WOLF RIVER MEDIA4 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2015 GREEN & GOLD EXPRESS

In a battle of undefeated superpowers, the Green Bay Packers (6-0) are 3-point favorites for Sunday night’s game at the Denver Bron-cos (6-0). Here’s the breakdown.

When the Packers have the ballFor the first time in years, there are ques-

tions surrounding the Packers’ offense.Can the offensive line, especially tackles

David Bakhtiari and Bryan Bulaga, hold up against outside linebackers DeMarcus Ware and Von Miller? Ware is closing in on the top-10 in all-time sacks, and Miller was the third-fastest player to 50 sacks in NFL history. In all, seven Broncos have at least two sacks as they have a league-high 26.

Can the receivers get open? With Davante Adams (ankle) sidelined and Randall Cobb (shoulder) and James Jones (hamstring) laboring through injuries, Green Bay’s pass-ing game has been in a relative funk the past three games. Adams is back, and Cobb and Jones are feeling better, as well. However, the Broncos might have the best trio of corner-backs in the league with starters Chris Harris and Aqib Talib and reserve Bradley Roby.

Can the Packers run the ball? Eddie Lacy carried just four times vs. San Diego before the bye and James Starks is hobbled with a hip injury. Denver ranks third in yards al-

lowed per carry and fourth in rushing yards allowed per game.

Put it all together, and the Broncos have the best defense in the NFL. They rank first in total yards, first in yards per play, first against the pass, second on third down and second in takeaways. They would rank first in points al-lowed per game if not for three pick-sixes by Peyton Manning.

“It’s a great defense from the front line to the back,” quarterback Aaron Rodgers said. “Wade (Phillips, the defensive coordinator) does a great job of coaching them up. They’re really solid on the back end. They make plays on the football, excellent cover guys. You’ve got to be very efficient and take care of the football. They’ve been very opportunistic, ob-viously, holding teams to very low points per game, but they’ve also taken the ball away re-ally well.”

When the Broncos have the ballAmong quarterbacks in their 16th and 17th

seasons in NFL history, Brett Favre and Y.A. Tittle led the way with two-year totals of 46 touchdown passes apiece. Then came Man-ning, who threw 55 touchdown passes in 2013 and 39 more in 2014 for a total of 94.

Finally, however, it appears age and in-jury have caught up to arguably the finest passer to ever walk the planet. Through six games this season, Manning has thrown

seven touchdown passes and 10 intercep-tions. He’s thrown at least one interception in every game, including seven in the final three games before the bye. It’s a dramatic decline for the NFL’s career leader in touchdown passes.

Kubiak might be playing defense for his legendary quarterback, but there’s some truth to what he said. From 2012 through 2014, Manning’s first three seasons in Den-ver, he was sacked a league-low 58 times (1.21 per game). This season, he’s been sacked 12 times (2.00 per game). Last season, running back C.J. Anderson made the Pro Bowl. This season, the Broncos rank 30th with 85.0 rush-ing yards per game.

All of that spells trouble for the Broncos’ offense against a Packers defense that leads the NFL in points allowed per game. Denver left tackle Ty Sambrailo, a rookie, and right tackle Ryan Harris have struggled and will have their hands full on passing downs with Julius Peppers and Clay Matthews, respec-tively. Peppers has 5.5 sacks, Matthews has 4.5 and the Packers rank second with 23. If the Broncos can keep the rush at bay, Manning will attack with receivers Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders. They might be the best receiver duo in football.

“We’ll have our hands full,” Matthews said. “I’m sure he hasn’t played up to the standard he sets for himself but, the reality is, if he’s got

time in the pocket, he can step up and make every throw. People are questioning his arm strength, but we’ve seen some throws out there that are Peyton Manning-esque.”

Special teamsIn a special-teams formula put together

by Scout.com, the Packers rank fifth, due in large part to top-10 production in field-goal accuracy and field position following kickoffs and kickoff returns. Denver kicker Brandon McManus is 16 of 17 on field goals. In the first two games, he hit from 56 and 57 yards at home against Baltimore and from 54 at Kan-sas City. Punter Britton Colquitt, who has a 45.5-yard career average, is the son of former NFL punter Craig Colquitt and the brother of current Chiefs punter Dustin Colquitt. The Broncos’ return units have been poor.

CoachingWhen the Packers beat San Diego before

the bye, Mike McCarthy became the 38th coach in NFL history to win 100 regular-sea-son games. He is 8-1 in the game immediately following the bye, tied for the best winning percentage in NFL history (minimum eight games). Kubiak, who was John Elway’s long-time backup quarterback, spent eight sea-sons as Houston’s head coach. After a year as offensive coordinator in Baltimore, Kubiak was hired to replace John Fox.

Keys to the Game: Packers vs. BroncosBy Green & Gold Express Staff