OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -- Six weeks after getting benched, Bubby Brister is back as quarterback of the Denver Broncos. But the team he reinherits bears little resemblance to the two-time defending Super Bowl champions of late August.

The Broncos are winless and face the first 0-5 start in franchise history when they take on the Raiders (2-2) this Sunday in Oakland. They are missing Terrell Davis, who gained 2,008 yards on the ground last season, but tore ligaments in his right knee last Sunday and is out for the season.

Also sidelined for the season is linebacker John Mobley. Denver fans are restless, and Broncos cornerback Dale Carter was hit beneath the eye by a metal object thrown from the stands at Mile High Stadium last weekend.

"Terrell Davis is out, we're 0-4, we're at the Raiders this week. It doesn't get much tougher than this," said Brister, who criticized coach Mike Shanahan after getting benched in late August, but now has regained the starting job because Brian Griese was ineffective.

Derek Loville, whose nine seasons in the NFL include a year starting for the 1995 San Francisco 49ers, will try to replace Davis in the Denver backfield.

The Broncos' once-fearful offense ranks 26th among the league's 31 teams. Denver's defense against the run is 29th. And Denver has the worst turnover differential in the AFC, with five takeaways and 12 giveaways.

The Broncos will be facing a Raiders team with a revived running attack led by Tyrone Wheatley that ranks first in the NFL at 147.5 yards per game. And Oakland is second in the league against the run, allowing 58.5 yards per contest. The Raiders have not given up a touchdown on the ground.

Shanahan said his switch back to Brister is not necessarily a permanent decision.

"How long is this going to last? I can't give you a definitive scenario," said Shanahan, fired by the Raiders in 1989 and 7-1 against them since taking over at Denver in 1995. "It puts a lot of onus not only on the quarterback, but on everybody on the football team."

The biggest loss in the first year of the post-John Elway era is Davis, who has rushed for 6,624 yards and 58 touchdowns in 4seasons. Even some of the Raiders were shocked by Davis' injury.

"In 12 years, I've never been affected by injuries, but I was very upset on the plane on the way back here," said linebacker Richard Harvey, who learned of the injury as the Raiders flew back to Oakland after last Sunday's loss at Seattle. "You hate to see a player of that level go down with an injury. Forget about the rivalry. I like the way he plays. I'm really saddened by the fact that he's hurt."

Raiders cornerback Darrien Gordon, who spent the previous two seasons on Denver's championship teams, said he may wear one of his Super Bowl rings in the days leading up to the game to remind younger teammates of their mission.

Perhaps that ring also would remind Broncos fans of the not-so-long-ago good old days.

"They never booed during the time I was there, but we never lost at home," Gordon said. "Now they're 0-4 and it seems like it's the Denver Broncos against everybody, including their fans."

Wheatley, whose sore shoulder is better, has averaged 5.0 yards a carry in Oakland's last two games. His play has taken a lot of the pressure off Rich Gannon, who has thrown for 990 yards.

Raiders receiver Tim Brown needs 86 yards to become the 16th NFL player with 10,000 yards in receptions.

Defensive tackle Darrell Russell, the heart of the Raiders' defensive line, reaggravated an ankle injury against Seattle and was listed as questionable.

Though Brister went 4-0 as a starter last season when Elway was injured, and led the Broncos to a 34-17 win over the Raiders in a game in which he replaced the hobbled Elway, Shanahan knows the running game must take the pressure off his quarterback.

"When Bubby started last year, we averaged over 170 yards per game (on the ground)," Shanahan said. "I think going with Bubby puts a lot of pressure on a lot of different people, but it's what we need now."

DENVER Season schedule and results

OAKLAND Season schedule and results

September 13 Miami L 21-38 September 19 @Kansas City L 10-26 September 26 @Tampa Bay L 10-13 October 3 NY Jets L 13-21 October 10 @Oakland 4:15pm ET October 17 Green Bay 4:15pm ET October 24 @New England 1:00pm ET October 31 Minnesota 4:15pm ET November 7 @San Diego 4:15pm ET November 14 @Seattle 8:20pm ET November 22 Oakland 9:00pm ET December 5 Kansas City 4:15pm ET December 13 @Jacksonville 9:00pm ET December 19 Seattle 4:15pm ET December 25 @Detroit 4:15pm ET January 2 San Diego 4:15pm ET

September 12 @Green Bay L 24-28 September 19 @Minnesota W 22-17 September 26 Chicago W 24-17 October 3 @Seattle L 21-22 October 10 Denver 4:15pm ET October 17 @Buffalo 1:00pm ET October 24 NY Jets 4:15pm ET October 31 Miami 4:05pm ET November 14 San Diego 4:05pm ET November 22 @Denver 9:00pm ET November 28 Kansas City 4:15pm ET December 5 Seattle 4:15pm ET December 9 @Tennessee 8:20pm ET December 19 Tampa Bay 4:05pm ET December 26 @San Diego 4:05pm ET January 2 @Kansas City 1:00pm ET

Records source: STATS, Inc.

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