Broncos vs. Patriots: Why Tim Tebow Will Exact Revenge for Regular Season Loss

He is the most divisive player in the NFL, but Tim Tebow is now winning in the playoffs and angering people every step of the way.

The Denver Broncos were left for dead when they ended the season on a three-game losing streak, which started with a 41-23 loss to the New England Patriots in Week 15.

It seemed like the magic from the earlier six-game winning streak had disappeared as the team backed into the playoffs.

Just when everyone thought they were done hearing about Tebow, he led the Broncos to an exciting 29-23 upset over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round of the playoffs.

To continue this magical run, the Broncos will need to travel to New England and knock off the top-seed in the AFC.

Despite the earlier loss to this team, Denver is more than capable of defeating the Patriots and moving one step closer to the Super Bowl.

Tim Tebow Is Gaining Confidence

In order for any quarterback to be considered elite, he needs to first reach the playoffs. The next step is winning a game in the playoffs.

Even Peyton Manning did not win his first playoff game until his sixth year in the league. Matt Ryan still has not won in the postseason, and that keeps him from being listed among the NFL's best.

Tim Tebow accomplished this feat in only his second season.

The quarterback is not someone who ever doubted himself, but winning in the playoffs means he is doing something right.

Against the Pittsburgh Steelers, he was more aggressive and took plenty of shots deep. That accounted for an average of 31.6 yards per completion.

Next game, he will look to recreate this type of success by not being afraid to throw down the field.

New England's Defense Is Terrible

Only eight yards separate the New England Patriots and the Green Bay Packers for the worst total defense in the NFL.

The Patriots gave up over 400 yards of offense per game during the season, but they also had eight less interceptions than the Packers.

In the last two games, New England gave up three early scores before starting a comeback.

A player like Tim Tebow can give this defense fits with his ability to both throw and run. In the first contest between these teams, the quarterback threw for 194 yards while also rushing for 93 yards and two touchdowns.

In addition, if receiver Demaryius Thomas can light up veteran Ike Taylor for over 200 receiving yards, he should be able to have a great game against whichever young defensive back the Patriots use to cover him.

Denver Broncos Have a Very Good Pass Rush

Like any other quarterback, Tom Brady does not like to be hit.

He is very good at moving around in the pocket, but the quarterback struggles to produce when he is constantly under pressure. 

The last two teams to defeat the New England Patriots, the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants, were able to get to Brady and disrupt his rhythm. The Denver Broncos have almost as much athleticism on defense as these two teams.

The unit is led by Von Miller, who has made a case for Defensive Rookie of the Year, with 64 tackles and 11.5 sacks. In the first game against the Patriots, he was still recovering from a thumb injury, but he is now closer to full-strength.

In last week's win over the Steelers, the Broncos defense had five sacks and six quarterback hits. If Denver can bring the same pressure against New England, the Patriots will be in trouble.

The Playoffs in New England Are Not as Scary Anymore

Tom Brady won his first 10 career playoff games. Since then, the quarterback has shown he is fallible.

The New England Patriots have not won a playoff game since the 2007 season, before the New York Giants upset the then-undefeated team in the Super Bowl.

All that the Patriots have to show in recent years is two home losses.

The intimidation factor is gone, and the weak defense is a big reason for the lack of success.

Besides, the cold weather that usually helps will not scare a team from Denver.

The Patriots Have Not Done Well with Rematches

The last three times the New England Patriots have been in the playoffs, they were eliminated by teams that they beat in the regular season.

The trend famously started in 2007, when the New York Giants came close to ending the Patriots' undefeated season in Week 17 but suffered a 38-35 loss. The game gave the Giants confidence throughout the playoffs, and they eventually finished the job with a victory in the Super Bowl.

After missing the playoffs in 2008 when Tom Brady was injured the entire season, the Patriots returned in 2009 to face the Baltimore Ravens in the first round. Despite winning 27-21 in Week 4 of that season, New England was embarrassed 33-14 in the postseason.

Last year, the Patriots split the season series with the New York Jets, but the one game at home was a 45-3 slaughter in favor of New England. Things were different when the Jets returned to Foxboro, and New York finished on top 28-21.

Sure, the Denver Broncos lost pretty badly to the Patriots in their first meeting, but next time can be very different.