Packers vs Broncos Game Analysis: Defensive Struggle
The Green Bay Packers will visit the Denver Broncos on Friday, August 21, for Week 2 of the NFL preseason with us at PayPerHead.
There are expectations that this will be a defensive battle as Denver’s front seven suffocated the Falcons’ offense in Game 1. Green Bay struggled against the Steelers, but is considered to have one of the strongest defenses in the league.
Packers’ head coach Matt LaFleur stated that offensive starters like quarterback Jordan Love will take some snaps in this game but will likely sit out in Week 3 due to joint practices with the Cardinals.
Green Bay Packers Recent Updates: Rookie Kicker
Green Bay finished the 2025 season in second place in the NFC North with a 9-7 record, earning them a wild-card position. This was their third consecutive visit to the playoffs.
They were eliminated in the Wild-Card round by their longtime rivals, the Chicago Bears, 31-27. They blew a 21-3 halftime lead.
The NFC North was the only division in the league in which each team had a winning season. In Week 1 of the preseason, the Packers lost to the Steelers 9-28. Their backup offense and defense were missing in action, but their rookie kicker, Trey Smack, made all three of his kicks, including one from 58 yards.
Denver Broncos Recent Updates: QBs Excel
The Broncos finished the 2025 season as the AFC West division leader with a 14-3 record. That tied a franchise record first recorded in 1998. They beat the Buffalo Bills 33-30 in the Divisional Round but lost to the Patriots in the AFC Championship Game, 7-10. QB Bo Nix suffered a season-ending ankle injury on the second-to-last play.
In Week 1 of the preseason, they beat the Atlanta Falcons, 27-7. Backup QB Jarret Stidham played the first half, completing 9 of 15 passes for 131 yards, leading the Broncos to a score of 24-0 at halftime. Sam Ehlinger played the second half, connecting on 10 of 14 passes for 67 yards. Bo Nix did not play but is expected to make his debut against the Packers. Their offensive line had injuries, which added confusion with the backups, but it still went well.
Dog days of #BroncosCamp 😤
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) August 19, 2026
See you soon, #BroncosCountry. 🤗 pic.twitter.com/DyEarnkY66
Packers vs Broncos History: No Joint Practice
These teams played against each other last season on December 14, 2025. Denver won 34-26. Prior to that, the Broncos beat the Packers 19-17 in 2023. They’ve met once every four years prior to that. They did not have a joint practice before this preseason game, so it’s even harder to predict what to expect on Friday’s meeting.
Packers vs Broncos Prediction: High-Altitude Home
Although starter Bo Nix won’t see much time, his return to the lineup should boost Denver’s offense, especially with the team playing at home in high altitude. The Packers are expected to take a conservative approach in this game, likely focusing on the ground game and long possessions.
The Broncos are the favorites by a wider spread than most preseason games, -5.5 points or more. Although preseason games are less predictable, the intensity ramps up as depth evaluation culminates in cutdown day for many of the hopefuls.
Our Packers vs Broncos prediction is a Broncos win by a bigger margin than the current spread. Expect something like a 28-12 win by the Broncos.
