DENVER — Bo Nix tied his career mark with four touchdowns and Denver's defense stifled Jordan Love in the second half of the Broncos' 34-26 win Sunday over the Green Bay Packers, who lost star Micah Parsons to a knee injury.
With an NFL-best 11th straight win, the Broncos (12-2) clinched a playoff berth and moved a game ahead of New England for first place in the AFC. They are two games ahead of the Los Angeles Chargers in the AFC West.
The Packers (9-4-1), who led 23-14 in the third quarter before falling apart offensively, trailed Chicago by a half-game heading into next weekend's Soldier Field showdown with the Bears. It was Green Bay's first loss by more than three points.
Denver cornerbacks Pat Surtain II and Riley Moss recorded their first interceptions of the season, the Broncos sacked Jordan Love three times, and Denver held the Packers to just one touchdown on four trips to the red zone.
After scoring on their first five drives, the Packers managed one field goal on their final half-dozen possessions. The rest ended with a pair of picks, two turnovers on downs and a punt.
Former Broncos kicker Brandon McManus made field goals of 56, 23 and 35 yards to help the Packers take a 16-14 halftime lead, which they quickly extended to 23-14 on Josh Jacobs' 40-yard touchdown run after a controversial pass interference flag from Moss.
Denver's defense finally got a stop when Surtain intercepted Love's deep throw to Christian Watson, who suffered a chest injury during the play.
The Broncos turned that lead into points as Nix drove Denver 71 yards in seven plays, hitting Courtland Sutton from 14 yards out to give the Broncos a 23-21 lead.
Nix's 23-yard pass to Troy Franklin gave the Broncos the final lead at 27–23, and RJ Harvey, who suffered a rib injury, capped the scoring with a four-yard run.
In the first half, Love threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Jacobs on one play after Broncos coach Sean Payton waved a penalty that would have pushed the Packers back to the Denver 24.
The Broncos responded with their second straight touchdown, rewarded with a perfectly placed five-yard throw from Nix to Lil'Jordan Humphrey to give Denver a 14-13 lead.
Previously, Franklin was wrongly ejected from the Green Bay 7, although his knees never touched the grass as he broke a tackle and wandered into the end zone. Nix made sure it didn't matter, finding cornerback Michael Bandy for a 20-yard touchdown reception that erased Green Bay's 6–0 lead.
Parsons, who robbed Harvey at center field in Denver's opener, suffered a non-contractual injury with 44 seconds left in the third quarter. He had a clear shot at Nix, but stopped and grabbed his left knee before falling to the ground.
As he was tended to by trainers, several Broncos players approached him with comforting words before he headed to the locker room for evaluation.
Packers: In addition to Parsons' knee injury, TE Josh Wile suffered a concussion in the first quarter and RT Zach Tom suffered a knee injury in the second quarter.
Broncos: In addition to Harvey's rib injury, ILB Justin Strnad injured his right ankle in the first quarter and did not return. Additionally, S Brandon Jones was ruled out with a chest injury just after halftime.
Packers. In Chicago next Sunday.
Broncos: Host Jacksonville next Sunday.
