DENVER -- A year after pursuing a perfect season, the Denver Broncos are a picture of imperfection, searching for an identity without their most identifiable player.

	Chris Watson and the Broncos were brought down hard by Greg Manusky's Chiefs.

"Anytime you lose the greatest quarterback of all time, you kind of wonder where you're headed," linebacker Glenn Cadrez said as the Broncos tried to regroup from their first 0-2 start of the post-Elway era.

"No one's going to feel sorry for the Super Bowl champs. What we need to do is put our rings away, put them in the safe and just go out and play. What we did in the past is what we did in the past," Cadrez said. The Broncos learned Monday that linebacker John Mobley will be out for the season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during Sunday's 26-10 loss at Kansas City.

Though hardly Elway-esque, Mobley was Denver's leading tackler the past two years, and his injury is the latest setback for a team that has looked passive on offense, brittle on defense and sloppy on both sides of the ball.

"We've got to improve in all areas -- all areas," coach Mike Shanahan said. "You look at it any other way, then all you're doing is giving yourself excuses. We haven't got it done. Now it's time to get it done."

The Broncos opened the season amid talk of winning an unprecedented third consecutive Super Bowl title, but history is not on Denver's side.

The only team to win the title after losing its first two games was Dallas in 1993. The New England Patriots started 0-2 in 1996 but advanced to the Super Bowl before losing to Green Bay.

Cadrez is preaching patience.

"It's the third week of the season," he said. "We're down two games. If you come to me in Week 10 and we're 2-8, then I'm going to have a completely different answer for you. Right now, let us find ourselves first because I don't think we have."

The Broncos had reason to be lost Sunday as they played without wide receiver Rod Smith (strained groin), defensive end Alfred Williams (back spasms) and Mobley, who left in the first quarter.

The game also marked Brian Griese's second career start. Though he was 11-for-16, Griese had only one pass longer than 10 yards. He was replaced in the fourth quarter by Bubby Brister but will start Sunday at Tampa Bay.

"Brian played a very good football game," Shanahan said. "I brought Bubby in because things weren't going well, not necessarily because he was playing poorly. I felt like the team needed a jolt."

Brister, tabbed as the starter in training camp, didn't fare much better than Griese. He threw an interception -- Denver's fourth turnover of the game -- and could not rally the Broncos from a 16-point deficit.

"I think the question was asked before, 'Do you lose a little confidence when you are 0-2?' " Shanahan said. "When you don't lose a little confidence is when something is wrong with you. There's nothing like winning football games to help our confidence. Hopefully, we'll be able to do that."