NFL Playoffs 2012: Tim Tebow Is Still a Lock at Starting QB After Patriots Loss

If you don’t believe Tim Tebow should start next season for the Denver Broncos, you’re either an atheist or a stat geek.

Denver shouldn’t have been playing in the divisional round of the AFC playoffs against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots on Saturday, but in position to select Andrew Luck or Robert Griffin III in the 2012 NFL draft.  They weren’t, though, because John Fox’s, or the city of Denver’s, decision to insert Tebow into the starting lineup saved the Broncos' season.

A respectable argument opposing the fact that he should start next year doesn’t even exist.  Kyle Orton dug a nearly bottomless hole as the Broncos stumbled out of the starting gate going 1-4.  Tebow ignited a hopeless mess into a playoff squad.

Denver finished the regular season on a 7-4 run with a team effort which highlighted a strong rushing attack, stingy defense and clutch special teams.  But what’s the only difference between the Broncos before and after their Week 6 bye?

Tebow.

Critics can pinpoint a mediocre 72.9 passer rating in the regular season and 52.7 against the worst defense in the league.  What the opposition turns a blind eye to is the six victories decided by one-score games that the Broncos came out triumphant in.  And one just happened to be against the best defense in the league and a team that knows how to win in the postseason as well as any in the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Tebow’s woes against the New England Patriots don’t negate his successes.  If any other second-year passer had such an incredible impact on a ball club, no one would be questioning his job status.  But as an unconventional quarterback, Tebow still has his doubters.

He managed to finish with a winning record as the Broncos starter despite having the unproven Eric Decker and Demaryius Thomas as his starting wide receivers.  Willis McGahee would not start and Lance Ball would not play on the vast majority of NFL teams.  Despite the lack of talent around him, somehow, someway, fans still label Tebow the weak link.

His statistics may make number-lovers shake their heads, but even they can comprehend that the Broncos final product was off until Fox added Tebow to the equation.  If you don’t like what’s going on, you better get used to it because Tebow isn’t going away.

David Daniels is a Featured Columnist at Bleacher Report and a syndicated writer.

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