DENVER — A return trip to the postseason is within the Broncos' grasp.

The Broncos (11-2) can both officially clinch a playoff berth with a win over the Packers (9-3-1) and set the stage for much more.

In a matchup between teams at or near the top of their respective conferences, the Broncos can earn perhaps their most impressive win of the season while pushing their winning streak to 11 games.

With their own playoff destiny in their hands, the Broncos can continue to march toward an AFC West title and potential No. 1 overall seed with a victory.

And with so much at stake, the Broncos' first game at Empower Field at Mile High since Week 11 should have the feel of a postseason matchup.

"I think the atmosphere is going to be electric," quarterback Bo Nix said this week. "… We're going to be ready to go on our side, and I know they're going to come in with a really good plan. I know it's going to be a really good football game. It's pretty much going to be like playoff football, and that's what you get in December. At the end of the season, that's what you're playing for."

The Broncos will look to improve to 7-1 in home games against the Packers, but it won't be easy against an NFC North-leading Green Bay team that has won seven of its last nine games.

These are the questions that will determine if the Broncos can earn a win in a matchup between two of the NFL's best:

CAN THE BRONCOS PUT PRESSURE ON JORDAN LOVE?

The Packers' signal-caller is playing as well as any quarterback in the league, as he's thrown seven touchdowns and posted a quarterback rating of more than 120 across his last two games. Since Week 11, the former first-round pick has won all four of his starts as he's tossed nine touchdowns just one interception and recorded a 112.1 passer rating.

The late-season success isn't new to Love, who has the best touchdown-to-interception ratio (37-to-3) and passer rating (111.0) in Week 11 or later in his career.

"It's going to be a challenge," Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph said. "He is playing at a high level. He's accurate, he's making big plays and he's being aggressive, which is scary for a defense. His timing on big plays has killed defenses. It's going to be a challenge for us to get him stopped."

The Broncos, though, could be positioned to improve to 2-0 in games against Love. Denver's 39.5 pressure rate is fourth in the NFL, and the Broncos are on pace to tie the NFL's single-season sack record. That could matter against Love, who is nearly flawless when he doesn't face pressure. When he hasn't been pressured, Love has completed 78.7 percent of his passes, thrown 21 touchdowns and three interceptions and posted an NFL-best 126.7 passer rating. When, however, teams have been able to get to Love, the difference is noticeable. Love has completed 41.2 percent of his passes against pressure and recorded a 55.3 passer rating, which is fifth-lowest in the NFL.

Denver's mission may begin with slowing Josh Jacobs, who is tied for third in the NFL in rushing touchdowns and has 817 rush yards this season. In his tenure with the Raiders, Jacobs rushed for 100 yards in four of eight appearances against the Broncos — and Denver will need to find a way to limit the talented rusher and force the Packers into obvious passing situations.

The Broncos' pass rush, led by All-Pro Nik Bonitto, may need to have one of its best performances to earn a win on Sunday.

CAN DENVER SLOW DOWN MICAH PARSONS?

The Packers made a blockbuster trade ahead of the season, acquiring four-time Pro Bowler Micah Parsons from the Cowboys — and he's made quite the impact in his first season in Green Bay.

Parsons' 12.5 sacks are tied with Bonitto for the third-most in the NFL, and he's also recorded 26 quarterback hits and 12 tackles for loss. The dynamic Packers defender has the highest pressure rate (20.5 percent) and most pressures (78) in the NFL, and he makes things difficult on opposing offenses by moving around the formation.

"As a player, he's extremely explosive," Head Coach Sean Payton said. "He has unique bend and balance for someone at that position, so he's a handful. He's a rare type [of] player."

The Packers' defense ranks in the top six in both scoring defense and total defense, and the unit has the second-longest active streak in the NFL of allowing 25 or fewer points.

No team, though, has allowed fewer sacks than Denver this season, and the Broncos have posted three consecutive outings with at least 22 points — their longest such stretch of the season.

A strong run game would certainly help Denver's cause, and the Broncos posted their best performance since Week 8 in a win over the Raiders. Rookie RJ Harvey recorded 100 scrimmage yards, and he'll aim to find more success against a stingy defense that ranks fifth in yards allowed and ninth in rushing defense.

"Our early downs have to be good," Payton said.

If quarterback Bo Nix and Denver's highly rated offensive line can prevent Parsons from making a game-changing play, it could swing the game in Denver's favor.

CAN THE BRONCOS GAIN THE EDGE IN HIGH-LEVERAGE MOMENTS?

In a game featuring a pair of top teams, the result may well come down to who executes in critical situations.

And in this matchup, that pits strength vs. strength.

Denver boasts the best third-down, red-zone and goal-to-go defense, while the Packers' offense is No. 1 in third-down conversions and No. 2 in the other two preceding categories.

"We've got to be dialed in," Payton said. "… This will be a good test."

Both quarterbacks have also been at their best in big moments. According to NFL Research, Nix is tied for the second-most first downs or touchdowns on third down (61), with Love tied for the fifth-most (56). Only Dak Prescott has more touchdowns than Nix (6) within the final two minutes of each half.

The strong performances extend to the fourth quarter. With Nix under center, the Broncos have five fourth-quarter comebacks this season, which is tied for the most in the league. Nix's nine touchdowns in the fourth quarter this year trail only Josh Allen, and the Broncos are also 5-0 in games in which they trailed in the fourth quarter — the best record of any team since 2000.

If the Broncos are going to pull out their NFL-leading 12th consecutive home win, it will likely require them to be at their best in big moments.