Tim Tebow Mania Is Far from over Even After Denver Broncos Lose

For those expecting some sort of end to Tebow Mania thanks to Denver's 41-23 loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday—I really hate to break this to you, but it isn't going away.

While those who think Tebow's success has been due to lesser competition and some fluky breaks will point to his performance on Sunday as proof he isn't ready for prime time, his defenders will continue to argue right back. 

Against the Patriots, Tebow completed 11 of 22 passes for 194 yards, with no touchdowns and no interceptions. He also had 12 carries for 93 yards and two scores, and fumbled twice, losing one.

The Broncos were facing what is statistically the NFL's worst defense, as the Patriots rank dead last in the league, allowing 414.4 yards per game. 

Anyone who actually watched the game knows that Tebow really struggled at times. He made a few nice throws, but for the most part he was doing what he always does, and that's miss his targets badly. Still, his supporters will come up with excuses for him just as his detractors will point out every little flaw in his game. 

One loss will not end the debate.

That's the great thing about sports—two people can watch the same game and come away with two completely different impressions of it.

Tebow will still be broken down and discussed continuously, and ESPN will still dedicate far too much coverage to him. That's just the way things go. 

What Sunday proved was that the 8-6 Broncos aren't up to the task of beating a top-level team yet. They allowed the Patriots to come into Denver and dominate them. You can decide for yourself how that reflects on Tebow specifically.