It was fun for Denver Broncos fans to watch quarterback Tim Tebow and their resilient team rattle off six consecutive victories, the last four of those after their club trailed with less than two minutes remaining in regulation.
It was compelling for Tebowing fans everywhere to watch a team that finished 4-12 last year and started 1-4 this season make a run worthy of a Super Bowl contender behind a charismatic passer who can struggle throwing the ball. And great for the Broncos faithful to enjoy a revived defense that permitted 13 points or fewer four times during the streak.
But quarterback Tom Brady and the New England Patriots brought mistake-prone Denver crashing back to reality with an emphatic 41-23 victory Sunday. The outcome underscored why the Patriots are always the real deal when it comes to contending while the Broncos and their young passer must travel a long and uncertain road while hoping to reach that level.
STORY: Pats slow Broncos, clinch AFC East
VIDEO: Highlights from New England's win
PHOTOS: Best images from NFL Week 15
New England improved to 11-3 with its sixth consecutive victory and successfully defended its AFC East crown, the franchise's 11th since Robert Kraft became owner in 1994.
Turnovers stop Broncos
Denver, after scoring on its first three possessions to take a 16-7 advantage, gift-wrapped 13 Patriots points with two fumbles — one by Tebow — and a muffed punt by Quan Cosby in a decisive second-quarter meltdown.
"One of our main keys is to hold on to the ball, no turnovers," Tebow said. "Who knows what happens in this game if we do that?"
The Broncos slipped to 8-6 but maintained their slim AFC West edge when the Oakland Raiders dropped to 7-7 with a 28-27 loss to the visiting Detroit Lions for their third consecutive setback. Denver visits the sagging Buffalo Bills on Christmas Eve before concluding the regular season against the visiting Kansas City Chiefs on Jan. 1.
As much as Tebow is either celebrated or derided for his outspoken religious beliefs, another element of his makeup is a boundless optimism that surfaced soon after he opened his postgame news conference by praising God.
"Every time there is a setback, it is an opportunity to step up and make something bigger and better," he said.
This game was billed as Tebow vs. Brady. The hype was perhaps good for television ratings, but it wasn't based in reality. Tebow, in his second year, has gone 8-4 through 12 starts. Brady, a three-time Super Bowl champion in his 12th season, improved his regular-season record to 122-35 and along with Bill Belichick forms the winningest quarterback-coach tandem since 1970.
Brady, continuing his pursuit of Dan Marino's single-season passing record of 5,084 yards (1984), ramped up his total to 4,593 by completing 23 of 34 for 320 yards. He threw for two touchdowns with no interceptions as part of a turnover-free New England performance.
"I said before the game he's still the best out there in my opinion," Denver cornerback Champ Bailey said of Brady. "If you make a mistake, he's going to make you pay."
Silver linings for Tebow
While Tebow did not match strikes with one of the premier passers of all time, there was much to like about his performance.
Despite the heavy pressure New England was able to bring after taking a 27-16 halftime margin, he closed 11 of 22 for 194 yards. He also was the Broncos' leading rusher with 12 carries for 93 yards and two scores.
ESPN analyst Trent Dilfer viewed it as one of the young passer's most encouraging efforts and said of the outcome, "This was not an indictment of Tebow at all."
John Fox, Denver's first-year head coach, noted improvement but offered only a mild endorsement.
"Six or seven weeks ago, people said that he couldn't hit the broad side of a barn," Fox said. "But I think he does that. I think he can do that. I don't think that's why we lost the game."
There was plenty of blame to go around. The game might have been lost when Lance Ball fumbled and New England recovered at the 19 midway through the second quarter, leading to Stephen Gostkowski's 21-yard field goal.
It might have been lost when Mark Anderson pried the ball away from Tebow three plays into Denver's next series and pounced on it, setting up Brady's 1-yard scoring plunge.
It might have been lost when Cosby muffed a punt that he probably shouldn't have attempted to catch, setting up Gostkowski's 34-yard field goal as the first half expired.
But for Tebow and the maturing Broncos, all is not lost.
Tebow described the encouragement he received from Belichick afterward. Belichick had been open about his admiration for a player so accomplished at Florida that he came to be called "Superman" before Denver made the controversial decision to draft him in the opening round in 2010.
"He told me he believed in me and to keep fighting," Tebow said. "It was nice to hear that coming from a coach like that."
It was compelling for Tebowing fans everywhere to watch a team that finished 4-12 last year and started 1-4 this season make a run worthy of a Super Bowl contender behind a charismatic passer who can struggle throwing the ball. And great for the Broncos faithful to enjoy a revived defense that permitted 13 points or fewer four times during the streak.But quarterback Tom Brady and the New England Patriots brought mistake-prone Denver crashing back to reality with an emphatic 41-23 victory Sunday. The outcome underscored why the Patriots are always the real deal when it comes to contending while the Broncos and their young passer must travel a long and uncertain road while hoping to reach that level.
STORY: Pats slow Broncos, clinch AFC East
VIDEO: Highlights from New England's win
PHOTOS: Best images from NFL Week 15
New England improved to 11-3 with its sixth consecutive victory and successfully defended its AFC East crown, the franchise's 11th since Robert Kraft became owner in 1994.
Turnovers stop Broncos
Denver, after scoring on its first three possessions to take a 16-7 advantage, gift-wrapped 13 Patriots points with two fumbles — one by Tebow — and a muffed punt by Quan Cosby in a decisive second-quarter meltdown.
"One of our main keys is to hold on to the ball, no turnovers," Tebow said. "Who knows what happens in this game if we do that?"
The Broncos slipped to 8-6 but maintained their slim AFC West edge when the Oakland Raiders dropped to 7-7 with a 28-27 loss to the visiting Detroit Lions for their third consecutive setback. Denver visits the sagging Buffalo Bills on Christmas Eve before concluding the regular season against the visiting Kansas City Chiefs on Jan. 1.
As much as Tebow is either celebrated or derided for his outspoken religious beliefs, another element of his makeup is a boundless optimism that surfaced soon after he opened his postgame news conference by praising God.
"Every time there is a setback, it is an opportunity to step up and make something bigger and better," he said.
This game was billed as Tebow vs. Brady. The hype was perhaps good for television ratings, but it wasn't based in reality. Tebow, in his second year, has gone 8-4 through 12 starts. Brady, a three-time Super Bowl champion in his 12th season, improved his regular-season record to 122-35 and along with Bill Belichick forms the winningest quarterback-coach tandem since 1970.
Brady, continuing his pursuit of Dan Marino's single-season passing record of 5,084 yards (1984), ramped up his total to 4,593 by completing 23 of 34 for 320 yards. He threw for two touchdowns with no interceptions as part of a turnover-free New England performance.
"I said before the game he's still the best out there in my opinion," Denver cornerback Champ Bailey said of Brady. "If you make a mistake, he's going to make you pay."
Silver linings for Tebow
While Tebow did not match strikes with one of the premier passers of all time, there was much to like about his performance.
Despite the heavy pressure New England was able to bring after taking a 27-16 halftime margin, he closed 11 of 22 for 194 yards. He also was the Broncos' leading rusher with 12 carries for 93 yards and two scores.
ESPN analyst Trent Dilfer viewed it as one of the young passer's most encouraging efforts and said of the outcome, "This was not an indictment of Tebow at all."
John Fox, Denver's first-year head coach, noted improvement but offered only a mild endorsement.
"Six or seven weeks ago, people said that he couldn't hit the broad side of a barn," Fox said. "But I think he does that. I think he can do that. I don't think that's why we lost the game."
There was plenty of blame to go around. The game might have been lost when Lance Ball fumbled and New England recovered at the 19 midway through the second quarter, leading to Stephen Gostkowski's 21-yard field goal.
It might have been lost when Mark Anderson pried the ball away from Tebow three plays into Denver's next series and pounced on it, setting up Brady's 1-yard scoring plunge.
It might have been lost when Cosby muffed a punt that he probably shouldn't have attempted to catch, setting up Gostkowski's 34-yard field goal as the first half expired.
But for Tebow and the maturing Broncos, all is not lost.
Tebow described the encouragement he received from Belichick afterward. Belichick had been open about his admiration for a player so accomplished at Florida that he came to be called "Superman" before Denver made the controversial decision to draft him in the opening round in 2010.
"He told me he believed in me and to keep fighting," Tebow said. "It was nice to hear that coming from a coach like that."
0 comments:
Post a Comment