NFL opening lines for Week 9: Packers named underdogs in back-to-back weeks

According to DraftKings sportsbook, the Green Bay Packers are going to be 2.5-point underdogs against the Kansas City Chiefs this week. It’s worth noting on the front end that the Packers are coming off of extended rest after beating the Cardinals on Thursday Night Football and that the Chiefs have yet to play in Week 8, as they’ll play on Monday Night Football tomorrow.

Matt LaFleur’s Packers are on their longest win streak since he took over the program in 2019, while the Chiefs are soul-searching after the team has fallen off collectively in the last calendar year. Still, with home-field advantage, Kansas City is named the favorite here, though they are favored by less than the Cardinals were last week. The only other time the Packers have been underdogs this season was their trip to The Bay when they beat the 49ers outright.

On the season, the Packers are 7-1 against the spread while the Chiefs are 2-5, the second-worst record of any team in 2021. With a total set at 54, the sportsbook roughly projects a 28-26 Chiefs win next Sunday. The Packers have a money line of +120, which carries an implied probability that Green Bay comes away with a win 46 percent of the time.

Hopefully, the Packers are healthier in their Week 9 matchup than their Week 8 matchup. Defensive coordinator Joe Barry, receivers Davante Adams, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Allen Lazard, left tackle David Bakhtiari and cornerback Kevin King could all return this week after missing the Cardinals game. Two other defenders, pass-rusher Za’Darius Smith and cornerback Jaire Alexander, seem to be trending toward returning from the injured reserve list in 2021, but there has been no indication that they would play as early as Week 9.

Full NFL Spreads

Thursday Night:

New York Jets @ Indianapolis Colts

Sunday Early:

Atlanta Falcons @ New Orleans Saints

Denver Broncos @ Dallas Cowboys

New England Patriots @ Carolina Panthers

Minnesota Vikings @ Baltimore Ravens

Cleveland Browns @ Cincinnati Bengals

Buffalo Bills @ Jacksonville Jaguars

Houston Texans @ Miami Dolphins

Las Vegas Raiders @ New York Giants

Sunday Late:

Los Angeles Chargers @ Philadelphia Eagles

Green Bay Packers @ Kansas City Chiefs

Arizona Cardinals @ San Francisco 49ers

Sunday Night:

Tennessee Titans @ Los Angeles Rams

Monday Night:

Chicago Bears @ Pittsburgh Steelers