Ben Roethlisberger Placed On COVID-19 List, Causing Shift In Steelers-Lions NFL Odds

Pittsburgh Steelers starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has been placed on the COVID-19/Reserve list and will not play in the Steelers’ Week 10 NFL game against the Detroit Lions on Sunday.

The news was reported late Saturday night by multiple national outlets and confirmed with a statement from the Steelers. Within minutes of the announcement, the NFL odds line for the game was briefly removed by many Michigan sports betting operators.

By 8:30 p.m. ET Saturday, the restored line had settled to a near consensus of Pittsburgh as a 6.5-point favorite.

At the time of the Roethlisberger announcement, the Steelers were hovering between 7.5-point and 8.5-point favorites at most Michigan sportsbooks. The Steelers were ranging between -360 to -385 on the moneyline, with the 0-8 Lions between +280 and +300 as underdogs.

When odds are restored, you’ll see the most up-to-date numbers in our tracker below.

Mason Rudolph starting on short notice for Steelers

The Steelers (5-3) are winners of four straight games, but that run in the AFC playoff picture will face an unexpected challenge now that backup Mason Rudolph will be called upon to start the game on short notice.

And these developments throw an extra wrinkle into anyone who has been putting a pittance into Lions’ 0-17 futures odds, which had dipped to longer than +600 during the recent bye week.

Although being left with the No. 1 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft may now be the best consolation prize for this abysmal Lions season, avoiding a repeat of the winless 2008 campaign under Rod Marinelli is a worthy goal.

The Lions were trounced in their most recent game before the bye: 44-6 to the Philadelphia Eagles. Detroit first-year coach Dan Campbell’s team has played well on occasions and has alternated covering the spread in each of the eight games so far this season. But two of the past times out have been duds for the players decked in Honolulu blue.

Sunday’s game is set for a 1 p.m. kickoff at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh. The game is on Fox, with Chris Myers and Daryl Johnston on the call.