Not Surprisingly, Packers Huge Underdogs at Bills
GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers are 9.5-point underdogs for Saturday’s preseason finale at the Buffalo Bills.
It’s the biggest spread for the final week of the preseason at FanDuel Sportsbook, and perhaps the only thing surprising about it is that the spread isn’t even larger. The Bills will start MVP candidate Josh Allen at quarterback. Some of their starters will play into the second half, coach Sean McDermott said.
The Packers, meanwhile, have barely played any of their starters in the preseason, and that’s not going to change this week. So, it will be Allen attacking Green Bay’s backups in the secondary, and the touted Bills defense going after Jordan Love and Green Bay’s No. 2 offensive line.
For reference, the Packers have been regular-season underdogs of 9-plus points just twice during the Aaron Rodgers era: 14.5-point underdogs at New England with Matt Flynn starting in 2010 and 14-point underdogs at Pittsburgh in 2017.
Rodgers vs. Allen would have been a marquee quarterbacking matchup.
At FanDuel, Rodgers is +1000 to win his second consecutive MVP and fourth overall. Allen is +1300. The MVP board is Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes (+500), Rodgers, Tampa Bay’s Tom Brady (+1200), Allen, and Dallas’ Dak Prescott, the Rams’ Matthew Stafford and Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson (all +1700).
Mahomes is +310 to lead the NFL in passing yards, followed by Prescott (+500), Allen (+850) and Brady (+950). Rodgers is a distant ninth at +2000 – tied with newly minted Saints starter Jameis Winston.
Mahomes also is the favorite to lead the NFL in passing touchdowns at +340. Brady (+460), Seattle’s Russell Wilson (+700), Rodgers (+850) and Allen (+1000) round out the top five. Rodgers led the NFL with 48 touchdown passes last season.
With Rodgers and Allen, the Packers and Bills are two of the top championship contenders at FanDuel. The Chiefs are the favorites at +500, followed by the Buccaneers (+650), Bills (+1200), Packers (+1200), Ravens (+1400) and 49ers (+1400). Similarly, in the race for the NFL’s best regular-season record, the Chiefs are (+450), followed by the Buccaneers (+600), Packers (+1000), Bills (+1000) and 49ers (+1200).
Among FanDuel’s player props, Rodgers to throw 40-plus touchdowns and Davante Adams to reach 1,500 receiving yards is +600. The same bet for Allen and Bills receiver Stefon Diggs also is +600.
