Bengals Now Getting 9.5 Points in Week 1 Matchup With Seahawks After AJ Green Injury

• Cincinnati Bengals WR AJ Green is out 6-8 weeks with torn ligaments in his left ankle
• The Bengals are now 9.5-point underdogs against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 1 of the NFL season
• The line opened at Cincinnati +7.5, moved to +8 and then jumped to +9.5 with word of Green’s injury

The Cincinnati Bengals were always going to be underdogs when they traveled to Seattle to face the Seahawks and open the 2019 NFL regular season on September 8th. Losing their most talented player only assured that those odds would lengthen.

An ankle injury suffered by All-Pro wide receiver AJ Green on the first week of training camp is much more serious than was originally believed. He’s now certain to miss the Bengals’ season-opening trip to Seattle.

That fact also caused the line on this game to move significantly. Seattle is now a 9.5-point favorite to topple Cincinnati.

Cincinnati Bengals At Seattle Seahawks Week 1 NFL Odds

*Odds taken on 07/26/19.

The line opened with the Seahawks as a 7.5-point pick, and had grown to a margin of eight points prior to Green’s injury.

It’s Worse than they Thought

Green was hurt Saturday training on a field at Dayton University as part of the NFL’s 100th anniversary celebrations. Originally, the ailment was not believed to be that serious, nothing more than a sprained ankle.

Further tests displayed that the damage was far worse than that.

An MRI revealed that Bengals’ WR A.J. Green has torn ligaments in his left ankle that is likely to sideline him six to eight weeks, source tells ESPN. Green is not expected to be ready for the regular-season opener at Seattle.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 28, 2019

An MRI revealed torn ligaments in Green’s left ankle. He’ll miss all of training camp and at least the season opener.

Green with Envy

Even when the Seahawks were really good, the Bengals still had their number. Cincinnati won the last two meetings from Seattle. And much of that had to do with the success of Green.

https://twitter.com/TwitterMoments/status/1155212684067049472?s=20

In those two games – a 27-24 overtime win in 2015 at Cincinnati and a 34-12 drubbing at Seattle in 2011 – Green caught 10 balls for 141 yards and a touchdown.

The Seahawks aren’t the same team today. Seattle’s legendary Legion of Boom secondary has gone bust. Green could’ve expected to enjoy a field day against the Seahawks, even on the road. But now he won’t be available.

Bengals are Gonna Bengal

Any veteran Bengals watcher can confirm that this injury is about par for the course. Or is that curse?

More on the decision to practice at the University of Dayton where A.J. tore ligament in his ankle Saturday: Bengals cleared the football field for use in the end, per source. Team did a site survey there and confirmed it was good to go.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 28, 2019

Some Bengals players expressed concern that the field wasn’t up to snuff for an NFL training camp. But team officials checked out the facility and gave it the thumbs up.

Here is @Rockhold_Megan's video of A.J. Green's injury slowed down and enhanced. It gets pixelated, but it appears Green's leg gets caught under Dre Kirkpatrick as he falls to the ground. #Bengals pic.twitter.com/qcDFR5Snpy

— Joe Danneman (@FOX19Joe) July 27, 2019

As it turned out, Green’s injury was not field-related. He got tangled up with cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick while running a pass pattern and Kirkpatrick landed on Green’s left ankle.

Is 9.5 too Much to Give?

The Seahawks were 10-6 and an NFL wildcard team last season. Seattle went 6-2 at home.

Following a 4-1 start to the season, which included wins over the Ravens, Colts and Falcons, optimism reigned supreme in Cincinnati. Then the Bengals finished 6-10, last in the AFC North and with a 2-6 road slate.

#Bengals slot WR Tyler Boyd was quite a bit more productive with A.J. Green in the lineup last season than without him. pic.twitter.com/AWrS8Nd5Zi

— Evan Silva (@evansilva) July 28, 2019

The Seahawks are 5-0 straight up in their last five home games and 5-2 against the spread in their last seven overall. but they’re just 1-5-1 ATS in their last seven September games.

The Bengals, on the other hand, are 4-1 ATS in their last five September games. Cincinnati is 1-7 SU in its last eight games but 4-1 ATS in its last five games.

.@Seahawks jumped from #23 to #1 in rushing. No team in any category made such a significant leap. 18 20+ yard runs, #1 in the @NFL, helped them get to the top. What team in TC right now is going to improve this much? #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/8rxY3PWgnj

— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) July 25, 2019

Eight of Seattle’s last nine games have gone over, as have six of the last seven Bengals-Seahawks contests.

Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll has never beaten the Bengals. Cincy has won its last four season openers played on the road.

Pick: Bengals (+9.5), over 43.5 (-105)