Broncos vs. Dolphins Week 7: Tim Tebow And 10 Players To Watch On Sunday

The Denver Broncos and the Miami Dolphins face off in a game with one key story line Sunday despite the game being almost entirely irrelevant, Tim Tebow.

For the record, I do not count the Dolphins huge lead in the "Suck for Luck" sweepstakes relevant.

Adding to the irony and intrigue, Sunday is the date that the Dolphins nailed down weeks ago in which they would honor the former University of Florida Gators national champions.

Yes, Dolphins management is aware that the Gators are not associated with the city of Miami and that they are playing against Tim Tebow on the same field on the same day.

Don Shula is standing in the corner shaking his head in shame.

Despite the lack of importance in terms of the standings in the big picture, both teams bring a lot of potential to the gridiron and Sunday should turn into quite a game.

Here are the 10 guys you should watch Sunday.

10. Miami Dolphins Strong Safety Yeremiah Bell

Yeremiah Bell starts at strong safety for the Dolphins but you wouldn't know that if all you saw was his weekly stat line.

He has 45 tackles on the season and continually makes his presence felt on defense.

He is coming off back-to-back strong weeks for his team, netting a total of 21 tackles. (14 against San Diego and 7 against New York)

He has a favorable match up this week with Denver coming to town.

Since Denver ditched their deep threat Brandon Lloyd, newly anointed starter Tim Tebow doesn't have the deep treat Kyle Orton had.

Tebow's new go-to-guy will become wide out Eric Decker who favors a route that sends him behind the line backers and in front of the safeties, right to Bell.

Bell has been hot as of late and has a great opportunity to stay hot this week. 

9. Miami Dolphins Linebacker Karlos Dansby

Karlos Dansby has been around the game along time and when a play needs to be made it usually tends to come from a savvy veteran linebacker like Dansby.

His stats this year don't jump off the page (22 tackles all season but he is coming off back to back strong outings).

At the end of the day though, he is still Karlos Dansby.

Similar to his defense teammate Yeremiah Bell, Dansby has a great opportunity this week to come up big for his team thanks to the style of football Tebow is going to play.

With plenty of Broncos roll outs or option runs in addition to check downs and screens, Dansby has a great shot at making a few hard hits and stepping up his game. 

8. Denver Broncos Linebacker Joe Mays

Joe Mays is yet to record a sack this season but he is second on his team in tackles and he has plenty of big play capability. 

In the Broncos' last game against the San Diego Chargers Mays recorded nine tackles, the most for his team that day.

Mays stands across from the center at 5'11'' and 250 pounds, Miami Dolphins running back Reggie Bush's least favorite build for a linebacker.

I expect big things out of Mays Sunday to support his new starter Tim Tebow and ensure a Broncos W.

7. Miami Dolphins Running Back Daniel Thomas

Daniel Thomas, the Dolphins rookie running back out of Kansas State, has been performing at a great level for a rookie back.

Unfortunately for Thomas he plays for the winless Dolphins and everything he does, no matter how great, will pass under the radar. 

Thomas has carried the ball far more than new Dolphin Reggie Bush, and has done so emphatically.

On the season, Thomas has 249 yards on only 56 carries (a solid 4.4 yards per attempt) but he is yet to cross the goal line on the ground (he does have one receiving touchdown).

If you're the Dolphins you try and manage this game given how bad your quarterback Matt Moore performed Monday night against the Jets (41.4 quarterback rating).

Managing the game means running the ball which means great things for rookie Daniel Thomas.

6. Miami Dolphins Wide Receiver Brandon Marshall

Brandon Marshall has, and always will be, the center of attention if he gets his way.

Marshall is known for his big mouth and off the field antics almost as much as he's known for his rock solid hands and good foot work in the open field.

Since leaving the Denver Broncos for the Miami Dolphins he has fallen into irrelevancy due to his decline in personal performance and the poor performance of his team. 

Marshall is not having a great season by any means but he is coming off a six reception game for 109 yards all of which came while being stranded on Revis Island.

Look for Marshall to follow up his good performance with another one, and potentially some action in the red zone.

He has zero receptions in the red zone this season. 

5. Denver Broncos Runningback Willis McGhahee

After plenty of hard work, veteran back Willis McGahee is back.

He has reestablished himself as the number one run option on a team.

Thanks partly to the inconsistent health of Knowshon Moreno, but more due to his performance through six weeks.

McGahee is still under 400 rushing yards (he has taken his 85 carries for an average of 4.5 yards per attempt, giving him 384 on the year) but he has a rushing touchdown in addition to a receiving touchdown.

He played out of his mind two weeks ago after Broncos head coach John Fox made the switch to Tebow.

A veteran back like McGahee (who must respect Tebow's will to win) will continue to run hard for his new quarterback.

McGahee is going to rush for 100 yards this Sunday in Miami for the third week in a row.

4. Miami Dolphins Running Back Reggie Bush

Reggie Bush has not been spectacular for Miami thus far.

They brought him in thinking that he would be their primary running back and they were clearly wrong (luckily Daniel Thomas bailed them out).

Bush has only carried the ball 50 times this season while catching just 15 passes. Nothing to be too proud of if you're Bush. 

He still, no matter how ineffective the stats show him to be, possesses that "X-Factor" that drives opposing defensive coordinators mad.

His athletic ability, elusiveness and determination still make him a valuable commodity. Monday against the Jets, Bush took his 10 carries 71 yards breaking one of the 10 runs for 36.

Miami definitely doesn't want to be the first team that goes down to Tebow, especially at home, expect Bush to have something to say before the day is over. 

3. Denver Broncos Linebacker Von Miller

Von Miller made a name for himself at Texas A & M, as a hard hitting quarterback bruising linebacker with a great passion for the game.

He also rocks a mean pair of hipster glasses.

In the world of football, you can wear any kind of shades you want, if you put up the numbers. In his rookie campaign, Miller is doing just that.

Miller has recorded five sacks this season while forcing two fumbles and is at times the heart and soul of the Broncos defense.

Given the week off to rest his body and study more film than he normally has time too, Miller will be poised and ready to go against Miami.

Like everyone else in orange and blue, he will want to win one for Timmy. 

2. Denver Broncos Wide Receiver Eric Decker

Eric Decker is only in his second year in the National Football League and the former two sport athlete out of Minnesota took his freshman year off essentially.

He caught six passes last season while learning the ropes on a Broncos team that was very up and down.

This year he has been a much more solid receiver and it has shown in his numbers.

Throw away his one bad outing (the half Orton and half Tebow game against San Diego) and Decker has been lights out.

He's caught 22 passes, four of them for touchdowns, and taken them 266 yards, his longest going 52 yards.

Decker is a young guy, so he (like his teammates) will want to win with the same passion of their new leader. For Decker to have a big day, he just needs Tebow to find him. 

1. Denver Broncos Quarterback Tim Tebow

Tim Tebow is back baby. He didn't exactly earn the job, but that doesn't mean he won't take it.

The subpar performance of former starter Kyle Orton left new head coach John Fox with no choice and now America is rejoicing. 

Tebow couldn't have been handed the reins in a more opportune scenario.

He played good, not great, in the second half against division rival San Diego and had the bye week to prepare himself for Sunday's game.

Tebow knows in the back of his head that he is essentially playing a home game Sunday because their will be more Gators fans in Sun Life Stadium than Broncos fans or Dolphins fans.

He will feed off of their energy and the support of his team and play out of his mind.

He'll throw for two scores, run another one in, and lead the Broncos to a big win on the road.