Broncos must overcome Bo Nix injury vs. Patriots in 2026 AFC Championship

According to Cbssports, the Denver Broncos will look to overcome the loss of quarterback Bo Nix (ankle) when they 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+, and the winner advances to Super Bowl LX.

Both teams finished the season 14-3: New England, the AFC's second seed, is 8-0 on the road this season after a 28-16 win over Houston, while Denver, the top seed, is 9-1 at home (including the postseason) after a 33-30 overtime win over Buffalo. DraftKings Sportsbooks lists the Patriots as 5.5-point favorites with an over/under of 42.5; money lines are New England -258 and Denver +210.

With Nix injured, backup Jarrett Stidham will start; he last made an extended appearance on Jan. 7, 2024, completing 20 of 34 passes for 272 yards, one touchdown and one interception. MVP candidate Drake Maye has completed 72% of his passes for 4,394 yards and 31 touchdowns in the regular season and has four postseason TDs with two interceptions, while Stefon Diggs has been his primary target. The SportsLine Projection Model, which simulates each game 10,000 times, projects a 40-point combined total (Under) and says one side of the spread hits in nearly 60% of simulations; its pick is available only at SportsLine.

Key Topics

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