Joe Burrow’s chances of winning his first NFL Most Valuable Player Award evaporated with a toe injury expected to sideline the quarterback until mid-December, while the Cincinnati Bengals’ odds of being a factor in the highly competitive AFC have taken a massive hit.
Injured in Sunday’s win over Jacksonville, Burrow will undergo surgery on a Grade 3 turf toe injury. The biggest liability in the MVP market at several sportsbooks, oddsmakers have now taken Burrow off the board entirely.
Until the time of his injury, Burrow had been backed by the most total bets (14.6 percent) and money (20.5 percent) wagered at BetMGM, where he had the third-shortest odds at +750.
“Joe Burrow was the most bet player to win NFL MVP. The Bengals quarterback is now off the board following his injury,” BetMGM senior trading manager Christian Cipollini said. “With Burrow out, Josh Allen (+325), Lamar Jackson (+325), Justin Herbert (+800), and Jordan Love (+800) are the favorites to win MVP.”
Allen and Jackson also are the co-leaders at +320 at DraftKings, followed by Love (+700) and Herbert (+800).
Meanwhile, Cincinnati will move forward with veteran Jake Browning under center while planning to elevate Brett Rypien to the 53-man roster from the practice squad.
Bengals head coach Zac Taylor professed “full confidence” in Browning as the starter, but oddsmakers clearly are far more skeptical.
Cincinnati stands alone atop the AFC North at 2-0, with Baltimore and Pittsburgh 1-1 and Cleveland mired in an 0-2 start.
Burrow’s injury still led BetMGM to shift the Bengals’ odds of winning the division from +275 to +650, while the Ravens moved to -400 and the Steelers are now +600. Cincinnati’s AFC Championship odds lengthened from +1100 to +3000 at the book, while there odds of winning the Super Bowl plummeted from +2000 to +6600.
“It’s a rollercoaster,” Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase said. “Every game is going to be a rollercoaster. Every week from here on out, we’ve got to focus and execute. That’s the only thing. Our quarterback got (knocked) down, we’ve got to go ‘Next man up,’ and it’s on from there.”
Browning, 29, has played in 13 career games with 14 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions, including three picks in Sunday’s 31-27 win against Jacksonville.
“If you’re wearing a Bengals uniform on Sunday, I’m going to give you a chance and go down swinging,” Browning said of his demeanor.
The Bengals travel to Minnesota and Denver the next two weeks before returning home to play host to Detroit in Week 5. They then hit the road again to face the Green Bay Packers, who have trended the other way with oddsmakers during their impressive 2-0 start.
Green Bay opened at +2000 to win the Super Bowl at BetMGM, where they are now being offered at +650. That’s third behind only Buffalo (+500) and Baltimore (+550).
“The Packers have looked like one of the best teams in football after impressive wins against two playoff teams from last year,” Cipollini said. “Green Bay has quickly moved from +2000 to +650 to win the Super Bowl. Since Week 1, 29 percent of money (most) is on the Cheeseheads to lift the Lombardi Trophy.”
At DraftKings, the Bills are also the +425 Super Bowl favorite, followed by the Raves (+475), Packers (+650) and the reigning champion Philadelphia Eagles at +750. The Bengals are now tied for the 14th shortest odds at +6000.
