Broncos Fall to Packers at Mile High: The Good, Bad, and the Ugly

The Denver Broncos were vanquished by the Green Bay Packers 33-13 in Bo Nix’s long-awaited return to the field.

Both the Broncos’ first-team offense and defense came to play; however, their effectiveness declined sharply when the backups took the field.

As we continue sifting through the aftermath of preseason Game 2, let’s talk about the good, the bad, and the downright ugly of the Broncos' blowout loss, starting with the return of the face of the franchise.

The Good: Nix Makes His Return

You’d never guess that Nix was coming off two ankle surgeries, as he showed off his mobility in the pocket and carved up the Packers’ secondary. Nix fired a pass over the middle to Jaylen Waddle for a 35-yard gain, who also saw his first action of 2026 on Friday night, giving Broncos Country a taste of how dynamic this duo can be.

That speed after the catch is scary. Jaylen Waddle, it's gonna be a GREAT year! pic.twitter.com/T1btl9VaVJ
— Mile High Huddle (@MileHighHuddle) August 22, 2026

Nix capped off his first drive with a beautiful 21-yard touchdown pass on a wheel route to RJ Harvey. The Broncos’ second drive stalled, but Nix managed to pull them into field-goal range after hitting Lil’Jordan Humphrey for 14 yards.

There were no signs of Nix’s ankle bothering him throughout his two drives, eluding pressure and delivering the ball on the run. He may be stronger and hungrier than he’s ever been heading into a season, and that bodes well for the Broncos’ Super Bowl aspirations.

The Bad: Defense On Its Heels

Denver Broncos linebacker Jonathon Cooper (0) huddles with teammates before the preseason game against the Green Bay Packers at Empower Field at Mile High. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

While the Broncos easily handled Tua Tagovailoa and the Atlanta Falcons last week, the same can’t be said for stopping Jordan Love and the Packers. Love drove down the field on the Packers’ opening possession, using play-action, which the Broncos’ defense bit on several times, leading to first down after first down for the Cheese Heads.

Love hit backup running back MarShawn Lloyd for an easy pitch-and-catch touchdown with Dondrea Tillman in coverage after a defensive miscommunication. Denver’s backup defenders didn’t fare any better, letting running back Pierre Strong Jr. chip away at them on the ground while Jahdae Barron gave up a two-yard touchdown pass.

There’s no reason to panic about the Broncos' defense; preseason is the time to iron out any kinks they may have, but their performance against the Packers was one to forget.

The Ugly: Special Teams Continues to Disappoint

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Skyy Moore (23) runs the ball in the second quarter against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Broncos’ special teams unit was abysmal once again, giving up several huge gains on punt and kick coverage. Strong had a 68-yard return on a kickoff, and Skyy Moore had a 16-yard return on a punt that should’ve been snuffed out as quickly as it hit his hands.

While Wil Lutz drilled field goals from 53 and 38 yards, he botched a kickoff out of bounds, giving the Packers the ball on Denver’s 40. It's extremely aggravating how undisciplined the Broncos have been on special teams, especially when you consider that Ben Kotwica was axed so Sean Payton could hire his buddy Darren Rizzi, and ever since, this unit hasn’t been the same.

Last Word

The Broncos have only one preseason game left against the Minnesota Vikings to finalize their roster and work out any remaining issues. With the return of Nix, this team is primed to make another strong push to the AFC championship game, but it must figure out why its special teams aren’t so special anymore.

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