Aaron Rodgers Knee Injury: Packers' Quarterback Misses Practice, Vikings Could Become Heavy Favorites

Three days after Aaron Rodgers suffered a knee injury in the season opener, the Green Bay Packers still don’t know if their starting quarterback will suit up in Week 2. Because the oddsmakers aren’t aware if arguably the NFL’s best player will take the field, there are no available betting odds for Sunday’s contest between the Packers and Minnesota Vikings at most sportsbooks.

Initially, it looked like Rodgers was likely to make the start. He left the second quarter of Green Bay’s Week 1 matchup with the Chicago Bears but returned for the final two quarters and led the Packers to a miraculous comeback. Rodgers said he intended to play the next game, and the point spread at most sportsbooks listed the Vikings as a 1.5-point road underdog, according to OddsShark.

That changed the following afternoon when head coach Mike McCarthy wouldn’t name a starting signal caller for Green Bay’s upcoming game at Lambeau Field. Rodgers didn’t practice Wednesday, instead working in the team’s rehab group. McCarthy said Rodgers is day-to-day and didn’t rule him out from practice for the remainder of the week.

Few players have the ability to drastically impact a betting line with their absence. Even when Le’Veon Bell—maybe the league’s best running back—was ruled out of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ season opener against the Cleveland Browns, the point spread only moved slightly.

Massive changes in betting odds because of injuries are usually reserved for quarterbacks, and Rodgers is at the top of that list. DeShone Kizer will get the start for Green Bay if Rodgers can’t go. The drop off from Rodgers to Kizer is a sizeable one, to say the least.

Just look at last season when Rodgers suffered a broken collarbone that cost him half the year. When Green Bay visited Minnesota in Week 6 with a healthy Rodgers, the Packers were three-point favorites. The Packers hosted the Vikings 10 weeks later with Brett Hundley at quarterback, and Minnesota was favored on the road by more than a touchdown.

Hundley didn’t prove to be a very good backup, but Kizer might not be an improvement. In 15 games as Cleveland’s starter last season, Kizer had the NFL’s worst passer rating. The second-year quarterback completed four of seven passes for 55 yards in Week 1, and the one interception he threw was returned for a touchdown.

Rodgers posted a 130.7 passer rating in the season opener, completing 20 of 30 passes for 286 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. Since the 2009 season, he’s 89-38 as a starter.

If Kizer is named the starter, don’t be surprised if the final betting odds have Minnesota favored by close to a touchdown.