NFL odds: How Aaron Rodgers' COVID news impacted Green Bay's Week 9 spread

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Bettors and fans, alike, were excited about this Sunday's Green Bay Packers vs. Kansas City Chiefs matchup which would have featured two former NFL MVPs in Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes. Instead, news broke on Wednesday that Rodgers tested positive for COVID-19 and will miss Sunday's big game.

So what does this mean for bettors who planned on placing their bucks on this highly anticipated Week 9 matchup?

FOX Bet had opened the line for the game at Chiefs -1.5, but since the news broke that the QB won't be available to play Sunday, the odds have swung drastically.

"Lines are still settling, but I see it landing at Kansas City -7.5," FOX Bet content integration specialist Jacob Blangsted-Barnor said. "That would make Rodgers worth about 6 points to the spread, which sounds about right."

6 points is an enormous shift, but justified, as Rodgers is having an MVP-like season. He's tied for fifth in the League with 17 touchdowns and has only thrown three interceptions on the season.

From a gambling perspective, since Rodgers' first season as a starter in 2008, the Packers are 7-11 against the spread (ATS) and 5-8 ATS as underdogs in games in which he doesn't start, per FOX Sports research.

As for moving forward, second-year backup Jordan Love gets his very first NFL start in Rodgers' absence. He has not thrown for a TD in the two games that he has appeared in this year for Green Bay.

The oddsmaker goes on to state that there could be a concern that other Green Bay players may also potentially miss time. 

"Other players may also have caught it, either at the Packers Halloween party or just by being on the team," Blangsted-Barnor said. "Just shows how long it can take to develop if Rodgers got it from teammate Davante Adams, and generally a sport where they huddle every play isn’t ideal."

As the Chiefs have struggled offensively and defensively in wins and in losses, facing an inexperienced QB will be huge for Mahomes & Co. as they try to get on track down the stretch. 

Prior to the news, the public had been all over the Packers at +1.5 because of how poorly the Chiefs have played.

"Public confidence on Kansas City is so low that 7.5 may even keep people on Green Bay," the bookmaker explained.

Can Green Bay keep their winning streak alive with a victory at Kansas City this Sunday? Place your bets on this weekend's big game to get in on the action.

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