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By Max Meyer

It’s a historic tussle tonight in the desert. It features the highest combined winning percentage between opposing teams for a Thursday night game taking place in October or later since 1934.

The 7-0 Cardinals host the 6-1 Packers in this pivotal matchup as each squad aims to improve its chances not just for a playoff spot, but also a potential bye. 

Both teams have some notable questions heading into this one. Green Bay placed wideouts Davante Adams and Allen Lazard on the COVID-19 reserve list earlier this week, and defensive coordinator Joe Barry will miss this showdown as well due to COVID-19 protocols. On the other side, Cardinals defensive end J.J. Watt will reportedly undergo potential season-ending shoulder surgery.

“Outside of the opening game [Cowboys at Buccaneers], this handle will be the biggest of any Thursday night game,” said Craig Mucklow, Vice President of Trading at Caesars Sportsbook. “The biggest question is whether there will be more players or coaches will Green Bay be short tonight because of COVID-19 besides the ones already announced. The minute you see COVID-19 show up on the injury report, bettors will gravitate straight away to the opposing team because you don’t know how many people will be affected by it.” 

The Cardinals opened as 3.5-point favorites over the Packers and were already up to -4.5 before it was announced that Adams was put on the COVID-19 reserve list. After that news broke, Arizona immediately went to -6. Now the Cardinals (-290 on the moneyline) reside at -6.5 over the Packers (+235 ML), whereas the total has dropped from its original number of 53 to its current standing of 50.5.

“We’re still getting Cardinals money at 6.5, but there’s pretty much no shot this moves to 7 with [Aaron] Rodgers on the other side,” Mucklow said. “The Packers are going to be a top-5 need for us this week. We’ll definitely need the Saints, Vikings and Giants above them. Bettors have been adding the Cardinals to parlays with some of the bigger favorites on Sunday. We’ll be rooting for the Packers to win this straight up.”

Arizona has nabbed 55% of the total number of tickets and 83% of the total dollars wagered among all spread bets against Green Bay. That is highlighted by a Nevada bettor who put $520,000 on Cardinals -3.5 (-110) for potential winnings of $472,727.25. 

The majority of Caesars Sportsbook bettors are siding with the underdog for moneyline wagers, though, as the Packers have captured 77% of the total number of tickets and 72% of the total dollars wagered. 

For the total, the over has the advantage with 69% of the total number of tickets and 56% of the total dollars wagered. 

Regarding player props, it’s not a surprise to see Caesars Sportsbook bettors backing Packers tailback Aaron Jones with other skill-position players potentially not on the field. Jones to score anytime is the most popular market for any player in terms of total dollars wagered. He originally was listed at -107 to reach paydirt, and has soared to -160, which is the heaviest price of any player to get into the end zone for this head-to-head. He’s the only odds-on favorite displayed, with DeAndre Hopkins possessing the second-lowest odds at +105. 

Another notable odds shift for a Jones market has been his receiving yardage prop. After it opened at 27.5, that number is all the way up to 46.5. That is the second-highest receiving yardage prop of any Packers player, only trailing Randall Cobb’s 56.5.

Check out Caesars Sportsbook’s latest odds and trends for tonight’s battle between the Packers and Cardinals below. 