Denver Broncos: Dear Tim Tebow Haters, It's Not Too Late to Admit You Were Wrong

The Denver Broncos have defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers.

After another miraculous 29-23 overtime victory over the nine point-favored Steelers, it's time for detractors to admit they were wrong.

It's time for them to admit they were wrong about Tim Tebow.

In leading the Broncos to their first playoff victory since January of 2006, and just their second since John Elway's retirement following the 1998 season, Tebow has led the Broncos to as much success in his first season starting for the team as they experienced in 12 years following Elway's retirement.

For a team with a history of winning, the Broncos have failed to any damage in the playoffs since "The Duke" retired.

Regardless of what happens this Saturday night in New England, this season has been a success for the Broncos.

Hell, it's been a success in large part, due to Tebow.

After once again completing less than 50 percent of his passes, Tebow was able to shred the league's top-rated defense for over 300 yards on just 10 completions while totaling three touchdowns, two of which were through the air.

Coming into the season, the Broncos weren't expected to do anything, let alone win their division and enter the playoffs while hosting a playoff game.

They were expected to finish at the bottom of the division, with a six-win season, at best, expected for 2011.

Instead, with the insertion of Tebow into the starting lineup, the Broncos were able to go through a stretch in which they won seven of eight games, including six while coming from behind in the fourth quarter, to put themselves in a position to clinch the AFC West.

Tebow is not an accurate quarterback, and he never will be. He'll never do it in the conventional or trendy manner that is expected of quarterbacks these days. He'll never throw for 300 yards on a week-to-week basis.

All he does is win.

Tebow performs at his absolute best when his back is against the wall. Hell, the 4-0 record in overtime this season alone proves that statement to be correct.

In a week in which he faced nonstop criticism from every media pundit out there for his performance during Denver's three-game losing streak, Tebow had the finest performance of his young NFL career.

How many quarterbacks can you name that perform their best when the pressure is greatest?

Tom Brady? Eli Manning? Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers?

All of those guys are established veterans. The youngest and least experienced player of those four is Rodgers, who is four years older, and has been in the league five years longer, than Tebow.

I can already hear the excuses now from people.

"The Steelers were missing Ryan Clark. Maurkice Pouncey was injured, which resulted in a missed field goal opportunity for the Steelers. Ben Roethlisberger played through a hobbled ankle."

Those injuries no doubt played a role in the game's outcome.

However, to downplay and devalue Tebow's role in the Broncos' victory, despite the Steelers being far more talented than the Broncos even with those injuries, is just ridiculous.

No matter how much people try to cut down Tebow whether that's because of his faith, the fact that people don't want to believe somebody can be that good-natured, the constant media attention focused upon him, or whether that's because people simply don't want to admit that they were wrong about a quarterback who can't throw the ball accurately at times, Tebow has constantly proven his detractors wrong.

On Sunday, he outplayed a two-time Super Bowl winning quarterback.

He didn't commit a single turnover. He completed three passes that went for over 50 yards, including the game-winning 80 yard touchdown pass that was able to occur due to Tebow's ability to sell the running game.

For all of those people that thought Kyle Orton was the best option for the Broncos to start back in August, for all of those people that downplayed Tebow's impact on the Broncos' victories all throughout the 2011 season, for all of those people that continue to say that Tebow is not an NFL quarterback, I just have one thing to say.

This victory's for you.