Free NFL Game Preview & ATS Pick: Packers vs Broncos

The Denver Broncos will do their best to avoid a 0-3 start when they visit the Green Bay Packers this weekend. Game time is set for 1:00 EST on Sunday, September 22 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Fans in most AFC West and NFC North markets will be able to watch the game on Fox.

The Packers are currently listed as 7.5-point home favorites with an over/under of 43 points. Be sure to check out all of the Week 3 NFL odds.

Packers vs Broncos Game Preview & Betting Odds

The Broncos have to be endlessly frustrated with the way the first two weeks of the season have unfolded. First, they came out flat in a disappointing loss to the Raiders in Week 1. Last week, the Broncos thought they had scored a comeback win after a late touchdown and 2-point conversion to take a 14-13 lead over the Bears. However, a controversial roughing the passer penalty gave Chicago life and allowed them to kick the game-winning field goal in the final seconds.

At 0-2, the Broncos have their backs against the wall and face difficult road games in two of the next three weeks against the Packers and Chargers. Denver’s schedule isn’t exactly favorable, and so the Broncos have no choice but find a way to win difficult games, starting with this week’s trip to Green Bay.

The Packers, meanwhile, are in the enviable position of being the only team in the NFC North to start the season 2-0. More importantly, Green Bay has secured wins over both the Bears and Vikings the first two weeks of the season. Both games were close, but the Green Bay defense has been the difference-maker in both games, which is a promising sign with the offense getting off to a sluggish start.

Things also set up well for the Packers moving forward. After winning at home last week, Green Bay still gets to play four of their next five games at home. Even with a couple of difficult opponents on the schedule, the Packers will have a chance to build on their early lead at the top of the NFC North if they can continue to hold serve at home.

Free NFL Betting Prediction: Under 43

The Broncos are just desperate enough to perhaps pull off a surprise win, so eating over a touchdown for the Packers may not be a smart pick. However, based on the first two weeks of the season, it’s a good bet that both offenses will struggle and both defenses will shine. After all, both teams have been involved in close, low-scoring games early in the year, so I’ll lean toward another one and take the under.

Through two games, the Joe Flacco experiment in Denver doesn’t seem to be going as intended. Flacco hasn’t made a lot of mistakes, but he’s also struggled to create explosive plays down the field and put points on the board. Even the Denver running game that was so consistent last season with Philip Lindsay has been average at best this year. Worse of all, left tackle Garrett Bolles has been a human drive killer, getting called for five holding penalties over two games. Things aren’t likely to get better this week, as second-leading receiver Courtland Sutton is listed as questionable.

The other reason why things won’t get easier for the Broncos this week is the Green Bay defense. The Packers have allowed just 19 points over the first two games of the season. In fact, the play of the Green Bay defense might be one of the biggest surprises of the NFL season to this point. They bent a little last week but refused to break and ended up forcing four turnovers against the Vikings to help limit them to 16 points.

On the other side of the ball, Aaron Rodgers is stilling getting used to a new offense under head coach Matt LeFleur. It looked like the Green Bay offense was finding a rhythm last week after scoring 21 points in the first 16 minutes of the game. But the Packers didn’t score any points in the final 44 minutes, and that was after managing only 10 points in their season opener.

Meanwhile, the Denver defense has been an anomaly this season. With Vic Fangio taking over as head coach, there were high hopes heading into the season. The Broncos certainly have the talent to be a top-10 caliber defense. However, the Broncos have yet to force a turnover or even get a sack in their first two games. It’s hard to fathom that being the case with Von Miller and Bradley Chubb. But it’s also difficult to envision that remaining the case, so it could only be a matter of time until the Denver defense hits its stride.

The bottom line is that unless Rodgers and company finally start to figure things out, it’s hard to believe either team will score many points in this game. Both teams would have to push or exceed 20 points to go over the point total, which is unlikely. I’ll take my chances with the Broncos and Packers staying under 43 points.

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