Denver Broncos: Aaron Rodgers kicks the pass rush while it’s down

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers was battered in 2015 when the Broncos hosted him, but he’s feeling great after their 2019 meeting.

The Denver Broncos attacked Aaron Rodgers in their 2015 matchup from the first snap of the game to the very last. That was probably the last time we saw the Broncos play a complete game on offense, defense, and special teams, and they dominated the Packers — and Rodgers — in Denver en route to a Super Bowl win.

The script was flipped in Green Bay on Sunday as Rodgers was not only not attacked by the Broncos’ defense, he was feeling so good after the game he was already daydreaming about going home and having a bit of scotch while watching Eagles film.

The Broncos did nothing to rattle Rodgers.

For the third straight game to open the 2019 season, the Broncos were without a sack and a turnover. They’re the first team in 50 years to go three straight games to open a season without either one of those two things.

Rodgers, meanwhile, kicked the pass rush while it’s down.

There was no deliberate message for the Broncos here, but the message is clear nonetheless. The Broncos are not getting pressure on the quarterback.

In the vaunted Vic Fangio defense, which has been one of the league’s best historically at not only getting to the quarterback but creating turnovers, the Broncos have zero sacks as a team and zero turnovers forced.

And this is all with Von Miller and Bradley Chubb playing just about every snap.

Although the duo of Miller and Chubb had dreams of combining for close to 40 sacks this season, it seems like Shaq Barrett, now with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, has a better chance at 40 sacks himself (eight sacks in three games) than the Broncos’ top duo.

Miller and Chubb are playing the run fine, but they’re not getting a rush on when the Broncos need it the most.

Like Rodgers said, he hit the ground just one time in this game and probably barely broke a sweat. He didn’t even really have to do anything in this game except dink and dunk, and hand the ball off to his backs.

The Broncos gave the Packers the game — literally — with three very untimely turnovers. Two within the shadow of their own goalpost, and one when they were moving the ball well into Packers territory for points.

Rodgers only complete 17 passes and ran the ball just one time.

It may not seem significant that Rodgers only ran the ball once, but he’s obviously a player known for his ability to create under pressure, and considering he never had to ‘create’ with his legs, it’s a testament to the fact that the Broncos didn’t do enough to get him off his spot or to get the Packers’ offense out of rhythm.

Even in the rain, this was an easy win for Green Bay, and the Broncos made it that way by setting up Rodgers with one scoring drive at their own 37 and another at their own five.

It was another tough day at the offense for the Broncos’ pass rush, made even more difficult by turnovers from the offense.

The Broncos have to find a solution. Teams know they can get the ball out quickly and neutralize the outside rushers, so the Broncos have to find a way to get an interior rush and push the pocket from the inside out to filter some sacks to Miller and Chubb.

As hot as Gardner Minshew has been for the Jaguars, a rookie quarterback coming into the Mile High City is a great way for the Broncos to get on the board in terms of sacks, turnovers, and notching a win.