Novig pricesChiefs will face Jets without Garrett Wilson as New York turns to Mitchell and Cooper
The Jets ruled out Garrett Wilson for Sunday at Kansas City, so the Chiefs will see Adonai Mitchell and rookie Omar Cooper Jr. at receiver instead.
When the Kansas City Chiefs host the New York Jets on Sunday, they won't have to deal with New York's top receiver. Jets coach Aaron Glenn said Friday that Garrett Wilson is out. Wilson is still in the concussion protocol after last week's loss to the Raiders, according to the New York Post and the Associated Press.
That takes away a big part of New York's passing game. Wilson leads the 2-6 Jets with 43 catches, 527 yards and three touchdowns, even though his targets have dropped to their lowest rate since his rookie year. The AP reported that Wilson took a helmet-to-helmet hit from Jeremy Chinn late in the Raiders game, and Chinn intercepted a pass meant for Wilson on the next play to end it. UPI reported that Wilson didn't practice all week.
Adonai Mitchell and rookie Omar Cooper Jr. will take on more of the load. Mitchell had the best game of his career against Las Vegas, with seven catches for 142 yards and a touchdown. Cooper went over 100 yards against both New England and Miami after coming back from an ankle injury, but he didn't catch a pass last week. "It's a great opportunity, but you always want a guy like that out there," Cooper told the Post. Offensive coordinator Frank Reich said the Jets may change some of what they do to fit the receivers they have. The AP also reported that running back Breece Hall is back from a quad injury, which gives quarterback Geno Smith another option while Wilson is out.
What it means for Sunday
Kansas City needs this game more than its 5-2 record suggests. After five straight wins, the Chiefs have lost two road games in a row. Seattle held them to three points in a 20-3 loss, and Denver beat them 28-24 a week later. The Chiefs' defense has been at its best at home. Their two most recent home games were a 31-10 win over Denver and a 22-6 win over the Chargers. Without Wilson, New York's passing game will rely on a receiver who is coming off his first big game and a rookie who has been up and down.
The board treats Kansas City as a clear favorite. Across 12 venues, the Chiefs are favored by 9.5 points on Novig at -100. The best Kansas City spread anywhere is BetMGM's -8.5 at -110, a full point tighter than Novig's. On the moneyline, Novig has the Chiefs at -426 and the Jets at +413. Novig lists the total at 48.5, while FanDuel has the best over price at 47.5 at -110. Sportsbook hold runs from about 3.3% to 5.5% across the markets. Full prices are on the game page.
The game kicks off Sunday on CBS. The schedule doesn't get easier after that: Kansas City goes to Atlanta on Nov. 15. Novig already has the Chiefs favored at -190 for that game, and DraftKings has the best Chiefs moneyline anywhere at -170 (game page). A win over a short-handed Jets team would stop the losing streak before the Chiefs head back on the road.