Broncos vs. Patriots: 4 Players to Focus on Not Named Tim Tebow

With all the attention being paid to Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow this week, it seems as though many have forgotten that football is a team sport.

A number of other players from both teams are going to factor in heavily in today's game between the Broncos and New England Patriots, and it's those players I am going to focus on here.

Here are four players who are set to have a major impact on tonight's game, regardless of what Tebow does or does not do.

QB Tom Brady, New England Patriots

There is no more important player on the New England Patriots roster than quarterback Tom Brady. He's the reason the team has made the playoffs all but two years since 2001, and he's headed to the Hall of Fame once his playing career is over.

In 2011, Brady threw for 5,235 yards for 39 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He's also carried the ball 43 times for 109 yards and three scores.

If the Patriots are going to defeat the Denver Broncos today, it will be primarily because of Brady's arm and his ability to make big plays and throw multiple touchdown passes.

A down day for Brady means the Patriots' chances to win are jeopardy, but if he's allowed to throw at will, it's going to be hard for the Broncos to catch up.

When it comes to quarterbacks in this game, it will be Brady, not Tim Tebow, who will have the greatest impact on the final outcome.

RB Willis McGahee, Denver Broncos

Though Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow threw for over 300 yards in his team's Wild Card Round win over the Pittsburgh Steelers last week, this week, the Broncos would be better served to run the ball, and that means the focus is on running back Willis McGahee.

In the teams' first meeting in Week 15, the Broncos were able to run for 252 yards. While the majority of those yards—and the two rushing scores—were Tebow's, McGahee's seven carries for 170 yards made a significant contribution to his team's ability to confound the Patriots defense.

Though New England went on to win that game 41-23, it provided the Broncos with a blueprint for today's matchup—namely, that the Patriots are as vulnerable to a run-heavy attack as they are to being beaten deep.

The Patriots have a weak secondary that has given up an average of 293.9 passing yards per game this year, but if Tebow tries to test that too much, he will find himself in a shootout and unlikely to match the Patriots in scoring in the air.

Instead, the Broncos should try to stick to the ground game as much as possible, wearing down the Patriots defense and keeping quarterback Tom Brady off the field. That means a heavy workload for McGahee, who has averaged 79.9 yards per game this season.

TE Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots

No player has more receiving touchdowns than New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski this season. His 17 scores also sets a single-season record for a tight end, and his 90 receptions for 1,327 yards is the highest single-season total of any tight end in NFL history.

He's quarterback Tom Brady's go-to receiver on a team with a number of reliable options, and he will play a major role in today's game against the Denver Broncos.

When the two teams met in Week 15, Gronkowski played second fiddle to fellow tight end Aaron Hernandez. But this week, the Patriots have likely made the necessary adjustments to get Gronkowski more involved.

He's hard to cover, and when he does catch passes he's hard to tackle, his significant size and strength just two of his many assets.

Brady will likely be looking his way early and often in tonight's game, but if he ends up with just four receptions in five targets as he did in Week 15, Gronkowski will benefit the rest of the offense by drawing coverage his way and freeing up Hernandez or wide receiver Wes Welker as a result.

LB Von Miller, Denver Broncos

The key to stopping the New England Patriots from scoring is to stop quarterback Tom Brady, and that will be the singular goal of rookie Denver Broncos linebacker Von Miller.

Miller is the sack leader on the Broncos defense with 11.5 to his name, and he's forced three fumbles this season as well.

The Broncos will need to bring significant and unyielding pressure on Brady if they have any hopes of keeping the Patriots from scoring and ultimately winning tonight's game. Miller, in tandem with defensive end Elvis Dumervil, will be keyed in on Brady all night.

Denver's defense succeeded in sacking Brady just twice in their first meeting. They'll need to do better than that if they are to keep this game close, which means that Miller will need to step up and be the kind of dominating linebacker he's been through the majority of the regular season.