NFL Playoff Predictions: Broncos Will Be Granted AFC West Crown for Hard Work

There have been many amazing developments this NFL season, but the Denver Broncos rival the San Francisco 49ers as the most inspiring team of the year.

You look at all the things that conspired against the Broncos in the offseason and it's frankly amazing what they've been able to do.

There was the quarterback controversy, which was the launching pad for the attacks against Tim Tebow.

There was the fact they had a new coach after firing Josh McDaniels.

There was the general sentiment they would have another bad season after a 4-12 campaign in 2010.

So much was working against the Broncos, and it only revved up when they started 1-4.

Then Tim Tebow got his first start against the Miami Dolphins in Week 7. Win No. 1.

But no big deal, he just beat the deplorable Dolphins, 18-15. He was bound to fall hard against the Detroit Lions. He did.

However, after that, something amazing happened: The Broncos won six straight games.

In these six games, the Broncos won five games by a touchdown or less, helped in large part by the late-game heroics of Tebow.

In these six games, the Broncos' defense also miraculously came together, holding four of their opponents to 13 points or less.

When witnessing all of this, it really hasn't been all about Tebow, although he's been a big part of it. What it's really been about is an entire team coming together under a new head coach and working hard to improve, which is more than can be said about a lot of bottom-feeders right now.

You don't rise from the ashes without a tremendous amount of work and confidence in your abilities. The Broncos did this, and they did it faster than many of us could have ever imagined.

Since that 1-4 start, the Broncos have gone 7-1 behind Tebow, and it's because they've been one of the hardest working teams in the NFL.

The Broncos will win the AFC West, and they will have earned every bit of it.