As is the case every week, injuries are a key factor impacting NFL Week 9 betting odds. But you can add illness this week, as well.
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers will sit out after testing positive for COVID, while Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry is out indefinitely with a foot injury.
Props.com’s Countdown to Kickoff serves as a one-stop-shop for details on injuries, weather conditions, and Pros vs. Joes action. Check back regularly for injury updates, significant weather impacts, and notable contrasts between NFL Week 9 sharp bets and public money.
NFL Week 9 Injuries
Green Bay Packers: On Wednesday morning, news broke that Rodgers has the ‘rona. And since the reigning league MVP hasn’t been vaccinated, he enters the league’s protocol of a mandatory 10-day absence. So he’s out for Sunday’s marquee game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
The reaction was swift on a line that had already seen some early-week volatility. The SuperBook opened Kansas City -2.5 and briefly flipped to Green Bay -1 after the Chiefs’ lackluster Monday night win over the Giants. The number got to Chiefs -1 Tuesday afternoon, then shot straight to K.C. -7.5 on the Rodgers news. Shortly thereafter, The SuperBook settled in at -7. With Rodgers on the shelf, the total hurtled from 54.5 down to 48.5.
In the plus column for the Packers, wideout Davante Adams is off the COVID/reserve list and will play Sunday.
Tennessee Titans: Henry suffered a foot injury in Tennessee’s Week 8 win at Indianapolis and had surgery Tuesday. Henry, the league’s leading rusher by a mile with 937 yards in eight games, is out indefinitely. Wideout A.J. Brown (knee) is questionable. Even when Henry was expected to play in Sunday night’s road game against the Los Angeles Rams, the Titans were 6.5-point underdogs. The SuperBook on Monday morning moved to Titans +7, then to +7.5. The total opened at 53, rose to 54, then backed up to 53.
Arizona Cardinals: QB Kyler Murray is questionable and a game-time decision with an ankle injury. Wideout DeAndre Hopkins (hamstring), who like Murray didn’t practice this week, is also questionable vs. San Francisco. That’s prompted this line to go from Cardinals -2.5 Sunday night to Cardinals +2.5 by Friday afternoon at The SuperBook. On game day, it’s 49ers -4, making it seem much less likely Murray plays. The total dropped to 44.5 from a 47 opener, ticked up to 45 Saturday and back to 44.5 Sunday.
San Francisco 49ers: Running back Elijah Ward (ribs) and wideout Deebo Samuel (calf) are questionable for Sunday’s home game against Arizona. However, tight end George Kittle (calf), who last played in Week 4, appears set to return. The 49ers opened +2.5 at The SuperBook and are now -3, primarily due to the Cardinals’ injury issues (see above).
New Orleans Saints: The Saints are coming off a fantastic home win over the defending Super Bowl champion Buccaneers. But it came at a cost, with QB Jameis Winston out the rest of the season with a torn ACL. Trevor Siemian stepped in adequately to lead New Orleans past the Bucs and will start, although Winston’s primary backup, Taysom Hill, might be able to return from a Week 5 concussion. Interestingly, Winston’s absence hasn’t impacted the line as much as many might have expected. The SuperBook opened New Orleans -4 vs. Atlanta — notably down from last week’s -5.5 look-ahead line — but the Saints were bet up to -6.5. The total dipped from 43.5 to 42, then rebounded to 43.
Dallas Cowboys: QB Dak Prescott (calf), who sat out Dallas’ Week 8 Sunday night win at Minnesota, is questionable Sunday at home vs. Denver. Wideouts CeeDee Lamb (ankle) and Amari Cooper (hamstring) are also questionable. But it appears all are a go for this game. The Cowboys moved from -8 to -10 at The SuperBook by Tuesday, inched back to -9.5, but are -10 on game day.
New York Jets: Wideout Corey Davis (hip) is doubtful for the Thursday night game at Indianapolis. The Jets have been pinned to +10.5 all week at The SuperBook, while the total is down a point to 45.5.
Indianapolis Colts: T.Y. Hilton (concussion) is out again, but that was already baked into The SuperBook’s cake, with Indy -10.5 all week. The total dipped from 46.5 to 45.5.
Houston Texans: QB Tyrod Taylor (hamstring) will start Sunday at Miami, after a six-game absence for hapless Houston. In the wake of that news Thursday, the Texans shortened from +6.5 to +6, then to +5.5 at The SuperBook. The line opened the week at Texans +7. However, Houston will be minus tight end Pharaoh Brown (thigh). The total is up to 46.5, from a 45 opener.
Miami Dolphins: QB Tua Tagovailoa (ribs/finger) is questionable midweek for Sunday’s home game against Houston, though he appears likely to play. Miami nudged from -7 to -6.5 Tuesday at The SuperBook, then shortened to +5.5 Thursday, primarily due to the return of Texans QB Tyrod Taylor (see above). The total moved from 45 to 46.5 to 45.5 by Wednesday evening, then rose to 46.5 again Thursday.
New York Giants: If not for bad luck, oft-injured running back Saquon Barkley would have no luck at all. On Wednesday, it was announced that Barkley tested positive for COVID. Barkley cleared subsequent COVID protocols, but an ankle injury will keep him off the field against the Raiders. Wideout Sterling Shepard (quad) is out, and fellow wideout Kenny Golladay (knee) is questionable. The Giants opened +3 at The SuperBook, shortened to +2.5 Tuesday and have been +3 (even) since Thursday afternoon. The total dropped from 47.5 to 45.5 by late Friday morning, then ticked up to 46.5.
Baltimore Ravens: Running back Latavius Murray (ankle) is doubtful Sunday vs. Minnesota. Wideouts Sammy Watkins (thigh) and Rashod Bateman (groin) are questionable. Baltimore dipped from -5.5 to -5 early at The SuperBook, but stretched to -6.5 by Thursday afternoon.
Cleveland Browns: Wideout Donovan Peoples-Jones (groin) is questionable for Sunday’s game at Cincinnati. Still, the Browns moved from +3 to +2.5 early in the week.
Carolina Panthers: There’s potential good news for Carolina, with running back Christian McCaffrey (hamstring) returning from injured reserve Wednesday. So McCaffrey might play Sunday vs. New England. However, as of Saturday afternoon, QB Sam Darnold (concussion/shoulder) was still in concussion protocol and questionable. The Panthers opened +3 at The SuperBook, stretched to +4 Tuesday, and backed up to +3.5 Wednesday. The total fell from 43.5 to 41, then rose to 41.5.
Buffalo Bills: Tight end Dawson Knox (hand) is out, and wideout Cole Beasley (ribs) is questionable Sunday at Jacksonville. Still, Buffalo moved from -13.5 to -14.5 by Tuesday at The SuperBook.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Running back James Robinson (heel) is questionable Sunday against Buffalo. The Jags opened +13.5 and has been at +14.5 since Tuesday at The SuperBook.
Chicago Bears: Running back David Montgomery (knee), out since Week 4, on Thursday was designated to return from injured reserve. That means Montgomery might return for the Monday night game at Pittsburgh. But without clarity, the Bears remained +6.5 at The SuperBook
NFL Week 9 Weather
Houston Texans at Miami Dolphins: If the weather gods have any mercy, they’ll serve up a tsunami and a horde of locusts so that this “battle” between one-win teams gets canceled. Presuming that doesn’t happen, it’ll be a pleasant 78 degrees Sunday in Miami, but with winds of 10-20 mph.
Buffalo Bills at Jacksonville Jaguars: The temperature should be fine Sunday, in the high 60s, but wind could be an issue in northern Florida as well, with breezes of 10-20 mph. As of Friday, the total hadn’t budged off 48.5 at The SuperBook.
New England Patriots at Carolina Panthers: Friday night, the forecast called for 10-20 mph winds Sunday in Charlotte. The total is down to 41 from a 43.5 opener at The SuperBook, though as noted above, Sam Darnold’s status could play into that, too.
Green Bay Packers at Kansas City Chiefs: It could be a little breezy Sunday afternoon into Sunday evening in Kansas City. The forecast calls for winds of 10-20 mph. This total is down to 48.5 from a 54.5 opener, 55 high point and 48 low, though that’s almost entirely due to the Aaron Rodgers situation (see above).
Arizona Cardinals at San Francisco 49ers: Modest breezes are seemingly the order of the week for NFL weather. Friday night, the forecast projected winds of 10-15 mph Sunday in San Francisco.
NFL Week 9 Pros Vs Joes
Cleveland Browns at Cincinnati Bengals: “Definitely sharp play on the Browns +3 early in the week,” BetMGM Nevada’s Scott Shelton said of action that took Cleveland to +2.5 at Cincinnati. The public, meanwhile, is on the short home chalk. “Tickets are 4/1 in favor of the Bengals, but money is almost dead even, a little bit more on the Browns.”
Arizona Cardinals at San Francisco 49ers: TwinSpires trading analyst Zachary Lucas said the public is still hitting Arizona midweek, despite Murray’s ankle issue. San Francisco is the sharp side thus far, with the 49ers shortening from +2.5 to +1 by Wednesday, then jumping the fence to -1.5 Thursday. By Friday, the Niners were -2. The Cardinals are drawing 77 percent of spread bets, but just 58% of spread dollars.
