Aaron Rodgers Fires Warning Shot To Those Betting Against Packers
'We're not dead'
Betting against Aaron Rodgers and the Packers, regardless of how Green Bay looked during the first half of the season, doesn’t feel like a method for success.
Rodgers offered that reminder Sunday night after the Packers earned a Week 10 victory over the Dallas Cowboys, a team that was viewed as a Super Bowl contender entering the slate given its dominant defense. Rodgers and the injury-impacted Packers scored more points and totaled more yards than any Dallas opponent this season, forming his first real connection with rookie wideout Christian Watson.
“… But the biggest thing to remember is we’re not dead,” Rodgers told reporters after the 31-28 overtime victory, per the team.
Given the wide-open nature of the league, and especially the NFC, it feels like Rodgers is right. The 4-6 Packers are ninth in the conference standings, but continue to lose ground on the NFC North-leading Minnesota Vikings, who are 8-1 and second in the conference. Taking the Packers to win the NFC North at 25-1 on DraftKings Sportsbook isn’t a smart way to spend your hard-earned money, but that doesn’t mean the path is dead.
There are a few specific future bets to consider on the Packers entering Week 11. Green Bay is 3-1 to make the playoffs at DraftKings Sportsbook. It opened the season -500 to advance to the postseason, depicting how oddsmakers feel about Rodgers and company after the first 10 weeks. The Packers also have seen their regular-season win total drop to over/under 7.5 on DraftKings. They would need four wins in the last seven games in order to eclipse that number.
By no means does Green Bay have a cakewalk of a remaining schedule, but as Rodgers hinted, there is an argument to be made the Pack still are alive. The Packers will host the Tennessee Titans on “Thursday Night Football” in Week 11 and then travel to the 8-1 Philadelphia Eagles in Week 12, visit the AFC East-leading Miami Dolphins on Christmas and host the Vikings on New Year’s Day. Those are four tough matchups, and the Packers likely will have to win at least two in order to remain in the mix. In addition to those difficult matchups, though, Green Bay has the 3-7 Chicago Bears in Week 12, the 3-6 Cooper Kupp-less Los Angeles Rams in Week 14 and the 3-6 Detroit Lions in the regular-season finale. A sweep of those three opponents is both needed and justifiable.
One major aspect working against the Packers this season, and continuing this week, has been their inability to stay healthy. Packers linebacker Rashan Gary (six sacks in nine games) and 2021 first-round cornerback Eric Stokes each were placed on injured reserve this week, just as Green Bay designated wideout Randall Cobb to return from IR. That’s the unfortunate reality of the NFL. However, it feels like the Packers remain in a position to make up for those absences given they have a two-time defending MVP behind center.
Oh yeah, and the last time the Packers made (and won) the Super Bowl? Green Bay was the sixth seed in the NFC during the 2010 campaign, much different than its usual standing atop the conference. Maybe that will entice some bettors to take Green Bay 30-1 to win the conference or 70-1 to win Super Bowl LVI.
