Green Bay embracing challenge Denver presents

Mike Spofford

GREEN BAY The consensus amongst the Packers is Denver's defense will be the best they've faced all season.

Green Bay's approach? To show up and show out on Sunday.

"What a great challenge," Head Coach Matt LaFleur said. "But also there's great opportunity that goes with that."

The matchup in Denver pits a Broncos defense allowing 16.8 points per game over its last five against a Packers offense scoring 27.3 points per game over its last four.

Denver also sports the league's top-ranked defense on third down (30.9%), while Green Bay possesses the top-ranked offense on third down (50.6%).

The contrasts are numerous and make for as intriguing an AFC vs. NFC showdown as there is, particularly this late in the season.

What stands out the most about the Broncos' defense is the pass rush, which leads the league by a large margin with 55 sacks, on pace to threaten the all-time single-season record of 72 set by the 1985 Chicago Bears.

Edge rusher Nik Bonitto leads the way with 12 sacks, followed by fellow edge rusher Jonathon Cooper's 7. Meanwhile on the interior, Zach Allen and John Franklin-Myers have combined for 11 sacks, and seven additional defenders have at least two sacks each, giving them 11 in all with multiple sacks on the year.

"It's not just one guy that you can finger point out," QBJordan Lovesaid of game-planning against so many accomplished rushers in the starting front. "It's a little bit different than a team that maybe only has one solid edge rusher that you make sure you get chips and lock down that side.

"You've got five guys who have all won at different times versus different teams. So we've just got to do a good job up front. I've got a lot of confidence in our O-line. They've been getting better and better as the season has gone on in pass pro. It will be a good test."

That defensive front is among the best against the run, too, allowing the fewest yards per carry in the league at 3.7.

Behind that is the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year in Pat Sutain II, a lockdown cornerback who's likely headed for his third first-team All-Pro honor in five seasons.

Surtain doesn't have any interceptions this season he had four last year, returning one for a score but he's already tied his 2024 total with 11 pass breakups, keeping him on track to surpass his career high of 14 from his rookie year.

Whether or not the Broncos decide to have Surtain shadow one particular receiver, such asChristian Watson, will be watched closely come Sunday.

"I think he's just a smart corner," Love said. "His ability to read what the receivers are doing and just play that sticky coverage there's sometimes you see on film when he's breaking on things before the receiver's even breaking. I think it just goes into his film study, his knowledge of the game and his confidence in himself."

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So dynamic pass rush, stout run defense, lockdown cover corner, all coordinated by a great defensive mind in Vance Joseph. No wonder LaFleur said "there's just really not a weak link out there."

But that's not to say there won't be opportunities, and the Packers will take their big-play game up against anybody.

Green Bay ranks in the league's top quarter in pass plays of 20-plus and 40-plus yards, eight different pass catchers have a reception of at least 20-plus yards during the team's current four-game winning streak. Meanwhile, against division rivals and playoff contenders Detroit and Chicago the last two games, Love has posted back-to-back passer ratings of 120-plus.

"I wouldn't say they have no weaknesses or holes," Watson said. "I definitely think there's plays to be made. We've got to be solid in our game plan, and there are some ways we can go out there and make plays."

Watson, who has caught five TD passes over the last four games the last three from 51, 23 and 41 yards out added he isn't getting mentally caught up in the prospect of Surtain shadowing him Sunday. He's going to study all the potential matchups, as he routinely does, and then react accordingly.

However it shakes out, the Packers will head into Denver respecting but not fearing the formidable defense that awaits.

"They've got a really good defense, but we've got a lot of confidence in our offense," Watson said. "If we want to get to where we want to go, we're going to have to play against really good defenses, and if we want to achieve the goal we want to achieve, we're going to have to be one of the best offenses in the league.

"We just kind of think about ourselves in that aspect. We know what we've got."