The Good, Bad And Ugly From The Packers’ Preseason Win Over Denver

Aug 22, 2026 11:08 AM - 4 hours ago 3

The Green Bay Packers’ 2025 play went up successful fume during their Week 15 travel to Denver.

Star separator rusher Micah Parsons suffered a season-ending ACL tear that included meniscus damage. Green Bay blew a nine-point lead and yet dropped a 34-26 decision.

And the Packers didn't triumph again, losing their last 5 games and finishing a remarkably unfulfilling play 9-8-1.

Green Bay was backmost successful Denver Friday for preseason crippled No. 2, and while fewer will retrieve this title travel January, things went overmuch better.

The Packers’ No. 1 discourtesy had a touchdown thrust connected their only bid together, rookie kicker Trey Smack was sensational and Green Bay posted a 33-13 win.

Here’s the good, bad and disfigured from that contest.

THE GOOD

GOOD FORTUNE: The Packers opened the crippled pinch a 12-play, 63-yard touchdown drive. They needed a break, though, to do it.

Green Bay wideout Christian Watson appeared to suffer a fumble erstwhile Denver cornerback Pat Surtain stripped the shot loose. The Packers’ discourtesy near the field, but came backmost aft it was ruled that Watson was down earlier fumbling.

That gave the Packers caller life, and they took advantage.

Jordan Love deed Matthew Golden for 20 yards connected a fourth-and-1. MarShawn Lloyd had a first down tally that he picked up by specified inches. Then Lloyd had an 11-yard touchdown reception erstwhile he came free complete the mediate and ran distant from linebacker Dondrea Tillman.

SUMMER LOVING: Green Bay backmost Jordan Love played 1 series, and chances are his preseason is now finished.

Love led the Packers connected a touchdown drive, going 5-of-7 for 56 yards and a touchdown. If Love’s preseason is so done, he’ll decorativeness 8-of-12 for 74 yards pinch 1 TD, 1 interception and a 111.11 passer rating.

Green Bay scored 10 points successful the 2 possessions Love directed.

DIFFERENT GEAR: Green Bay hasn't had a moving backmost pinch juice since Aaron Jones near municipality aft the 2023 season. If MarShawn Lloyd tin enactment healthy, he'll alteration that.

On Lloyd’s 11-yard TD reception, he whipped linebacker Dondrea Tillman connected a Texas way and came free crossed the middle.

Lloyd, of course, has played conscionable 1 crippled — and 10 snaps — successful his first 2 seasons owed to injuries. Lloyd, a 2024 3rd information draught pick, has stayed patient this summer, though, and is showing why he was the 4th moving backmost drafted that year.

“Whenever you spot guys spell done things and past get backmost retired there, you tin benignant of spot the joyousness successful them,” Green Bay wide head Brian Gutekunst said of Lloyd. “And I'm happy for him. He's doing a awesome occupation pinch his opportunities. I deliberation he's sewage a chance to thief america this year, which would beryllium great.”

SMACK ATTACK: Green Bay rookie kicker Trey Smack has been rocky connected the believe section each summer. He’s been a different feline successful games, though.

Smack made each 4 of his section goals attempts, converting from 59, 51, 43 and 38 yards. Smack besides went 3-for-3 connected section goals successful the Packers’ preseason opener astatine Pittsburgh, making kicks from 58, 38 and 37 yards.

Smack besides made different 58-yarder successful the first preseason crippled that the Packers took disconnected the committee pursuing a Pittsburgh penalty.

Smack is 7-of-7 connected section goals this preseason, pinch 3 of those coming from beyond 50 yards. Barring thing bizarre unfolding successful the adjacent week, Smack will almost surely beryllium the Packers’ Week 1 kicker successful Minnesota.

“That's conscionable benignant of my job,” Smack said. “I’ve sewage to make kicks, truthful I’ve sewage to dainty it for illustration that's my job, and I’ve sewage to support going pinch that. Build connected the assurance part. That's what I'm expected to do. That's why I'm here. So that's benignant of the measurement I position it.”

WHERE THERE’S A WILL: Green Bay’s Will Sheppard, battling for 1 of the last wide receiver jobs, helped his origin Friday.

Sheppard made a sensational, 2-yard touchdown drawback successful the near area of the endzone. Sheppard snagged Tyrod Taylor’s pass, past narrowly sewage some feet down earlier going retired of bounds.

Sheppard vanished his large nighttime pinch six catches for 47 yards.

CORNER ROTATION: Rookie Brandon Cisse and Keisean Nixon were Green Bay’s starting corners. Cisse near aft 1 bid — indicating he’s a judge occurrence starter for Week 1 — and was replaced by Benjamin St-Juste.

Nixon and St-Juste past played together for a series.

Nixon and Carrington Valentine were Green Bay’s starters past season. Valentine went down early successful campy pinch a hamstring injury, was replaced by Cisse and has been buried since. Nixon and St-Juste are battling for the different spot.

“I'm a large believer that title will bring the champion retired of people,” Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur said. “I want everybody to play the spot connected their shoulder. If they consciousness for illustration they person thing to prove, you're astir apt going to get much retired of them.”

THIS AND THAT: Green Bay information Mark Perry had an interception precocious successful the first half that led to a 43-yard Trey Smack section goal. … Running backmost Pierre Strong, battling for a roster spot, had a 68-yard kickoff return. … For amended aliases for worse, the Packers’ No. 1 violative statement was (from left) Jordan Morgan, rookie Jager Burton, Sean Rhyan, Jacob Monk and Anthony Belton. … Kamal Hadden perfectly publication a surface walk and dumped moving backmost Jonah Coleman for a 2-yard loss. … Isaiah Neyor made a sensational 9-yard reception wherever he extended and made a digit extremity grab. Neyor later had a 27-yard reception from No. 3 backmost Kyle McCord. … Skyy Moore, brought successful this offseason to thief the return game, had a 30-yard footwear return to unfastened the game. … The Packrs scored connected 7 of their 9 possessions.

THE BAD

MISSING IN ACTION: The Packers that didn't suit up were separator rushers Micah Parsons and Dani Dennis-Sutton, wideout Jayden Reed, moving backmost Josh Jacobs, information Javon Bullard, cornerback Carrington Valentine, violative linemen Aaron Banks, Zach Bako-Bewele and Darian Kinnard, tight ends Tucker Kraft and Luke Musgrave, agelong snapper Matt Orzech, and protect linemen Devonte Wyatt, Javon Hargrave and Jordon Riley.

THIS AND THAT: Right defender Jacob Monk had a holding punishment connected Green Bay’s opening possession. … Wideout Isaiah Neyor had a dropped pass. … Slot area Kitan Oladapo was deed pinch a 12-yard walk interference penalty. … The Packers averaged a mediocre 3.7 yards per rush.

THE UGLY

DEFENSELESS: Denver marched 65 yards successful six plays connected its opening thrust for a touchdown.

Running backmost RJ Harvey sewage matched up pinch linebacker Edgerrin Cooper and whipped him for a 21-yard TD reception from backmost Bo Nix. Three plays earlier, Denver wideout Jaylen Waddle smoked Packers information Xavier McKinney for 35 yards.

On some plays, Green Bay’s unit was non-existent.

The Packers’ No. 1 defense has shined connected the believe section astir days this summer. It was a overmuch different communicative against the Broncos, though.

When Week 1 astatine Minnesota arrives, Green Bay must find a measurement to make unit without prima separator rusher Micah Parsons. That didn’t hap Friday and Denver took advantage.