AFC Divisional Playoffs
New England Patriots (13-3)
vs.
Denver Broncos (8-8)
Gillette Stadium
Foxboro, Massachusetts
8:00 P.M. EST
Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow did something last week that New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has not been able to do over the last few seasons: He won a home playoff game. Of course, Brady has won far more than his fair share (especially if you ask the Raiders) of playoff games and is the owner of three Super Bowl rings. Brady's team is also heavily favored tonight in Foxboro.
Last weekend, the Patriots were in the same position as most football fans. They were at home -- thanks to earning a bye in the opening round as the No. 1 seed in the AFC -- watching Tebow author another stunning chapter in his amazing season. In the climactic moments of the Wild Card triumph, Tebow made the Steelers pay dearly for not respecting his ability to throw the ball. Will the Patriots make the same mistake? Or, will Brady and the offense score enough points that his team's defense hardly figures?
During the regular season, the Patriots ranked just behind the league-leading Saints in terms of yard per game and points per game. Piloting that prolific offense, Brady joined Drew Brees and Dan Marino as the only quarterbacks in NFL history to throw for more than 5,000 yards in a single season.
While some fans are willing to attribute miraculous powers to Tebow, no one is going out on a limb to say he is a passer on par with Brady. And that may be the only attribute that will matter today. When these two teams met during the regular season, the Patriots hung up 41 points on the Broncos' defense while Tebow only managed 23 points -- the same number his team had heading into OT against the Steelers.
