The most anticipated matchup of the season takes place in primetime and the NFL will have one fewer unbeaten when the Packers take on the Broncos on NBC’s Sunday Night Football. Both teams are coming off bye weeks and future Hall of Fame quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers and Peyton Manning go head-to-head for only the second time.
ODDS
The game opened as a toss-up with the total at 43. Green Bay has gotten plenty of action moving the Packers to a 3-point favorite. Green Bay is 2-0 ATS on the road this season and 5-1 ATS overall. The total saw a spike to 45.5.
KEY INJURIES
James Starks – Continues to recover from a hip injury sustained in Green Bay’s last game before its bye week. He was held out of practice earlier this week and his status for Sunday’s game is in limbo. Though backfield mate Eddie Lacy doesn’t appear on the team’s injury report, his production has decreased following an ankle injury sustained against the 49ers on Oct. 4.
Ty Montgomery – Has yet to return to practice after suffering a sprained ankle in Green Bay’s pre-bye win over San Diego. Jared Abbrederis is the likely candidate to handle kickoff returns and receiver Davante Adams is on pace to return to the lineup to take snaps on offense.
Demarcus Ware – Missed Denver’s last game with a back injury and is listed as probable. The Broncos are as healthy as they’ve been all season following their bye week.
KEY MISMATCH
Denver’s defense has been the story of the team’s undefeated start because Payton Manning leads the NFL with 10 interceptions and his arm strength has regularly been called into question. The Broncos’ ground game has routinely sputtered as well. With all the praise thrown in the direction of Aaron Rodgers, it’s been Green Bay’s rush attack that has propelled the Packers. Running backs Eddie Lacy and James Starks are both dinged up and traded turns driving the league’s No. 8 ground game. Who gets the bulk of the carries this week is anybody’s guess. Whoever it is will be testing one of the NFL’s top ranked rush defenses allowing just 3.6 yards per carry. The goal of Denver will be to back Rodgers into long passing downs, limiting the effectiveness of his mobility and seeing what he can do against the top-ranked pass defense that has produced 26 sacks through just six games.
KEY STAT
26.0 – Denver’s NFL-leading quarterback sack total. The Broncos will need the pressure to rattle Rodgers and that won’t be easy. Green Bay has allowed just 11 sacks in its six games.
BETTING ANGLE
This is just the fourth all-time meeting between teams that are 6-0 or better and the first since 2007, when Manning and his Indianapolis Colts hosted New England. Indy blew a 10-point fourth-quarter lead in that game and fell 24-20. Rodgers and the Packers have been brilliant on the Sunday night stage. The reigning MVP has thrown for 3,734 yards and 31 touchdowns in 13 Sunday night games while Green Bay is 23-7 owning the top winning percentage in the NFL in such games. The Packers opened with five straight cover wins before failing to cover as 10.5-point chalk in a 27-20 win over San Diego the last time out.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
A classic matchup between unbeatens and two of the best quarterbacks in the last decade promises to be a doozy. While Rodgers and Manning get plenty of pub, this game will likely be decided by the defenses. Denver is No. 1 in total defense and passing defense and ranks second in scoring defense, playing a major part in the club’s unbeaten start. While the D is good with some special talents across the field, the Broncos haven’t faced the most feared offenses in the game. Green Bay’s defense has been underrated leading the NFL in points allowed at 16.8 and the pass rush has been violent, second in sacks only to Denver. Manning has struggled all season with more picks than touchdowns this season, but has made plays when needed. It’s hard to go against him at home, but the Pack has more balance on offense and Rodgers has been the better of the two signal-callers this year.
Green Bay 26, Denver 23
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