In a battle of undefeated teams, the Green Bay Packers take on the Denver Broncos in Sports Authority Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado. The Sunday Night game is scheduled to kickoff at 8:30 P.M. ET.
Last week, the Packers defeated a struggling Chargers squad. In the victory, Aaron Rodgers threw for 255 yards and two touchdowns on the afternoon. The Packers leading rusher was James Starks and not Eddy Lacy. Starks rushed for 112 yards and a touchdown. San Diego dominated time of possession in the game, but could not convert in the red zone against the Packers defense. Despite giving up over 500 yards though the air, the Packers defense ranks just outside the top ten in the league.
The Denver Broncos are coming off a much needed bye week. Payton Manning has not looked like himself so far this season. It’s starting to look like the accumulated hits taken over the years have finally taken their toll on the gunslinger. The last few seasons, Manning has started hot and faded late in the year when the weather has gotten worse. It’s fair to wonder whether Manning’s struggles this season will start to cost the Broncos in the second half.
Two weeks ago, Manning threw three interceptions against the Browns. The Broncos pulled out the overtime victory with a final score of 26-23. This season, it’s been all about the defense for Broncos first year head coach Gary Kubiak. The Broncos defense ranks number one in total defense. Defensive coordinator, Wade Phillips, has the Broncos playing at an elite level. While the Broncos pass-rush is elite, it’s the secondary that’s shutting down receivers and creating turnovers.
A player to watch on the Packers is Aaron Rodgers. Outside of Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers is the best quarterback in the league. Even without Jordy Nelson, Rodgers has put together an MVP caliber season. He’s thrown 15 touchdowns to only two interceptions. This week, he’ll be facing the best secondary he’s seen all year. Rodgers will need to use his mobility to extend drives and help open plays down field against a shut down Broncos secondary.
A player to watch on the Broncos is Aqib Talib. As the number one shut down corner for the Broncos, Talib will attempt to lock down Randall Cobb. If the Broncos can take away Aaron Rodgers top options in the passing game, then the Packers offense will struggle to move the ball effectively. Rodgers is great at spreading the ball around, but the Broncos’ secondary is hungry and aggressive. Talib and the rest of the secondary will certainly put pressure on these receivers and have the potential to pick the ball off. Rodgers hasn’t turned the ball over much at all this season. That could change this week against Denver’s ball hawking secondary.
Packers Vs Broncos Week 6 Betting Lines
BetOnline.ag currently has the Packers as 2.5 point favorites in this game. The over/under on total points scored is 45.5. BetOnline is our top rated NFL sportsbook at the moment. You can read our full BetOnline review here.
My Pick
The Broncos are rarely an underdog at home. Playing in Denver is never easy for the road team. It’s one of the hardest places to play in the NFL. It’s especially surprising when considering Denver’s defense. The fact that Green Bay is the favorite says more about Peyton Manning than it does about Denver’s defense. If Peyton was playing like the Peyton of yesteryear then Denver would certainly be the favorite. This game will come down to the fourth quarter. Expect a battle of defenses. Green Bay doesn’t have the same level of defense as Denver, but they’re no slouch defense themselves. Expect a low scoring game with a few turnovers on both sides. In the end, the Aaron Rodgers will make enough plays and the Packers will come away with the victory. This will be a low scoring game so the safe play is on the under.
Play: Packer -2.5 @ BetOnline.ag
Betting Week 8 • broncos • NFL • Packers • Sunday Night Odds and Prediction