Tom Brady vs. Tim Tebow: Which QB Do We Trust More in 4th Quarter?

The NFL has always been a quarterback league, but the position has never been bigger than it is today.

A franchise quarterback is the polarizing figure of your team. He is generally the face of your organization and in turn shoulders the vast majority of the responsibility for the team's success.

This Sunday, two of the NFL's most recognizable faces at the quarterback position will face off. Tom Brady and the New England Patriots will take on Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos. 

Do we really have to say much about Brady?

Brady's straight-from-the-movies Cinderella story is brought up routinely when discussing his fantastic career. He has three Super Bowl rings and two NFL MVP awards. Brady has far too many records to list and is a sure lock for a spot in Canton. 

Even though the Patriots are known for blowing out their opponents, Brady has developed a reputation for being one of the most clutch quarterbacks in the NFL.

He has 24 career fourth-quarter comebacks and 33 game-winning drives—not too mention that three of those game-winning drives came in his three Super Bowl victories.

There is no denying that Tom Brady is one of the greatest to ever play the game.

On the other side of the field you have Tim Tebow. Tebow is nowhere near as accomplished as Brady and has a long way to go before we should really be mentioning them in the same conversation in terms of career accomplishments.

However, Tebow has taken the NFL by storm. His personality and the late-game heroics have created a larger-than-life character. At this point in his career, Tebow has just as many haters as he does people who love him. 

What can be said about Tebow is that since he has been become the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos, they are 7-1.

Tim Tebow is a winner.

With these two quarterbacks being matched up this weekend it is inevitable they will be compared in every way. One of the most valid comparisons would be that they are both winners. Both quarterbacks just have a knack for pulling through in the big moments and helping their team win the game. 

So, the question is: Which quarterback do you trust more in the fourth quarter?

It's obvious they have two very different bodies of work. We have such a small sample size from Tebow, but if we were going to narrow it down to who these two quarterbacks are right now we can get a solid perspective. 

Tebow's numbers improve vastly in the fourth quarter, where he is 49-of-80 with 732 yards and six touchdowns on the season.That is a 61.3 completion percentage, which is spectacular compared to his 48.5 completion percentage he has overall this season. His rushing numbers of 33 carries for 193 yards and two touchdowns just add to the excellent stat sheet.

While all those numbers are great, one of the most important numbers he has is just one interception. His mechanics may be flawed and he may not be the most accurate passer in the league, but he doesn't turn the ball over. This is crucial if you want to be recognized as a great quarterback.

Tebow has five fourth-quarter comebacks and five game-winning drives this year, including four in a row the past four weeks. 

It may not be pretty and he won't always be the one to score the game-winning touchdown, but he has the uncanny ability to put his team in position to win the game. That is a intangible ability all teams would want in their quarterback.

Does this mean I would take Tim Tebow in the fourth quarter over Tom Brady? 

Of course not. 

Brady is much more accomplished and has proven that he can find this kind of late-game success time and time again. He has done it on bigger stages and against better opponents.

Tebow is certainly off to a nice start in his career, but to compare the two is ludicrous. Brady has more fourth-quarter comebacks in his career than Tebow has total games played. 

We don't know how good Tebow is going to be. He has fantastic intangibles and appears to be improving as a passer. He may be the most athletic quarterback in the league, and if he can ever put it all together he could be a nightmare for defenses across the league.

However, he simply isn't on the same level as Brady. Someday he may be in the conversation, but not now. 

I'd take Tom Brady in any quarter, any day of the week, over Tim Tebow.