Chiefs Move to 7.5-Point Favorites Over Packers in Week 9 After Rodgers Ruled Out with COVID

• Packers QB Aaron Rodgers will miss Sunday’s game against the Chiefs because of COVID-19 protocols
• The Packers went from one-point road favorites to 7.5-point underdogs after the news broke
• A look at the Packers-Chiefs line movement can be found below with analysis

Just how much is Aaron Rodgers worth to the Green Bay Packers? More than a touchdown, it appears, after the star quarterback was ruled out of Sunday’s game against the Chiefs in Kansas City when he was placed in COVID-19 protocol.

The Packers were favored by one point by some books Tuesday. However, not long after the news broke Wednesday that Rodgers would be sidelined, the spread moved dramatically. The Chiefs are now favored by 7.5 points.

The line had already had a significant swing. The Chiefs opened as 2.5-point picks, but the Packers became favorites after Kansas City struggled to beat the New York Giants (20-17) on Monday night at home.

Packers vs Chiefs Odds

Odds as of November 3rd at FanDuel.

Sidelined by Protocols

The Packers were vague on details on Rodgers’ situation Wednesday other than to say he would not make to the trip to Kansas City this weekend.

Packers coach Matt LaFleur confirmed Rodgers was in the protocol before his team had its first practice in preparation for Sunday’s game. However, LaFleur would not say if the reigning NFL MVP had tested positive or if the 37-year-old was vaccinated.

Rodgers said in August that he had been “immunized” against COVID-19. However, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reported Wednesday that Rodgers has not been vaccinated and multiple outlets reported he has tested positive.

Breaking: Aaron Rodgers has tested positive for COVID-19 and will miss Sunday's game vs. the Chiefs, per @AdamSchefter. First reported by NFL Network. pic.twitter.com/hscBcLxIHI

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 3, 2021

Unvaccinated players must miss at least 10 days if they test positive or have a close contact with someone with the coronavirus.

Regardless, Rodgers won’t play Sunday.

Another Good Season

Rodgers is having another fine season, leading the Packers to a 7-1 record following a drama-filled offseason in which there were questions whether he would return to Green Bay for a 17^th season.

Rodgers has completed 67.1% of his passes for 1,894 yards and 17 touchdowns while being intercepted three times in 258 attempts. After setting an NFL record with a 121.5 passer rating last season, Rodgers’ 105.7 mark this season is his second-best since 2014.

We've seen this connection before: Aaron Rodgers ➡️ Randall Cobb 🎯

(via @NFL) pic.twitter.com/1fDv2WqmKo

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 29, 2021

Pro Football Focus, though, grades Rodgers as just the 15th-best QB in the league this season.

Last Thursday, Rodgers and the Packers beat Arizona 24-21 on the road to hand the Cardinals their first loss of the season. Green Bay won despite missing top wide receivers Davante Adams and Allen Lazard because of COVID protocols.

All They Have Is Love

Jordan Love is in line to make the first start of his nascent NFL career with Rodgers shelved.

The Packers traded up to select Love in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft following a standout career at Utah State. Love dd not play at all last season as the Packers advanced to the NFC Championship Game and has seen action in two games in 2021.

Love was used in a mop-up role in Week 1 when the Packers were routed 38-3 by the New Orleans Saints, completing five of seven passes for 68 yards. He had three kneel downs to end a win over the Detriot Lions in Week 2.

Here is every single completion Jordan Love made this preseason.pic.twitter.com/Ktf21JPkg3

— Eli Berkovits (@BookOfEli_NFL) November 3, 2021

There is also a question of who will back up Love. Kurt Bankert, who is on the practice squad, was in line to be QB2 but was placed on the COVID-19 reserve list Tuesday.

Bankert has yet to play in a regular season game during his two-year career. He spent last season with the Atlanta Falcons then signed with the Packers a free agent in May.

Does Pack Provide Value?

The line on this game has already taken plenty of twists and turns and we’re still four days away from kickoff. Barring any more unforeseen news, the spread figures to stabilize now at around a touchdown.

While the initial reaction is to think the Chiefs should roll over the Rodgers-less Packers, Kansas City has its own issues. The Chiefs are just 4-4 coming off back-to-back AFC titles, allowing 27.5 points a game and Patrick Mahome has thrown a career-high 10 interceptions in just eight games.

Patrick Mahomes has more turnovers than 24 other NFL teams 😳 pic.twitter.com/2j7Agbtm9h

— DraftKings (@DraftKings) November 2, 2021

With that in mind, the Packers look like they provide some value getting 7.5 points.