NFL Picks Week 7: Tim Tebow Era Will Begin with a Win in Miami

The three starts he had at the end of the 2010 season were all well and good, but the Tim Tebow era won't truly begin until he and the Denver Broncos take on the Miami Dolphins at Sun Life Stadium on Sunday.

You have to admit, there's no better place for Tebow to launch his career than the very state where he first became a legend. He also couldn't have asked to face a more perfect team. As bad as the Broncos are, the Dolphins are even worse.

For what it's worth, the oddsmakers are giving the Dolphins the benefit of the doubt. The folks at Bodog have the Dolphins down as a two-point favorite. They're favored because they're at home and because... well, that's about it.

One way or another, this game will all come down to Tebow. The Dolphins are a squad of duds led by a dead-man-walking head coach. The Broncos are a team with a slew of flaws who are hoping that Tebow can unite them and lead them to future glory.

If Tebow performs on Sunday, the Broncos are going to have no problem winning. If he doesn't perform, the Dolphins may very well end up with their first W, which would invariably lead to panic in Denver and among the random pockets of Tebow worshipers that exist in this country.

Personally, I don't think Tebow will ever amount to anything more than a solid NFL quarterback. But for one afternoon against the Dolphins, he should be able to be pretty good.

I say this primarily because the Dolphins are a pretty lousy defensive team. They're allowing more than 390 yards and 25 points per game this season, and are particularly vulnerable against opposing passing attacks. You may think they're in a for a light day against a notoriously inaccurate passer like Tebow, but keep in mind that even Mark Sanchez was able to enjoy a nice day against Miami's D.

Besides which, Tebow is going to get plenty of opportunities. In addition to being a lousy defensive team, the Dolphins are a lousy offensive team. Daniel Thomas and Reggie Bush make for a pretty decent 1-2 punch in the running game, but Matt Moore is... well, he's Matt Moore.

Given Miami's offensive issues, I fully expect the Broncos to control the time of possession battle. When they have the ball on offense, I actually wouldn't be at all surprised to see Tebow run it as often as he passes it. He had 31 carries in his three starts last year, and he had six in one half of work against the San Diego Chargers back in Week 5. His legs are an asset that must be used.

Just like Tebow's style of play, I don't expect his line on the stat sheet to be very pretty when all is said and done. However, if he can rack up at least two touchdowns, I think the Broncos take this game.

It just so happens that I think Tebow will be responsible for three touchdowns, so he and the Broncos should be able to take this game pretty easily.

Broncos 27, Dolphins 17