5 Offensive Matchups That Will Define Broncos-Packers

How do the Denver Broncos beat the Green Bay Packers? It starts with winning these matchups.

Nov 2, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) throws during the second half against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. | Sean Thomas-Imagn Images

The Denver Broncos have a chance to clinch a playoff spot if they beat the Green Bay Packers at home. This is a challenging game for the Broncos, as the Packers match up well with them defensively.

Where the Packers are weakest on defense is where the Broncos have struggled, while the Packers have done well where the Broncos' offense has also thrived. 

This game could come down to which side breaks first. Can the Packers' defense break the Broncos' offense? Or can the Broncos' offense break through the Packers' defense?

There is an encouraging omen suggesting the Broncos are breaking through. Denver's offense has been trending up since Week 11, ranking in the top five in multiple analytics, while the Packers' defense has been falling off over the same period, ranking in the bottom five in many defensive categories. 

Either way, this game could come down to certain matchups that the Broncos' offense has to be wary of. These matchups are where the Broncos need to be careful and continue their breakthrough. Otherwise, it could lead to a long day. 

Bo Nix vs. Packers' Disguises

The Packers do a great job of disguising their defense, but more specifically, their blitzes. Analyzing their film, it is hard to see where the Packers are sending pressure from pre-snap, but it isn’t impossible. 

One area Nix has been hit-or-miss this season has been with the pre-snap reads for pressure. He has suffered some sacks as a result of those, but has also called some out and managed to get a good play out of it. Denver will need Nix on point pre-snap with how well the Packers disguise things. 

This also carries over to reading coverages, and motion may not give the key information that typically helps quarterbacks. Across the NFL, defensive coordinators are showing zone against motion, then dropping into man, or showing man and dropping into zone, and it's giving quarterbacks fits.

In games where Nix has faced this, he has struggled a fair amount, and he can’t allow himself to get baited and be cautious of the added deception. 

Nix vs. Himself

There have been a lot of issues with Nix’s game this season, but he has done a great job cleaning them up since the Broncos mini-bye week following their Week 10 game. However, since then, Nix’s bad habits have resurfaced in a few moments, but he has managed to rein them in. 

Nix can’t fall back into that trap. While he hasn’t so far, the Packers' defense is a different animal than what the Broncos have faced during their offensive resurgence.

The Packers' defensive strengths vs. Nix's, concerns arise about the second-year quarterback panicking and falling into the bad habits that have been limited this season.

What happens next for the Broncos? Don't miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second, sign up for our free newsletter, and get breaking Broncos news delivered to your inbox daily!

Broncos' OTs vs. Micah Parsons & Rashan Gary

Green Bay Packers defensive end Micah Parsons (1) and defensive end Rashan Gary (52) pressure Chicago Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson (1) on Sunday, December 7, 2025, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. The Packers defeated the Bears 28-21. | Wm. Glasheen/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Packers' pass rush has primarily been the Parsons show, as Gary started the season hot but has since fallen off around Week 8. That doesn’t mean the duo isn’t a threat, and the way the Packers love to move them around makes them even more dangerous. 

Parsons has 74 pressures on the season, while Gary has 42, with only 16 of them coming since that Week 8 game. Denver has to be extra cautious of them, and the Broncos may want to give extra attention to Parsons, as he can be a complete game-wrecker. 

Denver has gotten a great season out of left tackle Garett Bolles, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t concern with him holding up. The Bronocs did get their best game out of right tackle Mike McGlinchey against Maxx Crosby last week, but his inconsistencies have been prevalent this season. 

Broncos' WRs vs. Packers' CBs

The Packers' cornerback trio of Keisean Nixon, Carrington Valentine, and Javon Bullard has done a great job this season in limiting opposing passing games. Bullard, their slot corner, has allowed 40 of 50 targets to be caught, but he has made multiple plays on the ball with how tight he has been in coverage. 

Nixon and Valentine are the bigger threats, with the latter being one of the best corners in man coverage this season. Valentine is allowing under 32% of targets to be caught in man coverage, with only a four-yard average. 

As for Nixon, he has been a complete ballhawk in the secondary with 16 passes broken up, but there is a boom-or-bust element to his play. Both Nixon and Valentine have given up four touchdowns on the season, with only one interception between the two. They can be attacked, but you have to be careful. 

RJ Harvey & Evan Engram vs. Quay Walker & Edgerrin Cooper

The Packers have one of the better linebacker duos in the NFL, and they might be the fastest and quickest. That doesn’t bode well for Harvey and Engram, given the matchups ahead, especially in the receiving game. 

Walker is a bit more susceptible to coverage than Cooper, but they rally to the ball and secure the tackles. In fact, the Packers' defense as a whole has missed only 8.7% of tackles this season, the lowest rate in the NFL, and opposing yards gained on missed tackles rank fifth-lowest. These two linebackers are a big reason for those metrics. 

Sean Payton and the Broncos will have their work cut out for them to get either Harvey or Engram involved in the passing game, let alone have them make a significant impact. With the issues Denver has had at the tight end position, this might be a game to limit Engram while turning to Nate Adkins and Adam Trautman for their blocking, and look for Harvey to have a bigger impact on the ground.