Bo Nix Injury Bombshell: NFL Betting Lines Crumble
Posted on: January 18, 2026, 12:53h.
Last updated on: January 18, 2026, 01:00h.
- Broncos QB Nix fractures ankle late in yesterday’s win over the Bills
- Houston Texans underdogs going into New England to play the Patriots
- Rams betting favourites tonight in the cold in Chicago against the Bears
If you haven’t heard it already, the Denver Broncos took out the Buffalo Bills in overtime in yesterday’s thrilling AFC Divisional Round game, 33-30, but the win cost them their quarterback, Bo Nix. Nix fractured his ankle on the game’s third last play and is done for the season.
Nix is heading to surgery on Tuesday in Birmingham, Alabama, to fix it. Backup Jarrett Stidham now steps into the starting QB role. Stidham appeared in just one game this season, against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 8, just four snaps, including a kneel to end the game, in a 44-24 win.
Fractured Ankle
Nix finished yesterday going 26-for-46, 279 passing yards, three TDs and an interception. Despite spin doctoring to the contrary, this is a massive loss. We harken back to comments made to us later last week by Ethan Useloff, Sports Trader at Fanatics Sportsbook, about the impact on betting on the Bills if QB Josh Allen was ever injured and had to leave the game for back-up Mitch Trubisky.
“That will be a touchdown swing if Mitch Trubisky had to enter the game,” said Useloff. “Allen is that team, and if they were to lose him you can almost call that game over.”
Patriots’ Super Bowl Odds
Basically, they’re celebrating in Houston and New England today. Because the winner of Texans versus Patriots today won’t have to face Nix.
According to theScore Bet, immediately following last night’s win, the Broncos’ odds to win the Super Bowl reached as low as +325, but jumped back up as high as +1100 in the wake of the Bo Nix injury news (now +1000).
Despite still having to play their divisional round game today, the Patriots have gotten 28.5% of all Super Bowl Winner handle wagered since the end of Bills-Broncos. That’s the
second-most handle accrued behind only the Seahawks’ 35% in that time, which coincides with the start of their dominant performance against the 49ers.
No. 5 Houston Texans at No. 2 New England Patriots, Today 3 p.m. EST
Bottom line, this game is the stiffest test the Patriots have had to face. Not to diminish Patriots’ QB Drake Maye, an MVP favourite, but he was sacked five times last weekend against the Chargers. Keep your eyes on the Texans’ front – Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter are the headliners, and defensive tackle Tommy Togiai had a good game in limited time last week in the Texans’ win over the Steelers.
Useloff thinks there’s some over-hype in this game, impacting the betting lines. The Seahawks and Rams are more superior than other NFC teams, he added, while the AFC Divisional Round teams are more closely grouped together in terms of Super Bowl betting odds. Useloff was saying late last week that any one of those four AFC Divisional Round teams could make the Super Bowl.
The Patriots-Texans line was shifting when we spoke with him.
Shifting Betting Lines
“I’m surprised that one’s not within a field goal,” he said. “I think that the Houston defence is one of the most feared defences I’ve seen in a while. I’m surprised to not have that game be within that three point mark, instead of at that three point mark. Patriots are third and outright betting right now for Fanatics in just total number of bets to win the Super Bowl.
And to me, although it makes sense why the Patriots have all the fans jumping on their bandwagon and a lot of supporters, this Texans defense is absolutely one of the best we’ve seen in recent history. They had such an incredible performance in Pittsburgh on Monday night. I know that there’s been a lot of talk about the schedule for New England, and I think that’s overblown just a bit.
“This Texans defence is going to get after Drake Maye. The left side of their line with Will Campbell has looked a little bit shoddy in New England. I expect Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson JR and the rest of that defensive line to absolutely get after Drake Maye and make him really uncomfortable. If the Patriots win this game, it will have to be low scoring, where their defence steps up.”
Current Betting Lines for Today’s Game
At DraftKings: ML Texans +145, Patriots -175; Spread Texans +3 (+102), Patriots -3 (-122); Over 40.5 (-115), U 40.5 (-105).
At FanDuel: ML Texans +142, Patriots -168; Spread Texans +3.5 (-122), Patriots -3.5 (+100); Over 40.5 (-114), U 40.5 (-106).
And at BetMGM: ML Texans +145, Patriots -175; Spread Texans +3 (+100), Patriots -3 (-110); Over 40.5 (-115), U 40.5 (-105).
No. 5 L.A. Rams at No. 2 Chicago Bears, Today 6:30 p.m. EST
Cold weather is mentioned a lot for this game, as major storyline. Tonight’s forecast in Chicago at game time is expected to be in the teens with wind chill around zero degrees. Not exactly the type of conditions the folks from sunny California are used to.
Still, remember that Rams QB Matthew Stafford spent years quarterbacking the Detroit Lions, which means regular games in not-so-temperate Green Bay and Chicago in November, December and January. Stafford has a degree in cold weather games.
According to theScore Bet, 59.9% of bets, 50.2% of handle are on Bears (+4, opened +4), 52.7% of bets, 61.4% of handle are on Rams ML (-200) , 62.7% of bets, 54.7% of handle are on Over (48.5, opened 50.5). Most bet Anytime TD Scorers by total bets: Puka Nacua -110, D’Andre Swift +145, Colston Loveland +200, Kyren Williams +105, and Davante Adams -110.
Current Betting Lines for Today’s Game
At DraftKings: ML Rams -198, Bears +164; Spread Rams -3.5 (-118), Bears +3.5 (-102); Over 48.5 (-115), U 48.5 (-105).
At FanDuel: ML Rams -198, Bears +166; Spread Rams -3.5 (-115), Bears +3.5 (-105); Over 48.5 (-112), U 48.5 (-108).
And at BetMGM: ML Rams -200, Bears +165; Spread Rams -3.5 (-110), Bears +3.5 (+100); Over 49 (-110), U 49 (-110).
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