Broncos face Patriots in AFC Championship with Bo Nix out

Cbssports reports the Denver Broncos, likely without quarterback Bo Nix (ankle), will face the New England Patriots in the 2026 AFC Championship Game at Empower Field at Mile High on Sunday; kickoff is set for 3 p.m. ET on CBS and Paramount+. New England (14-3), the AFC's No. 2 seed and 8-0 on the road this season, beat Houston 28-16, while Denver (14-3), the top seed and 9-1 at home including the postseason, outlasted Buffalo 33-30 in overtime.

The Broncos lead the all-time series 31-24, including 4-1 in the postseason. Betting lines list New England as 5.5-point favorites with an over/under of 41.5; money line odds are New England -258 and Denver +210. Backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham will take over for the injured Nix and will make his first extended appearance since Jan.

7, 2024; that game was a 27-14 loss in which he completed 20 of 34 passes for 272 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Patriots quarterback Drake Maye had 4,394 regular-season yards, 31 touchdowns and a 113.5 rating, and has four postseason touchdowns to two interceptions. Stefon Diggs and Courtland Sutton are highlighted as key targets for New England and Denver, respectively.

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Sports, Denver Broncos, New England Patriots, Bo Nix, Jarrett Stidham, Drake Maye