Denver Broncos quarterback Joe Flacco (5) is sacked by Green Bay Packers defensive lineman Preston Smith in the fourth quarter of the Broncos 27-16 loss on Sunday at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo: Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
In the end, the Denver Broncos had to overcome themselves as much as they had to overcome the Green Bay Packers.
It all proved too much to overcome.
The Packers turned a couple of critical turnovers into touchdowns and defeated the Broncos, 27-16, Sunday at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
After Green Bay opened the scoring on its first possession, the Broncos answered on Phillip Lindsay's two-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter to tie the game 7-7. That score capped a 15 play, 77 yard drive that took 8:35.
Brandon McManus' 30-yard field goal made it 10-10 with 3:53 left before halftime.
After forcing a punt, the Broncos took over at their 18 yard line. Packers defensive lineman sacked Flacco and forced a fumble that fellow Packer Rashan Gary recovered at the Broncos five yard line.
Aaron Jones scored on a seven-yard touchdown run two plays later to give the Packers a 17-10 lead at halftime.
Then after Broncos tight end Noah Fant fumbled on the first series of the third quarter, the Packers recovered at the Broncos 37 yard line. Jones took it into the end zone four plays later and the Packers were up 24-10 early in the third quarter.
The Broncos would get closer on Phillip Lindsay's tough one-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-goal to get within 24-16 with 5:59 remaining in the game.
Overall, the Broncos turned the ball over three times and the Packers sacked Joe Flacco six times.
Meantime, the Broncos defense is still without a sack and a turnover in the first three games of the season. It's the first time an NFL team has gone three games without a sack and a turnover since sacks became an official statistic in 1982.
The loss puts the Broncos at 0-3 while the Packers move to 3-0.
The Broncos host the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, September 29. Coverage starts at 8 a.m. MDT on KOA 850 AM and 94.1 FM.
Check out the KOA postgame interviews after the game.