The Denver Broncos won a 34-26 thriller over the Green Bay Packers in Week 15, establishing themselves as Super Bowl contenders moving forward.
The Packers were the perfect test for the Broncos, who are now winners of 11 straight games. Green Bay is a very dynamic team and can beat you in many ways, so seeing Denver rise to the challenge and walk away with a high-scoring win is comforting to see as a Broncos fan.
Broncos quarterback Bo Nix was impressive, completing 23 of 34 passes for 302 yards and four touchdowns without being sacked. He also rushed for 10 yards on seven carries. Nix was carving up the Packers defense even before star edge rusher Micah Parsons tore his ACL late in the second half.
Rookie RJ Harvey rushed 19 times for 65 yards and a touchdown but lost a fumble during Denver’s first possession. He didn’t factor into the receiving game, failing to haul in his only target. It wasn’t his best game, but it wasn’t a bad one given the opponent.
The defense was strong again despite allowing 26 points and the unit made plays when they needed to, including star cornerback Pat Surtain II getting his first interception of the season while trailing. With the offense playing well and feeding off this world-class defense, ESPN’s Jeff Legwold believes the Broncos are the team to beat in the American Football Conference.
“They check all the boxes with three games left. In yet another comeback win, Denver clinched a playoff berth and has the inside track for the No. 1 seed,” Legwold wrote Sunday. “The Broncos' defense surrendered more explosive plays than usual (six of at least 20 yards) and didn't get its first sack until more than 10 minutes were gone in the third quarter. But in a game that had a playoff look and feel, the Broncos held the Packers to 1-of-4 in the red zone. And cornerback Pat Surtain II's first interception of the season changed the momentum in the third quarter with the Broncos trailing by nine points. The Broncos showed their big-game mettle with their 10th one-score win of the season.”
Denver already has the tiebreaker over the New England Patriots, the No. 2 seed in the AFC, and the Patriots just lost a huge game against the Buffalo Bills Sunday. With three games remaining, the Broncos are in great position to secure the No. 1 seed and the first-round bye.
The Broncos will host the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 16.