Broncos are underdogs at home
against Packers despite 10-game win streak
[December 12, 2025]
By ARNIE STAPLETON
DENVER (AP) — For the first time in a decade, Denver Broncos (11-2)
stand atop the AFC playoff race heading into the holidays. They're
the league's only unbeaten team at home. They've won 10 consecutive
games and they've saddled their last 11 visitors with a loss going
back 14 months.
And they are 2 1/2-point underdogs at home to the Green Bay Packers
(9-3-1) on Sunday, according to BetMGM Sportsbook.
It's the NFL’s Week 15 marquee matchup, a tussle featuring Micah
Parsons and Nik Bonitto, Jordan Love and Bo Nix, and pitting teams
with obdurate defenses and opportunistic offenses that could very
well serve as a Super Bowl appetizer.
Oddsmakers, though, have joined the legions of NFL fans who view the
Broncos' longest winning streak in the post-Peyton Manning era with
equal doses of criticism and skepticism.
“I love it. It fuels me, honestly,” Bonitto said. “I like when
people doubt us. They can stay on that side. We'll go out and prove
what we've got to prove.”
Just like they've been doing ever since their last-second loss at
the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 3, which followed a walk-off loss
at Indianapolis. Since then, the Broncos have set an NFL record with
nine consecutive comebacks, a streak that ended last week with a
comfortable win at Las Vegas, and tied another mark with four
straight wins by a field goal or less.
The Broncos have grown accustomed to all the doubters who view their
pile of close victories with more suspicion than admiration and who
keep suggesting their live-on-the-edge habits don't make for a
sustainable winning recipe.
“Personally, I couldn't care less,” All-Pro kick returner Marvin
Mims Jr. said. “But I mean some guys feel disrespected by it.”
Bo Nix isn't among those who feel offended by the national suspicion
of the Broncos' championship bona fides — or those who install them
as home underdogs.
“My mom thinks we’ll win,” the Broncos' second-year quarterback said
with a laugh. “So that’s all that matters.”
Watson’s emergence
Packers wide receiver Christian Watson didn’t start playing until
Oct. 26 as he returned from a torn ACL, but the 2022 second-round
pick still could end up having his best season.
Watson has scored five touchdowns, all in his last four games. He
has 25 catches for 452 yards in seven games. The TD total is his
highest since his rookie season, when he had nine.
“He’s making plays, it feels like, every time the ball comes his
way,” Love said. “I think he keeps elevating and getting better and
better.”
Packers facing a streaking team
According to Elias Sports Bureau, this marks the second straight
year — and the fourth time ever — that the Packers have faced a team
that has won at least 10 straight games with all the victories in
the same season. Last season, the Packers lost 34-31 at Detroit for
the Lions’ 11th straight victory.
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Denver Broncos running back Tyler Badie runs against the Las Vegas
Raiders during the first half of an NFL football game in Las Vegas,
Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
The Packers won their other two times in this
situation. They beat Detroit 3-0 on Nov. 25, 1934, and they defeated
Seattle 23-17 on Jan. 1, 2006.
The trip to Denver is sandwiched between two games against the rival
Chicago Bears. The Packers snapped Chicago’s five-game winning
streak with a 28-21 victory at Lambeau Field on Sunday. The Packers
face the Bears again on Dec. 20 in Chicago.
“What a great challenge,” coach Matt LaFleur said. “But also, I
think there’s great opportunity that goes with that.”
The Broncos also have a challenging stretch run with visits from the
Jaguars and Chargers, both 9-4, sandwiched around a Christmas night
game at Kansas City, where the Broncos haven't won since 2015.
Premier pass rushers
Sunday’s game features two of the NFL’s most prolific pass rushers
in Green Bay’s Parsons and Denver’s Bonitto. They each have 12 1/2
sacks this season, putting them in a tie for third in the league.
Since the NFL started officially tracking sacks in 1982, Parsons is
the first player to have at least 12 in each of his first five
seasons. Bonitto could join Simon Fletcher as the only Broncos ever
to have at least 13 1/2 sacks in back-to-back seasons.
Strength in numbers
It's not just Bonitto the Packers are concerned about. The Broncos
lead the league with 55 sacks, putting them on pace for 72, which
would tie the NFL record set by the 1984 Bears.
“I think they have a really solid group all around,” Love said.
“It’s not just one guy that you can finger-point out, but all around
that defense and especially that D-line, you look at it and they got
playmakers and guys who are making plays and winning their 1-on-1
matchups. 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
lockdown that side.”
And don't forget Denver's stout secondary, led by reigning NFL
defensive player of the year Pat Surtain II.
“There’s sometimes you see on film when he’s breaking on things
before the receiver’s even breaking,” Love said. “I think it just
goes into his film study, his knowledge of the game and his
confidence in himself. I think he does a lot of things at a very
high level.”
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AP Sports Writers Pat Graham and Steve Megargee contributed to this
report.
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