Packers Collapse in Denver: A Second-Half Spiral That Could Haunt Their Season
The Green Bay Packers didn’t lose to a juggernaut in Denver. They lost because when the game tightened and the pressure mounted, they couldn’t hold the line-literally and figuratively.
What started as a composed, confident road performance unraveled into a 34-26 defeat that exposed just how thin the margin for error can be in December football. A nine-point second-half lead evaporated, and with it, the Packers’ grip on a game that could’ve solidified their postseason standing.
Let’s break down how it all fell apart-and who’s most responsible for a loss that could linger in the weeks to come.
Jordan Love: From Commanding to Crumbling
For two quarters, Jordan Love looked like a quarterback in full control. He was poised in the pocket, unfazed by Denver’s pass rush, and delivering on-time throws that kept the chains moving.
The Packers’ 16 first-half points could’ve easily been more if not for a few self-inflicted wounds. Love was dealing-until he wasn’t.
The turning point came early in the second half. Up 23-14, Love took a deep shot to Christian Watson with pressure bearing down.
It was a calculated risk-trying to give his top vertical threat a chance to make a play. But Patrick Surtain II had other plans.
He read it all the way, jumped the route, and picked it off. Just like that, the momentum flipped.
To make matters worse, Watson was injured on the play, removing Love’s go-to deep threat from the equation.
From that moment on, Green Bay’s offense sputtered. Love threw another interception in the fourth quarter-this one to Riley Moss-and was sacked three times in the second half.
His early-game rhythm gave way to hurried decisions and missed opportunities. On three separate fourth-quarter drives with a chance to tie the game, the Packers came up empty.
Love’s stat line-two interceptions, three sacks, all in the second half-tells the story. Against a defense as opportunistic as Denver’s, one bad quarter can sink a solid afternoon. That’s exactly what happened.
Offensive Line: Cracks in the Foundation
If the Packers’ comeback hopes died anywhere, it was up front. The offensive line simply couldn’t hold up when it mattered most. The fourth quarter was particularly brutal.
Love was sacked twice in quick succession on one drive, killing any shot at a comeback. On the next possession, a false start by Anthony Belton set the tone for another fruitless series.
Rasheed Walker had a rough day-no way around it. He was flagged four separate times, and each penalty came at a moment that halted momentum.
A false start led to a failed third down. An ineligible man downfield call wiped out a promising gain.
A holding penalty near the goal line nearly erased points. Another false start forced the Packers into second-and-long.
The cumulative effect? Drives stalled, field goals replaced touchdowns, and the offense sputtered when it needed to surge.
Special Teams: Field Position Fiascos
Green Bay’s special teams didn’t help the cause-they hurt it. Early on, they allowed a 37-yard kick return that gave Denver a short field. Later, Kingsley Enagbare was flagged for unnecessary roughness after making contact with the punter-a penalty that extended a Broncos drive.
Just before halftime, Emanuel Wilson muffed a kickoff in the end zone, limiting the return to just 14 yards. The Packers still managed a field goal on that drive, but better starting position might’ve meant seven instead of three.
In the second half, with Denver threatening to take the lead, Isaiah McDuffie was flagged for holding on a punt return. The Broncos capitalized with a touchdown. At a time when the defense was already stretched thin, special teams repeatedly tilted the field in the wrong direction.
Defense: The Parsons Effect and Secondary Struggles
The moment Micah Parsons went down with a non-contact knee injury late in the third quarter, everything changed. Green Bay’s defense, already on its heels, lost its anchor. Without Parsons, Denver took over.
The secondary struggled mightily. Carrington Valentine was targeted repeatedly and couldn’t hold up. He gave up key first downs, missed tackles that turned short gains into big ones, and dropped a potential interception that could’ve shifted the game’s momentum.
Keisean Nixon didn’t fare any better. He was beaten by Courtland Sutton for a 42-yard chunk play that set up a score, then later gave up a touchdown. The Broncos saw the mismatches and exploited them relentlessly.
With no pass rush to disrupt the timing, Denver’s receivers had time to work, and Green Bay’s corners couldn’t keep up. The breakdowns were systemic and exposed.
A Gut Check Moment
There’s no shame in losing to a team riding a 10-game win streak. But this wasn’t just a loss-it was a collapse.
Once Parsons exited, the Packers lost their edge. Leadership wavered, execution slipped, and discipline disappeared.
Quarterback miscues, offensive line breakdowns, special teams errors, and defensive lapses all combined into a second-half meltdown that could cost Green Bay dearly in the playoff race.
This was a test of resilience. And on Sunday, the Packers didn’t have the answers.
Now 9-4-1 and clinging to the NFC’s seventh seed, Green Bay has to regroup-and fast. Because if this game showed us anything, it’s that even a strong first half can’t cover for a team that can’t finish.