Oddsmakers reveal how valuable Aaron Rodgers was to the Jets
Prior to the start of the NFL season, Yardbarker noted the good odds the New York Jets had of winning their division. And understandably so, given the immense hype Aaron Rodgers had generated since joining the team.
Of course, all of that changed four plays into New York's Week 1 battle against the Buffalo Bills when Rodgers injured his Achilles and his season abruptly ended before it even began.
The Jets might have gone on to win that game 22-16 in overtime, but there is a very different outlook now on how they will finish the season in the division standings.
Two days after Rodgers' exit, the Jets are listed at +600 (6-1) at DraftKings to win the AFC East after previously being +270. The Miami Dolphins, who previously had longer odds than the Jets to win the division, are now the +135 favorite followed by the Bills at +145. Only the New England Patriots have longer odds, currently listed at +900 after falling 25-20 to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 1.
While those odds will change throughout the season, it's hard to ignore the impact Rodgers' exit has on New York's season as a whole. The four-time NFL MVP had taken a pay cut upon signing a two-year deal with the Jets so that his new teammates could also get paid, and he was putting in work with some of the younger players in order to build the team up around him. With his season now over, the rest of the Jets' 2023 campaign is very unclear.
Zach Wilson is set to be under center when the Jets visit the Dallas Cowboys in Week 2. DK is listing New York as a nine-point underdog ahead of that game.
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