NFL fans will get a special treat tonight, even if it´s the result of something most would have preferred avoiding.  COVID-19 struck the NFL in Week 4, and there was suddenly the possibility that the season would have to be drastically altered.

Fortunately, only minor changes are needed to keep things rolling, and this includes having to reschedule one game from yesterday to today.  It all worked out in the end, though, except for the tough decision of which game to choose tonight.

Chiefs Look To Continue A Perfect Record

New England Patriots quarterback Cam Newton tested positive for COVID-19 at the end of last week, and this suddenly put the team’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs in doubt.  Newton will have to miss the game, which means Pats veteran Brian Hoyer will most likely be stepping in.  The game couldn’t even be put on the schedule until further testing was done, and the Pats didn’t head out for Arrowhead stadium until earlier today.  This could impact the energy the team brings to the field.

Led by QB Patrick Mahomes, the Chiefs continue to rule the NFL.  They’re now 3-0 and are ready to extend their winning record another game.  It shouldn’t prove to be too difficult a task.  The Pats are looking at several injured players who are probable for tonight, including wide receiver Julian Edeman and running back Sony Michel, and, without Newton under center, are going to be at an even bigger disadvantage.

Oddsmakers are so confident about the Chiefs that they’re giving KC overwhelming odds to win. Unibet, for example, has them at -560 to the Pats’ +450.  This isn’t worth a second glance.  Against the spread, the Chiefs have gone eight in a row and are getting 6.5 points tonight.  This is easy money.  The Over/Under sits at 48.5 (-107) and, if Newton were in, the Over might be the way to go.  However, a dominating offense, an away game and no starting QB make it seem like the Pats won’t be able to produce, and the game could stay below that mark unless the Chiefs run away with it.  If you want some extra action, consider the Chiefs picking up more than 29.5 yards at -114.

Packers Also Look For Another Win

The Green Bay Packers take on the Atlanta Falcons in the second game of the night.  The Falcons are winless across three games, while the Packers have yet to play a team that can beat them.  Across the first three weeks of the season, they outscored their opponents 122-85 and won by at least seven points in each game.  The last time these two teams met was in the 2018 season, so it will be interesting to see how the matchup progresses.

The Falcons blew two perfect opportunities in two consecutive weeks this season.  After having the lead in games against the Dallas Cowboys and the Chicago Bears, the team quickly fell apart and took two more losses.  The only bright spot has been QB Matt Ryan, who has been able to keep focused and try to repair the damage.  However, it takes more than one player to make a winning team.

Both teams are dealing with injuries tonight that will surely be felt.  The Packers are without wide receiver Davante Adams, who is dealing with a hamstring injury, and several other players are questionable.  The Falcons will take the field without defensive end Takkarist McKinley and safety Ricardo Allen, and wide receiver Julio Jones is questionable.  The Falcons, despite their record, aren’t a bad team; they’ve just run into some organizational issues.

If they don’t turn things around tonight, they’re going to be in a bad spot heading into Week 5.  The Packers are -240 favorites tonight, and the Falcons haven’t shown that they can challenge that position.  Since Green Bay has won each of its last three games by seven points, a spread of -6 (-110) in the team’s favor seems to be an easy take.  Only because the Falcons have continued to show a decent offense, and the fact that the Over has hit so often this season, the Over/Under of 56.5 (-110) should be broken without too much difficulty.  To make things interesting, a Unibet parlay of Green Bay for the win and the Over at +160 could be a good option.