “very close’’ to being ready to play. Even if the Broncos weren’t inclined to start him, they do play various six- and seven-defensive back packages Bailey could appear in if he continues to make progress Sunday and Monday.

On Saturday, the Broncos did add defensive end Shaun Phillips to the injury report with back spasms. He did not take part in practice and has been listed as questionable. Tight end Joel Dreessen (knee) also was listed as questionable.

Safety Duke Ihenacho (right ankle), long snapper Aaron Brewer (rib), running back C.J. Anderson (knee), cornerback Omar Bolden (left shoulder), wide receiver Wes Welker (left ankle), wide receiver Eric Decker (right shoulder), and guard Chris Kuper (ankle) all practiced fully and were listed as probable.