Packers (9-3-1) at Broncos (11-2)
When: 2:25 p.m. Sunday
Where: Empower Field at Mile High Stadium
TV/radio: CBS, 850 AM/94.1 FM
Broncos-Packers series: There’s not a long history of this inter-conference matchup, with the Broncos and Packers knotted at an even 7-7-1 in 15 total games in the franchises’ history. They last met in a 19-17 Broncos win in 2023, which was Sean Payton’s and Vance Joseph’s first real look at Packers quarterback Jordan Love in the post Aaron-Rodgers era in Green Bay.
In the spotlight: Micah Parsons, destroyer of worlds
In late August, when the Dallas Cowboys made the move so titanic that NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport felt the need to tweet “this is real,” Sean Payton just sort of … shrugged.
“When a trade happens –- you’re focused on whatever you’re doing,” Payton recalled Wednesday. “So, two NFC teams make a trade, and it’s news, but.”
Now, though, the Broncos’ chase for a No. 1 seed is made significantly more complicated by the presence of Micah Parsons on the opposing sidelines Sunday. After a lengthy contract dispute with the Cowboys that had ripple effects to most every corner of the NFL world — including Denver, where star pass-rusher Nik Bonitto was trying to negotiate his own extension — Dallas owner Jerry Jones decided to cut bait with one of the best pass-rushers in the league and sent Parsons to Green Bay just before the start of the season. The lack of a training camp hasn’t hurt the 2021 first-round pick; Parsons is on pace for a career-high sack total (12.5 in 13 games with the Packers).
The Broncos didn’t see him in October, then, in taking a buzzsaw to the Cowboys’ defense in a 44-24 win. They’ll see him in December, now, as Denver tries to keep a 10-game win streak alive against a Packers opponent that’s as complete a team that they’ve seen all season. Parsons was the cherry on top. Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley coaches a sixth-ranked defense that gets after opposing quarterbacks and doesn’t get beat over the top.
“He’s extremely explosive,” Payton said of Parsons. “He’s got unique bend and balance, for someone at that position. So he’s a handful. He’s a rare-type player.”
And he’s rare in his utilization too, presenting a tougher challenge for the Broncos’ offensive line than they’ve seen all season. Next Gen Stats’ game-by-game charts of Parsons’ angles to the quarterback look they’re sketched by a child who has yet to master spatial awareness, as the Packers line the outside linebacker up at virtually every spot across their defensive line.
Micah Parsons generated 10 pressures and 2.5 sacks on Thanksgiving for a 38.5% pressure rate, his highest in a game since his rookie season.
Parsons created 4 pressures and recorded 1.5 sacks on just 6 pass rushes on third downs.
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— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) November 27, 2025
Broncos left tackle Garett Bolles is continuing a strong push for the NFL’s inaugural Protector of the Year award, and right tackle Mike McGlinchey did a bang-up job in warding off Raiders world-beater Maxx Crosby last week. But Denver’s entire front will be tested on Sunday, as Parsons is adept at rushing from the interior. This may well be the toughest game of guard Alex Palczewski’s career, who’s stabilized Denver’s offensive line in the wake of Ben Powers’ injury but has allowed nine pressures across his past three games, according to Pro Football Focus.
“He lines up to the right, to the left,” Payton said Wednesday. “You try to chart it, you try to track it. They do a good job looking at their own tendencies, self-scouting.”
Quietly, after a first-quarter start where they barely let anyone lay a finger on quarterback Bo Nix, the Broncos’ offensive line has been slightly more porous in recent months. Nix has been pressured on over 30% of his dropbacks in three of his past five games, and his numbers under duress remain unsightly in an up-and-down sophomore campaign: he ranks 33rd out of 34 qualified quarterbacks in passer rating (50.1) when under pressure this season.
Shut down Parsons, and the Broncos can continue to shut down national doubt about their true identity as a contender on Sunday. Let him roam free, and their hold on the AFC will slip.
Who has the edge?
When Broncos run: The good news — rookie R.J. Harvey is hitting his three-down stride at the perfect point in the season, putting together a 100-yard performance on 23 touches against the Raiders last Sunday. The other good news — Payton experimented to general success with a three-back system in Vegas, with Jaleel McLaughlin and Tyler Badie both getting the occasional early-down touch. The Packers have one of the best overall defenses in the NFL, but they have surrendered some chunk yardage in recent weeks to backfield duos like the Bears’ D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai (a combined 120 rushing yards last Sunday) and the Lions’ Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery (a combined 100 the week before). Edge: Even
When Broncos pass: The Packers don’t really get beat deep, allowing the eight-fewest yards per game on passes of 20-plus yards. They also definitely don’t get beat short, allowing the fewest yards per play on short passes of any NFL defense, according to Next Gen Stats. Quarterbacks have had the most success attacking Green Bay in the intermediate part of the field. On a related note, Bo Nix is 32nd out of 34 qualified quarterbacks in passer rating on passes between 10 and 19 yards downfield. Edge: Packers
When Packers run: This depends entirely on running back Josh Jacobs’ status for Sunday. Few offensive weapons across the NFL have tortured the Broncos like Jacobs in recent years, the former Raider battering ram: he’s run for 769 yards and nine touchdowns in eight total games against Denver in his career. Jacobs has continued to buoy Green Bay’s rushing attack in 2025, with 12 total touchdowns in 13 games, but has been iffy with a knee injury in Green Bay this week. Regardless if he plays, though, the Broncos have surrendered the fewest yards per play on the ground in the league. Slight edge: Broncos
When Packers pass: There’s been warning signs in the Broncos’ pass defense for a couple of weeks now, as teams like the Commanders and Raiders — that don’t exactly have dynamic passing games — have gotten smart about attacking weaknesses on the back-end. Safety Talanoa Hufanga and linebacker Alex Singleton have both gotten picked on, and Denver’s had some communication breakdowns. Packers quarterback Jordan Love is getting the ball out quickly and efficiently, and defensive coordinator Vance Joseph said Green Bay might have a better stable of weapons than any team the Broncos have seen this season. Slight edge: Packers
Special teams: Hey, Brandon McManus is back! The former Broncos Super Bowl kicker has spent the past two seasons in Green Bay. McManus has struggled significantly in 2025, though, hitting just three of seven kicks from between 40 and 49 yards. The Packers also don’t have a particularly dynamic return game, and Broncos All-Pro Marvin Mims Jr. just got loose for the first punt-return TD of his career last week. Edge: Broncos
Coaching: This is tight. Packers head man Matt LaFleur has done top-tier work in 2025 in continuing to oversee Love’s development and turn Green Bay into a legitimate Super Bowl contender. The Packers’ offense is efficient. Their defense is smothering. But Payton is clicking the offensive pieces into place in Denver, and Joseph’s ability to control a ballgame remains virtually unmatched across the NFL. Slight edge: Broncos
Tale of the tape
| Broncos | Packers | |
|---|---|---|
| Total offense | 342.0 (10th) | 340.3 (13th) |
| Rush offense | 121.8 (14th) | 117.2 (19th) |
| Pass offense | 220.2 (13th) | 223.2 (12th) |
| Points per game | 23.7 (T-14th) | 24.8 (10th) |
| Total defense | 282.0 (3rd) | 287.2 (5th) |
| Run defense | 89.0 (2nd) | 101.4 (9th) |
| Pass defense | 193.0 (10th) | 185.8 (7th) |
| Points allowed | 18.1 (4th) | 19.0 (6th) |
By the numbers
126.7: Packers quarterback Jordan Love’s QB rating when not under pressure, the best mark among all qualified NFL quarterbacks.
55.3: Love’s QB rating when under pressure, the 30th-best mark of 34 qualified NFL quarterbacks.
1.7: Packers receiver Christian Watson’s average yards per separation, the lowest mark of 138 qualified NFL receivers this season.
18.1: Packers receiver Christian Watson’s average yards per catch, the second-highest mark of 138 qualified NFL receivers this season.
2: The number of touchdowns the Packers’ defense has allowed in 2025 on passes deeper than 20 air yards, according to Next Gen Stats.
28.1%: The amount of snaps that Green Bay’s defense plays with a light box (seven or less defenders near the line of scrimmage), which ranks 25th out of 32 NFL teams in frequency.
X-factors
Broncos: OLB Jonathon Cooper. Denver needs somebody to speed up Jordan Love and ruffle his feathers in the pocket, and Cooper’s due for a big game, as he hasn’t recorded a sack in his past three games.
Packers: S Xavier McKinney. Here’s one of the NFL’s best safeties this year in coverage, as McKinney’s allowed just a 43.4 quarterback rating on 23 targets to the nearest defender in coverage this season, according to Next Gen Stats. It’s unlikely Nix stares down McKinney’s area of the field heavily on Sunday, and that could shape Denver’s offensive approach against Green Bay.
Post predictions
Parker Gabriel, Broncos writer: Broncos 21, Packers 20
Really, really considered going with the Vegas line and taking Green Bay. This one could go about 19 different ways. Except then I came across the Post’s preseason week-by-week preview, in which a certain beat reporter wondered if this might feel like a potential Super Bowl preview and also predicted a Brandon McManus miss from 55 yards to seal a Denver win. No way we can backtrack on that one now.
Luca Evans, Broncos writer: Packers 24, Broncos 21
There’s no world in which this game isn’t close, one way or another. It’s a toss-up. But the Packers’ strengths as a team go toe-to-toe with the Broncos’ strengths, and the Packers’ defensive weaknesses — the intermediate passing game — aren’t the Broncos’ strengths. Going with simple logical processes here.
Troy Renck, sports columnist: Broncos 20, Packers 18
The Broncos and Packers are mirror images. The Packers are more explosive offensively, but the Broncos are better defensively. Teams that beat Green Bay drag them into the mud. With Green Bay coming off a euphoric win over the Bears, it is likely they will be flat early, especially if Pat Surtain II blankets Christian Watson, and in trouble late.
Sean Keeler, sports columnist: Broncos 22, Packers 21
Sean Payton is 6-1 with the Broncos against NFC opponents at home, and 6-0 in NFC home games played after Week 4. The only time Jordan Love faced a pass rush comparable to the Broncos’ Mile High Maulers, the Packers QB got sacked five times at Cleveland. Bo Nix wobbles but hangs in there, only to drive the Broncos down the field in the dying seconds for a game-winning, walk-off Wil Lutz field goal.
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