The Green Bay Packers will be without starting receivers Davante Adams and Allen Lazard for tonight's game at the unbeaten Arizona Cardinals, which jumped the spread early this week from Green Bay +3 to +6.5. But we knew that. In the past 24 hours, however, the Cardinals have ruled out defensive end JJ Watt and are listing their star receiver, DeAndre Hopkins, as questionable. No one expects Hopkins to sit and thus the Cards remain -6.5 at Caesars Sportsbook. Click here for model picks.
As of this writing, 95 percent of money wagered on the spread at Caesars is on Arizona and 60 percent of tickets. On the total of 50 points (down from 53), 77 percent of the tickets and 53 percent of the money are on the Over.
Hopkins didn't practice all week with a hamstring injury but he basically never practices in a full week – he has been a regular on the injury report and has played in every game. It would be a shock if Hopkins doesn't play tonight. He has 33 catches for 420 yards and seven TDs on the season and Caesars gives him Over/Under totals of 5.5 catches and 62.5 yards vs. Green Bay.
Watt was ruled out by the team Wednesday because of a shoulder injury that apparently will require season-ending surgery for the three-time Hall of Famer. Watt finished with 10 quarterback hits in the first seven games, including nine in his past four. His pass rush has led to three sacks and two interceptions.
The Caesars quarterback matchup yardage prop for tonight is interesting with Aaron Rodgers down his top two wideouts. He's getting +19.5 passing yards at -115 against Kyler Murray. Rodgers is averaging 244.3 passing yards per game and Murray 286.0. On the passing yards times passing TDs prop, Rodgers is +145.5. Randall Cobb presumably would be the Green Bay No. 1 receiver tonight and is set at Over/Under 4.5 catches and 46.5 yards.
How terrific is this matchup between 7-0 Cardinals and 6-1 Packers? It's the highest combined winning percentage (.929) for a Thursday game in October or later during the Super Bowl era and first time since the 1970 merger that teams with at least 13 combined wins meet in Week 8 or earlier. It's the fourth time in Packers history they and their opponent enter a game on winning streaks of six-plus.
Rodgers has won nine straight prime-time games, going 8-1 ATS. He can become the fifth QB this century to win 10 straight prime-time starts. It's the first-ever prime-time regular-season game between these teams.
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