Why Everyone in the NFL Playoff Field Should Fear Tim Tebow, Denver Broncos

Tim Tebow's scout- and logic-defying NFL career took another unexpected turn when the Denver Broncos surprisingly took down the defending AFC champion Pittsburgh Steelers 29-23 in overtime on Sunday. 

Most (hand raised) expected that Tebow would finally come back crashing down to Earth against the visiting Steelers in the Wild Card Round. Most were almost proven correct when Tebow amassed zero passing yards in the first quarter for the third time this season. 

But as it has been all season, most were proven incorrect when Tebow rallied the Broncos behind an 80-yard scoring strike in overtime to Demaryius Thomas to send the Denver faithful home ecstatic. 

So what now? The NFL should fear the Fighting Tebows, ahem, Broncos. 

Sure, Tebow's mechanics are stil excruciatingly flawed. Even the most casual observer can see that. If Tebow is going to flourish in the NFL, it's going to have to eventually be fixed. 

That said, Tebow still possesses that elusive "it" that gets it done in the playoffs.

It's that thing that supremely-talented guys like Barry Bonds and LeBron James supposedly lack. Scouts and critics scoff at his talent, yet he still finds a way to get it done when it matters most. 

Tebow's stat line was hardly a gaudy one, albeit, impressive nonetheless: 10-of-21 passing for 316 yards, two touchdowns and one rushing TD. 

No one expects Tebow to be the prolific playmaker that he was as a quarterback at Florida. Instead, he's relied on to be more of the cliché "game manager: "don't make mistakes and make plays when they need to be made."

Sound familiar? It should. 

Have we forgotten Tom Brady's meteoric ascent in 2002 when he led the New England Patriots to one of the most surprising Super Bowl triumphs of all time? Brady was merely looked at as a "game-manager" and the Patriots were criticized when they turned Brady loose on their game-winning drive instead of merely running the clock out. 

Like Brady did, Tebow is making all of the plays he needs to make when he has to. 

We're not saying that Tebow will be the next Brady, not by any stretch of the imagination. But with his penchant for making big plays coupled with Denver's stifling defense, the rest of the NFL should be on high alert.

Sure, Denver's opponent next week, the Brady-led Patriots, clobbered the Broncos 41-23 in Week 15. Sure, the Broncos limped into the postseason on a low note with three consecutive losses.  

But as Tebow and company continue to make "believers" out of their naysayers, it's looking more and more likely that the Broncos can pull off the improbable. 

The Patriots are hardly the Patriots of 2007 and appear ripe for an upset. The Ravens are strong but are still prone for the occasional hiccup (see: Jaguars, Seahawks). The Texans still run out a rookie quarterback. 

The AFC is for Tebow and the Broncos' taking. 

Can Tebow out Brady Brady circa 2002? 

We think so.