What to Watch For: Denver Broncos vs. Green Bay Packers
I am not one to make bold predictions, because I hate the feedback I get if I am wrong, but I have been saying all week that the Broncos would beat the Green Bay Packers on the road, whether you think that’s crazy or not.
As a fan, you typically get this feeling leading up to a game. Typically when I am really nervous, I feel like my team is going to lose or has a really tough road to victory. Sometimes that intuition proves wrong, and sometimes not.
The other feeling I get is really one where I don’t feel anything. My heartbeat doesn’t pickup when I think of the game, and I can honestly look at the matchup and say, “We can win this game.” That being said, I have had that feeling all week about the Broncos vs. the Packers, and I think it either means I think they will win or I think they will get blown out. Those seem to be the two general feelings out there right now, so I’m going to go ahead and go against the grain and pick the Broncos to win.
What to watch for?
1. The Return of Elvis Dumervil, Champ Bailey, D.J. Williams, Knowshon Moreno, Marcus Thomas
The Broncos are getting healthy, and this is probably the healthiest they have been/will be all season. If there’s any time for an upset, it’s right now.
2. Time for Kyle Orton to step up
Orton has played terrible so far this season, so bad that I keep having dreams of him throwing interceptions on balls that are tipped at the line of scrimmage. Orton is 3-1 in his career against the Packers, and the Bears had some great defenses over that span of time. The Broncos’ defense certainly isn’t like the 2006 Bears, but this is the best defense they have had since 2005. Orton has to play mistake free football and start earning his paycheck.
3. Von Miller
Miller was the 2nd pick in the draft and is one of the most impressive players I have ever watched. He has a sack in each of the last two games, so Aaron Rodgers will have to watch out for this guy, especially with Bryan Bulaga not playing for this game.