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          NFL Nation

          Broncos come to Seattle ranked No. 1

          • Terry Blount, ESPN Staff WriterSep 16, 2014, 03:05 PM ET
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            • Covered the NFL at the Houston Post and Houston Chronicle, including eight Super Bowls
            • Received Citation for Writing Excellence from Hearst Newspapers
            • Also has covered NBA Finals, World Series, Finals Fours, Indy 500 and Daytona 500
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          Now who would have thought seven months ago, when the Seattle Seahawks crushed the Denver Broncos 43-8 in the Super Bowl, that the Broncos would come to Seattle in Week 3 this season as the No. 1-ranked team instead of the Seahawks?

          Such is the case for the Broncos in the Super Bowl rematch on Sunday at CenturyLink Field. The Seahawks' 30-21 loss at sweltering San Diego last weekend dropped them to No. 2 in ESPN.com’s weekly NFL rankings, behind the 2-0 Broncos.

          The Seahawks, obviously, are hoping it’s a one-week reduction. A win in the rematch would put Seattle right back on top heading into its bye-week before a Monday-night game on the road against the Washington Redskins on Oct. 6.

          The Seahawks are 4½-point favorites over the Broncos Sunday. Seattle has won 17 of its past 18 games at CenturyLink Field. The last time the Seahawks lost to an AFC team at home was Oct. 30, 2011 in a 34-12 defeat to the Cincinnati Bengals.

          The NFC West is the only division with three teams in the top 10. The San Francisco 49ers, despite coming off a loss to the Chicago Bears, are seventh this week, and the Arizona Cardinals (2-0) are ninth.