Packers vs Broncos Predictions, Picks & Starters on Aug 21

• The Broncos are 5.5-point home favorites over the Packers tonight in NFL Preseason action
• Denver has won eight straight preseason games under Sean Payton
• Keep reading for the Packers vs Broncos predictions, picks and starters on Aug 21, below

The final game on tonight’s NFL Preseason slate features the Packers traveling to Denver to face the Broncos. This contest will mark the first action for Denver QB Bo Nix since he suffered an ankle injury in the Divisional Round, which cost him a chance to play for a Super Bowl berth. Online sportsbooks and prediction markets are siding with the Broncos in the latest NFL odds, but I think there’s an argument to be made the number isn’t big enough.

Kickoff is scheduled for 9 pm ET at Empower Field at Mile High, in Denver, CO, with NFL Network providing the broadcast coverage. Keep reading for the Packers vs Broncos predictions, picks and starters on Aug 21, below.

Packers vs Broncos Starters

Nix won’t be the only starter on the field, as he and his fellow Bronco number ones are scheduled to see 10-15 snaps. Denver’s starters marched down the field on their opening possession last week, covering 69 yards en route to a touchdown. Jarett Stidham led the TD drive and will see playing time after Nix, looking to continue his mastery of the preseason. Stidham has now thrown for nearly 900 yards and 8 TD during exhibition play as a member of the Broncos, helping them win eight straight preseason contests.

Denver will also deploy their starters on defense, and that side of the ball was a major reason they soared over their NFL win totals last year. The Broncos D looked in midseason form last week in their win over Atlanta, holding the Falcons to 25 yards over four possessions.

On the other side of the ball, Green Bay will play their number ones for a series or two, led by Jordan Love. This will mark the last preseason action for the Packers starters, and based on Matt LaFleur’s tendencies in exhibition play, don’t expect Green Bay to look like a Super Bowl odds contender tonight. LaFleur typically keeps his offense extremely vanilla in the summer, which would explain last week’s uninspiring result – more on that below.

In addition to Love, we should also see his top skill position players Christian Watson, Jayden Reed and Josh Jacobs. There will be no Micah Parson on defense as he continues to rehab, and the lack of a reliable pass rush threat is one of the reasons to fade the Packers tonight.

Packers vs Broncos Predictions and Picks

• Broncos -5.5 (52-cents at Kalshi)

My favorite Packers vs Broncs prediction is Denver to cover the spread. Commercial sportsbooks are currently hanging that number at -6, but you can get the Broncos -5.5 at Kalshi for the equivalent of -108 odds. Don’t forget to claim the Kalshi promo code before making a wager on tonight’s game.

The Broncos have won eight straight preseason games, scoring 27+ points in all but one of those outings. The offense should have no problem navigating an average Green Bay defense, that yielded over 300 passing yards and an 81% completion rate, along with three total touchdowns to Pittsburgh backup QB’s last week. The Packers can’t generate a consistent pass rush, while their defensive line has shown major cracks versus the run.

The ceiling is high for both Nix and Stidham with Payton calling plays, while the depth of the Denver defense is set to overwhelm Green Bay’s offense. I mentioned how well the Broncos defensive staters played last week, but the backups excelled as well. The team recorded multiple takeaways, and held Atlanta to 21 net yards or fewer on 11 of 12 possessions. Considering how the Packers averaged less than 4 yards per completion and 2.6 yards per carry with their vanilla offense last week, I can’t envision a scenario where they score enough to keep up with Denver tonight.

Packers vs Broncos Odds

Odds at various sportsbooks as of Friday, Aug. 21. Get the bet365 bonus code and get in on the action.

These two teams met two preseasons ago, with Denver cruising to a 27-2 victory. Bettors are expecting a repeat performance tonight per the NFL public betting splits, with Denver drawing 64% of the ATS bets as of Friday afternoon, and a whopping 90% of the spread handle.