Green Bay Packers vs Denver Broncos Picks and Prediction for Friday August 21, 2026

The Green Bay Packers head to Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado, to face the Denver Broncos in NFL preseason Week 2 on Friday, August 21, 2026. Kickoff is scheduled for 9:00 p.m. ET, with NFL Network carrying the game nationally. Green Bay enters at 0-1 following a 28-9 loss at Pittsburgh, while Denver opened its preseason with an impressive 27-7 road victory over Atlanta.

The current betting market has Denver favored by 5.5 points, with Green Bay +5.5. The total is sitting around 40.5 to 41 points, depending on the sportsbook, while Denver is a substantial moneyline favorite. For this preview, we'll use Denver -5.5 and Under 40.5 as our betting numbers. Before you make any moves on the NFL make sure you check out our free NFL predictions.

Packers Looking for an Offensive Response

Green Bay's preseason opener did not go according to plan, as the Packers were beaten 28-9 by the Pittsburgh Steelers. The most concerning part of the performance was Green Bay's inability to finish drives with touchdowns. All nine Packers points came from the kicking game, leaving the offense searching for a much stronger performance in its second exhibition contest.

Rookie kicker Trey Smack was one of the bright spots in the loss, converting all three of his field-goal attempts from 37, 58 and 38 yards. The 58-yarder demonstrated his range and gave Green Bay something positive to take from an otherwise disappointing offensive evening. The Packers did have some defensive moments as well, including Zaire Franklin recording a sack, but they were unable to prevent Pittsburgh from steadily building its advantage.

The larger issue for Green Bay heading into Denver is turning possessions into touchdowns rather than settling for field goals. A nine-point performance will make covering difficult against a Denver team that scored in multiple ways in its opener. Green Bay also faces the challenge of playing at altitude against a Broncos roster that showed considerable defensive energy in Week 1. The Packers need a cleaner offensive performance and better execution throughout the depth chart if they're going to stay inside this number.

Broncos Impressive in Preseason Opener

Denver couldn't have asked for a much better start to the preseason, cruising to a 27-7 victory over the Atlanta Falcons. The Broncos generated 359 total net yards while holding Atlanta to only 192, and they possessed the football for more than 36 minutes. Denver's ability to control both yardage and possession was particularly encouraging because preseason games often become increasingly dependent on roster depth as they progress.

The Broncos also produced one of the biggest defensive plays of preseason Week 1 when Jahdae Barron returned an interception 97 yards for a touchdown. Riley Moss also recorded an interception, giving Denver multiple takeaways, while the offense received production on the ground and through the short passing game. Jaleel McLaughlin caught a five-yard touchdown pass, and Denver consistently put itself in favorable situations rather than relying entirely on its starting personnel.

There is another significant consideration for Friday night's matchup: Bo Nix is expected to make his 2026 preseason debut against Green Bay after Denver held him out of the Atlanta game. Head coach Sean Payton gave several starters approximately 15 snaps in the opener, and Denver's ability to win 27-7 without Nix makes its quarterback situation particularly interesting for Week 2. The combination of home field, stronger Week 1 production and the potential addition of Nix gives Denver several advantages entering this matchup.

Green Bay Packers vs Denver Broncos Picks and Prediction

Pick: Denver Broncos -5.5

I'll lay the 5.5 points with Denver. The Broncos controlled their opener statistically, outgaining Atlanta 359-192 while winning 27-7, and their defense created game-changing turnovers. Green Bay, meanwhile, failed to score an offensive touchdown against Pittsburgh and managed only three field goals. With Denver returning home and potentially adding Nix to a group that already performed well without him, the Broncos appear to have the stronger combination of quarterback depth, defense and overall preseason form. Denver -5.5 is the side pick.

Pick: Under 40.5

I'll take Under 40.5 on the total. Green Bay's offense produced only nine points against Pittsburgh, and all nine came on field goals, while Denver's defense allowed Atlanta just seven points and 192 total yards. Denver certainly demonstrated the ability to create points, but a portion of its Week 1 scoring came directly from the defense, and that isn't something we should automatically project again. Green Bay's offensive struggles combined with Denver's defensive performance make Under 40.5 the preferred total.

Prediction: Denver Broncos 24, Green Bay Packers 13