From the very moment his college career ended, Tim Tebow has been scrutinized with regard to his ability to play QB at the NFL level. Some argued that while Tebow was a winner and an exceptional college quarterback at Florida, he was ill-suited at the position at the professional level, and would not achieve similar success. Others speculated that Tebow could potentially make it as a pro by taking up another offensive position, like full back or tight end. And, of course, there were those who had plenty of faith that Tebow would simply continue seamlessly with his spectacular level of play. During Tebow’s rookie season, he didn’t get a whole lot of chances to shine, so the jury remained out on how he would transition to the pros. Now, however, we have almost a full season of “Tebowmania” & “Tebowing” behind us, and it’s fair to say that none of the speculation was exactly right.

Following an 0-3 stretch behind Kyle Orton that left the Broncos 1-4 early in the season, Tim Tebow finally got his chance to start at QB for the Broncos. What followed was in-arguably the biggest story of this past NFL season, as the intriguing young quarterback rattled off a 7-1 stretch, complete with multiple 4th quarter comebacks and 3 overtime wins. While much of this success can be attributed to a somewhat weak schedule and inspired play from the Denver defense, there is simply no denying that Tim Tebow played a large role in turning this team around.

Toward the end of the season, the magic started to wear off a bit, as the Broncos lost their last 3 games to finish at 8-8. However, that was good enough to slip into the playoffs, where the Broncos hosted the heavily favored Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round. With one last dose of magic, Tim Tebow and the Broncos defeated the Steelers and advanced to go to New England, where their season finally came to an end at the hand of the Patriots, who went on to advance to the Super Bowl. So, now that it’s all over, what can we surmise about Tim Tebow’s professional capabilities?

Strangely enough, Tebow now stands as arguably the most overrated and underrated player in the NFL. Those who praise him as the next big thing and a remarkable quarterback are probably taking things a bit too far, while those who discount his enthralling season as luck are probably underselling him. No matter what, Tim Tebow is exciting for fans, and surely had many visiting directstartv.com to update their NFL packages just to watch him. Additionally, whether he has the sustainability and talent necessary for a long career or not, Tim Tebow is a class act and a winner – for at least a few more years, he will be well worth keeping track of, and he may yet become a star.

This Saturday the Denver Broncos (8-8) get to continue their Cinderella story in the AFC playoffs against a familiar foe… the New England Patriots (13-3). Tim Tebow led the Broncos to an unprecedented upset of the Pittsburg Steelers last Saturday. Tim threw for over 316 yards and 2 touchdowns, including a quasi-miraculous overtime, 80-yard game winning pass. Being a wildcard team and having an (8-8) record has certainly earned the Broncos the spot of top underdog. Some are claiming divine intervention; some are claiming that Tim Tebow is indeed nothing less than superhuman. But the fact of the matter is, Denver is an exceptionally well balanced football team. The Broncos have an unbelievable rushing attack, not surprising for a team lead by Tim Tebow. Additionally, the Bronco’s defense could be considered one of the best in the league. Injuries and turnovers have been the bane of the Broncos season.  However, anyone who has watched the Broncos since Tebow has taken the reins knows that he’s definitely not a one man show; their regular season and playoff success can be attributed to a team effort.

In order for Denver to emerge victorious from this squabble on Saturday, they must, and I repeat, must prevent turnovers. In fact, the Denver is 0-5 in games where they have committed more than three turnovers. On the contrast, the team is actually 5-1 when committing 1 or less. Not committing turnovers seems like a no-brainer.  But during the December 15^th meeting of these two teams during the regular season, Denver turnovers resulted in 13 Patriot points and a 41-23 loss. The end result was a 3-game slide that nearly cost the Broncos a berth in the playoffs. In a stunning twist of fate, an Oakland Raider loss allowed the Broncos to march onward, and now we have a rematch.

If Tom Brady and New England want to win this Saturday night scuffle they may just have their work cut out for them. The Patriots last victory came from beating Buffalo 49-21. Having lost in their last 3 playoff attempts, just like Denver, the Patriots are out to prove something. Tom Brady’s pass-attack is the cornerstone of the Patriots offense and its success is certainly enhanced by the assistance of former Gator turned New England tight-end, Aaron Hernandez. Noticeably, the Patriots seem to fare better when they at least attempt to mix in the run. The teams rush attack has been so effective that in games where they rushed at least 27 times, their record is 7-0. Perhaps the team’s biggest weakness is the Patriots defense, which has been relatively inconsistent throughout the year. Pass defense, especially long pass defense seems to be their most overwhelming issue. In regard to the Broncos, as stated previously, it’s not a one man show; simply eliminating Tim Tebow’s effectiveness will not guarantee victory. But, considering Tebow, his unpredictable playing style, and his versatility are very difficult to prepare for, not to mention his innate leadership ability and absolute desire to win. Strangely enough… Vegas has the Broncos as a 13.5 point favorite, should be interesting.

In the minds of many diehard Gator and Bronco fans, college football superstar gone pro, Tim Tebow, is not only living up to expectations, but also exceeding them. The 25th 1st round draft pick has passed for a total of 1,669 yards, just above the league average of 1,601. However, rushing has seemed to be the pinnacle of the Bronco’s Offense. Given that Tim was a regular QB battering ram in college, this shouldn’t’ surprise anyone. Perhaps what is most impressive, is the fact that before Tim took the reins in Denver, they were looking at what seemed to be a losing season.
What is even more intriguing, is the fact that during pre-season, Tim was located at the bottom of the Bronco’s depth chart, and the team seemed to have no desire to groom him into a starting quarterback. The current saga started when former Bronco Quarterback, Kyle Orton, started the season with a horrendous 1-4 record. This set into motion a series of events that not only put Tebow at the top of the Bronco’s QB roster, but has lead to what some many consider and exceptional season comeback. Denver finsihed the regular season 8-8 under Tebow, and in contention for the AFC Division West title, attaining a berth in the playoffs, despite a loss in the final regular season game.
Of course, there are skeptics and some over-the-top Tebow haters. SNL, Bill Maher, Bill Romanowski, Brian Urlacher, and even Hulk Hogan are among the naysayers. Tim is loved in Denver, much as he was at Florida, but unlike college, these fans don’t just expect performance, they DEMAND it. Given the uncanny nature of Tim’s playing style, there are probably close to as many skeptic Bronco fans as there are supporters. Tim has only been the team’s premiere starter since November, when the Bronco’s traded Orton to the Kansas City Chiefs. After 4 interceptions and 4 fumbles in the past 4 games, not only are the fans questioning Tim’s ability to hang onto the ball, but are worried about his overall confidence. Additionally, the Bronco’s had 2 key defensive starters that were injured prior to Tebow’s rise to 1st string QB, and returned during Tim’s 1st game as the starter.
Ironically, the Bronco’s played against the KC Chiefs, and former QB Orton in the final game of the regular season – ultimately losing, but still making the playoffs. To the Tebow skeptics, I’ll say this: Tim seems to thrive in the face of criticism, he did it at Florida, and he seems to be doing it again at Denver. Yes, Coach Fox did say that he was developing his offense around the young man. So what? If you have a talented player, why not use their skill set to win? Yes, the Bronco Defense and Special Teams seem to be firing on all cylinders. But in the NFL, it is a COMPLETE team that wins. Tim has proven again and again that he has charisma and a desire to win, probably like no one who has ever played the game before. The fact of the matter is, regardless of what some may attribute the victories to, the guy wins. In the game of football, that’s what truly matters.

Update: 1/8/2012: Tebow leads the Broncos to an Overtime Win against the heavily favored Pittsburgh Steelers! First play of OT, Tebow throw converts to an 80 yard touchdown! Next weekend, Tebow & Denver face New England & Tom Brady in New England. Go Gators! Go Tebow!