Denver • Brady Quinn is apologizing to Tim Tebow for unflattering comments Quinn made about the Denver Broncos’ starting quarterback in a GQ article.

The article on Tebowmania was written by Michael Silver and titled “The year of Magical Stinking: An Oral History of Tebow Time.”

In it, Quinn was quoted as saying, “We’ve had a lot of, I guess, luck, to put it simply.” He also said he felt the fans were the reason Tebow leapfrogged him on the depth chart when supplanting Kyle Orton as the starter after a 1-4 start.

“I felt like the fans had a lot to do with that,” Quinn said in the article. “Just ’cause they were chanting his name. There was a big calling for him. No, I don’t have any billboards. That would have been nice.”

Quinn also said in the article that the way Tebow expresses his faith doesn’t “seem very humble to me.” Both men are Christians.

After the article’s release Tuesday, Quinn took to Twitter, saying the comments attributed to him did not reflect his opinion of Tebow.

Tebow “deserves a lot of credit for our success and I’m happy for him and what he accomplished. Most importantly, he is a great teammate,” Quinn wrote.

Quinn said he’s reached out to Tebow directly “to clear this up,” adding, “I apologize to anyone who feels I was trying to take anything away from our team’s or Tim’s success this season.”

Quinn is an unrestricted free agent whom the Broncos are considering bringing back to Denver. He was Orton’s primary backup when the season started but when Orton struggled, the Broncos’ brain trust wanted to see what they had in Tebow, a 2010 first-round draft pick.

By ARNIE STAPLETON
DENVER — Brady Quinn is apologizing to Tim Tebow for unflattering comments Quinn made about the Denver Broncos’ starting quarterback in a GQ article.

The article on Tebowmania was written by Michael Silver and titled “The year of Magical Stinking: An Oral History of Tebow Time.”

In it, Quinn was quoted as saying, “We’ve had a lot of, I guess, luck, to put it simply.” He also said he felt the fans were the reason Tebow leapfrogged him on the depth chart when supplanting Kyle Orton as the starter after a 1-4 start.

“I felt like the fans had a lot to do with that,” Quinn said in the article. “Just ’cause they were chanting his name. There was a big calling for him. No, I don’t have any billboards. That would have been nice.”

Quinn also said in the article that the way Tebow expresses his faith doesn’t “seem very humble to me.” Both men are Christians.

Quinn took to Twitter after the article’s release Tuesday, saying the comments attributed to him did not reflect his opinion of Tebow.

Tebow “deserves a lot of credit for our success and I’m happy for him and what he accomplished. Most importantly, he is a great teammate,” Quinn wrote.

Quinn said he’s reached out to Tebow directly “to clear this up,” adding, “I apologize to anyone who feels I was trying to take anything away from our team’s or Tim’s success this season.”

Quinn is an unrestricted free agent whom the Broncos are considering bringing back to Denver.

He was Orton’s primary backup when the season started but when Orton struggled, the Broncos’ brain trust wanted to see what they had in Tebow, a 2010 first-round draft pick who made more than $7 million last season, including a big bonus that was paid before the season.

Tebow won seven of his first eight starts and produced a series of stirring fourth-quarter comebacks that made up for his poor passing and messy mechanics.

With Tebow at quarterback, the Broncos reached the playoffs for the first time since 2005, and they won their first game, against Pittsburgh, when Tebow connected with Demaryius Thomas on an electrifying 80-yard touchdown pass on the first play of overtime.

After the Broncos lost at New England in the divisional round, football chief John Elway declared Tebow the starter heading into training camp this summer but stopped short of saying the third-year pro had won the job for opening day next season.

The Broncos haven’t ruled out bringing back Quinn, who didn’t take a single snap in his two seasons in Denver after being acquired from Cleveland in the trade for Peyton Hillis in 2010.

Besides Tebow, the only other quarterback under contract for next season is Adam Weber, who spent last season on the Broncos’ practice squad.

The Broncos will try to add a couple of quarterbacks through free agency and the draft.

Elway, a two-time Super Bowl winner and Hall of Famer who rejoined the franchise last year, has said Tebow must morph into more of a pocket passer to succeed long-term in the NFL.

Coach John Fox reintroduced the option offense to the league last year and Tebow piled up yards on the ground, but he completed less than half his passes in both the regular season and the playoffs.

Tebow has already spent time working on his throwing motion and mechanics with UCLA offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone in Los Angeles this month. Mazzone also helped him work on his fundamentals coming out of Florida, where he was a three-time All-America, a two-time national champion and a Heisman Trophy winner.

I don’t think anyone could argue that the magic that carried the Denver Broncos surprising and impressive run would last forever. The games were wild and an absolute blast to watch —unless your team was the one getting upended by Tim Tebow and company. However, we all know that a team can’t rely on the miracle comeback as the common road to victory. It just doesn’t pan out. We have seen that happen to the Denver Broncos the last three weeks. This isn’t a critique on Tebow’s style of play, just the observation that the league is beginning to adjust and figure out how to stop what he’s doing. It’s not a condemnation of how Tebow plays, just an instance where we can look at him (and the Broncos) and say “your move.”

The issue at hand isn’t that Tebow can’t make that adjustment, it’s that he has to make it right now. Additionally, he has to make it against the defense of the Pittsburgh Steelers. As the Broncos improbable run continued on, Tebow was actually showing improvement —outside of his standard fourth quarter comebacks. It appears that he’s been figured out. After getting blown out by the New England Patriots and the Buffalo Bills, and then a tight loss to the Kansas City Chiefs (with a playoff berth on the line), adjustments need to be made. He and the suddenly vulnerable Broncos defense need to raise their level of play across the board to have a chance. The mystifying start to Tebow’s career as a starter has ended, it’s time for him to start learning the game and improving, not as a gimmicky apparition, but as a quarterback.

Throughout this season, I’ve compared Tebow’s unorthodox success with what happened with the Miami Dolphins and their Wildcat offense. I remember when the Wildcat appeared and the Dolphins found success with it by winning a few games, many thought the game had changed. We heard the same talk when the Broncos and Tebow started running their option offense and found Tebow making wild comebacks. The game was changing. The quarterback position was changing. While the game itself is constantly undergoing change, Tebow’s style is fresh, but that doesn’t mean it will remain effective. With three straight losses to end the season, it would appear the “freshness” has run out. The league is figuring out how to stop it.

I think Tebow and the Broncos are capable, but Tebow has to make an adjustment of his own in response to the ones the league has made. All players have to do this to be successful. Tebow’s chance is now.

Brian is a lifelong football fan, specifically of the Chicago Bears, having lived in Illinois his entire life and having followed the NFL throughout.

Sources

For Broncos Success, Tebow Needs to Own Fourth Quarter

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

DENVER (CBS4)- A new survey puts Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow at the top of the list for the most desired celebrity neighbor.

But he’s not thinking about that. Tebow is too busy thinking about the upcoming New Year’s Day game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Sports Authority Field at Mile High.

The Broncos need to beat the Chiefs in order to make it to the playoffs if the Oakland Raiders win against the San Diego Chargers. If the Raiders lose, the Broncos will clinch a playoff spot whether they win or lose.

Tebow will be facing the man he replaced, Kyle Orton, on Sunday. Tebow is coming off his worst game of the year after he threw three interceptions and a fumble against the Buffalo Bills on Christmas Eve.

“Part of being motivated and learning from mistakes and past failures and also learning from losses. Having that feeling and let that disappointment drive you in practice and meetings to watch more to do more. So I don’t know if you just want to let everything go and just continue to be the same person. I think you need to let it eat at you a little bit because it can make you better as a player, as a person,” said Tebow.

The survey by Zillow.com shows many Americans think Tebow would be a good neighbor. Eleven percent of the respondents said they would like to live next to Tebow. He even beat out “Friends” star Jennifer Aniston and celebrity couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.

As if the Denver Broncos and Tim Tebow need any more pressure.

A home loss to Kansas City in Week 17, coupled with an Oakland win at home against San Diego on Sunday, will keep the Broncos out of the playoffs. They would be 8-8 and end the season with three straight losses.

Instead of this season being looked upon as one of progress in the first year of the John Fox era after a 4-12 2010 season, it would be looked upon as a blown opportunity.

Adding to the pressure is the fact that Denver has to face former starting quarterback Kyle Orton, who was claimed by the Chiefs in November after being waived by the Broncos. Orton has a unique opportunity. According to ESPN Stats & Information, this will be the first time since the AFL-NFL merger that a quarterback will play against a team he started for earlier in the season.

Nothing would make Orton happier than to knock Tebow and the Broncos out of the playoffs. Tebow replaced Orton after the Broncos got off to a 1-4 start, and now Orton will do his best to make Denver 1-5 in games he has started.

Can you imagine how the Broncos and Tebow will feel if that happens?

After going 7-1 in his first eight starts, Tebow has seen his team lose its last two games. He played well in a loss to New England in Week 15. However, Tebow regressed at Buffalo last Saturday. He threw three interceptions — ball security had been his biggest attribute — including one that was returned for a score and a had a fumble that was brought back for a touchdown.

Denver’s brass hasn’t come out and publicly said Tebow will get a chance to start next year, but there have been indications that is the way the franchise is leaning. However, if the Broncos lose this game and Tebow, who was named the second Pro Bowl alternate this week, takes another step back, the idea could be reconsidered.

There is a feeling in Denver that Tebow will elevate his game Sunday because Orton will be on the other sideline. Tebow is highly competitive and will want to get the better of the man he replaced. Denver also is comforted by the fact that in college Tebow often played his best in the biggest games.

Orton also has plenty at stake. He is a free agent after the season. Interim Kansas City coach Romeo Crennel said after the Chiefs beat previously undefeated Green Bay in Week 15 — Orton’s first start as a Chief — that Orton would probably have a chance to be the Chiefs’ starter next year over injured incumbent Matt Cassel if Orton finished the season strong. Orton was just so-so in a 16-13 overtime loss to Oakland last week. He had his moments, but he failed in the red zone, which was a problem during much of his time in Denver.

Still, if Orton knocks off the Broncos, it could go a long way in helping him get a starting job in 2012, whether it’s in Kansas City or elsewhere.

The Broncos know the potential for an embarrassing situation here. But they knew it five weeks ago when they cut Orton. Denver knew Kansas City was a possibility to claim Orton because Cassel was out for the season with a hand injury. But the Broncos believed it was worth the risk because they believed Orton wasn’t needed any longer. They didn’t think Tebow needed the security blanket of the veteran. Orton wasn’t helping Denver at the time of his release, and the fact that he was claimed saved Denver $2.5 million in salary.

“We made the decision to go with Tim Tebow,” Fox told reporters this week. “I think that decision has proved worthy. We took that risk whenever you release any player. We don’t have any control over who takes him or where he goes or any of those things, but it’s good for Kyle. I wish him nothing but the best except for this Sunday … I think at the end of the day we feel real comfortable with Tim. We made that decision and here we are.”

After talking to several people in the organization, I get the sense the that Broncos feel comfortable playing against Orton in a game of this magnitude. I also get the sense that Denver is confident defensively going against Orton. The Broncos practiced against Orton for parts of three seasons, after all.

“We can hit him now,” Denver defensive end Robert Ayers said of facing Orton as an opponent. “I’m not going to think too much into this whole Kyle Orton thing. We’re fighting for something that’s big, and we want to go to the playoffs. That’s all I’m focusing on.”

Still, Orton also feels comfortable against the Broncos, and be sure that he has given every tidbit he knows about his former Denver teammates to his new coaching staff as he tries to come out of the game the victorious quarterback.

Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. likes Orton’s chances in this matchup.

“I would rather have Orton for one game,” Williamson said. “I do get that Tebow plays his best in big games, and Orton has rarely showed that ability. But Orton is the better NFL quarterback right now and his experience puts it over the top for me.”

If Williamson is right, there could be major ramifications in both Denver and in Kansas City if Orton sends the Broncos into offseason mode.

I’ll be honest. I have never liked Kyle Orton. As a lifelong Chicago Bears fan living in Denver, I’ve had to put up with the likes of this particular quarterback for six long years.

However, along with many other Denver Broncos fans, I am now extremely worried that he could enact serious revenge upon the team that benched him for Tim Tebow earlier this season. Karma is a difficult mistress, and Denver fans know that they never embraced Orton or gave him much of a chance while he was in Colorado. Ever since he arrived from Chicago via the trade that sent Jay Cutler to the Bears, Orton was booed consistently and without mercy. If the Broncos lose to the Kansas City Chiefs and Orton on Sunday, they will most likely not make the playoffs and Orton will be one very happy man.

It’s not as if Orton really engenders a persona that a fan could come to love. While in Colorado, especially after Tebow was drafted, Orton was frequently terse and not very personable in interviews with the local media. When asked about how he felt about the fans loudly supporting Tebow over him, Orton repeatedly talked about how he didn’t care what the fans thought.

A lot of the rancor surrounding the fans’ feelings for Orton was a result of his very poor record while he was the starting quarterback in Denver. In three years as the starter, Orton was 12-26. Granted, he did have two seasons where he threw for over 3,600 yards. However, Orton always seemed to have a problem converting all those yards into touchdowns. In 38 starts, he only had four games where he threw for three or more touchdowns.

One wonders what Orton thought seeing Tebow’s struggles on the field finally evolve into fourth quarter magic that saw the Broncos win four of their next five games. Apparently he saw the writing on the wall and knew that, barring injury to Tebow, he’d never start again for the Broncos. In a most charitable move, Denver granted the release that Orton requested. While Kansas City may not have been the landing spot that Orton wished for, it has turned out well for both him and the team.

Now Orton is returning to Denver to play against a former understudy in Tebow. Tebow, who was granted that favorite son status that Orton could never earn, will be the one whose name is chanted in the stands on Sunday. Of course, boos will once again rain down upon Orton when he comes to play, but I’m quite certain that his goal will be to share those boos with Tebow by the end of the game.

Julie lives in Denver and roots for the local Broncos team. A lifelong NFL fan, she is mourning the end of the regular season this weekend.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

So much of what has made Tim Tebow a football icon is based on the good times, the big wins, the comebacks, the national championships, the awards.

Then there are days like Saturday in Orchard Park, N.Y., where Tebow and the Broncos lost 40-14 to the Buffalo Bills. Tebow threw three interceptions and lost a fumble, with two of those mistakes returned for touchdowns. Tebow said he intends to learn from it.

“I feel I can let stuff go, but at the same time I don’t know that you want to,” he said Wednesday. “Part of being motivated is learning from mistakes, learning from past failures and also learning from losses and having that feeling of disappointment drive you.

“I don’t know if you want to always just let everything

go and continue to be the same person. I think you need to let it eat it at you a little bit, because I think it can make you better.”

Tebow needs to play much better Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs with a playoff berth at stake. Kyle Orton is returning to Denver to play against the Broncos, who waived him last month. But another big story line is Tebow’s performance in the last two games, each a blowout loss for the Broncos. Tebow committed a total of five turnovers in those games.

After running and passing the Broncos to win after win in an option-based offense, Tebow was shut down by the Bills and the New England Patriots. They made Tebow throw from the pocket.

“I’d rather have him in the pocket than running around for first downs outside the pocket,” Chiefs interim coach Romeo Crennel said. “And usually, when he gets outside the pocket, he runs for a first down.”

Tebow said the Broncos’ offensive plan the last two games was fine but the execution was poor.

“They both had schemes,” he said of the Bills and Patriots. “At times we executed very well and at times we executed very poorly. We just have got to be more consistent.”

The Patriots opened in a 4-3 defense and changed to

a 3-4, which the Bills and Chiefs also play. Kansas City has a dominant pass rusher, outside linebacker Tamba Hali (12 sacks), and defensive backs who can win one-on-one matchups. The first Denver-Kansas City game this year, on Nov. 13, was Tebow’s fourth start of the season. The Broncos attempted only eight passes and completed two. They ran the ball 55 times and won 17-10 at Arrowhead Stadium.

“The offense hasn’t changed, the quarterback hasn’t changed and so I think a similar approach will be in place (Sunday),” Crennel said.

Dealing with a four-turnover performance at Buffalo is new ground to Tebow. Even when he struggled earlier this season, he made sure to avoid critical mistakes.

The Chiefs like to use combination pass coverages in the secondary, with two safeties playing deep and man-to-man coverage underneath with cornerbacks Brandon Flowers and Brandon Carr. For a quarterback to throw well against that scheme, his receivers have to win battles at the line of scrimmage. Also, Tebow will have to identify the safeties before he throws. And he will have to do it with a playoff berth at stake.

“The thing that was disappointing (against Buffalo) was it was a pretty good game, but you have a handful of plays, four or five plays, that aren’t good ones, that are really bad, then it makes the whole game not too good,” Tebow said. “You can’t have 60 (good plays) and five bad ones, or at least your bad ones can’t have very big mistakes on them. … But it’s exciting (to be in this position). We’re a very motivated team … This is what you play for.”

Jeff Legwold: jlegwold@denverpost.com

Despite what everyone thought would be an easy win for the Denver Broncos, the team lost against the Buffalo Bills on Christmas Eve. Broncos QB Tim Tebow threw four interceptions which the Bills took full advantage of and there was no coming back for Denver.

As would be expected, Tebow’s critics are quick to come back and say they told us so. Tebow is not a passer and will never make it in the NFL. Give him the ability to pass and he sends it into the hands of the other team.

As a fan of Tebow, I have never argued that he has some passing issues. He is definitely a rushing QB and this season, the Broncos have made that work. However, Tebow was beginning to show improvement in his passing game and even critics were beginning to change their tune. Then they lost to the New England Patriots and Tebow’s winning streak ended.

The first loss to the Patriots and QB Tom Brady, I have to say didn’t surprise me. The Bills, on the other hand, I thought the Broncos had in the bag. However, after the game ended, I did a little bit of looking and found a stat that surprised me.

While everyone is picking on Tebow and the fact that he threw four interceptions and essentially helped the Broncos lose the game, there was another QB this season that had the same problem. Back on September 25, the Bills took on another team and won after the opposing QB threw four interceptions. Can you guess who that QB was? Well, it was the one and only Tom Brady.

All the critics sit back and say that Tim Tebow will never be a “Tom Brady.” Well guess what? He already is. Just like Tom Brady had a bad game and a few interceptions, Tebow had a bad day as well. And maybe, just maybe, the Bills have a good defense that can grab those interceptions.

This is Tebow’s first year as a starter and yes, I think he still needs a lot of work. This year his development and practice time with the team was affected by the lockout and I think that hurt him. But, I think, given a full season, Tebow will be able to deliver and take the Broncos much further in 2012.

I am just hoping that New Year’s Day will be a good one and we can beat the Kansas City Chiefs. That, for this Broncos fan, will be the best way to start 2012.

Deborah Braconnier is a former athlete and avid football fan. She is a freelance writer and Featured Contributor for the NFL and Olympics. She has followed the Denver Broncos since she was a child and can usually be found yelling at the television during football season. Follow her on Twitter at @fwcdeborah.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

It happened as the Broncos (8-7) had a chance to inch closer to clinching their first playoff berth in six years, and against a Bills team that was coming off seven straight losses and had little to play for.

“My confidence is just fine,” Tebow said. “I have to do a better job of not giving them opportunities. I tried to make something happen, and I tried to force it.”

Denver coach John Fox hasn’t lost faith in Tebow.

“I just think a couple of misreads,” Fox said.

And no, he gave no thought of pulling Tebow at any point during a second half in which four of the Broncos’ final six possessions ended with interceptions.

On the bright side, Denver’s not done yet, despite falling into a tie with Oakland atop the AFC West. Denver closes its season by hosting the Kansas City Chiefs next week, and still holds the tiebreaker edge over the Raiders.

“Everything is still on the table,” Tebow said. “We have to go and execute and play a little better. Hopefully, we can get in the tournament.”

Tebow finished 13 of 30 for 185 yards with a 17-yard touchdown pass to Daniel Fells. He added 34 yards rushing, and scored on a 1-yard plunge.

That wasn’t nearly good enough for a player who entered the game best known for engineering five fourth-quarter comebacks this season.

The Bills (6-9) made sure he never got in position for a sixth in coming away with a win in their home finale.

Safety Jairus Byrd and linebacker Spencer Johnson scored on interception returns 18 seconds apart midway through the fourth quarter. C.J. Spiller rushed for a career-best 111 yards and a touchdown, and Leodis McKelvin scored on an 80-yard punt return.

“It’s special,” Johnson said. “We had a monkey on our back for a long time.”

Added safety George Wilson: “It’s a great reward for the resilience, commitment and dedication.”

The Bills’ four interceptions were two more than they managed in their previous seven games. They have returned five interceptions for touchdowns to set a single-season franchise record.

If the game wasn’t over with 8:03 left when Byrd jumped in front of Tebow’s pass intended for Eric Decker up the left hash mark and returned it 37 yards for a touchdown, then it certainly was decided on the Broncos’ next play from scrimmage.

Tebow was flushed from the pocket and was scrambling to his left when linebacker Chris Kelsay dived from behind and batted the ball out of the quarterback’s hand. The ball flew into the air and landed in the hands of Johnson, who ran it in from 17 yards.

Kelsay, the longest-serving member of the defense, had two sacks and led the team with nine tackles.

“We’ve lost seven games in a row. It wears on you,” Kelsay said. “We got rewarded. We came together and we executed.”

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) —
Tim Tebow
picked a terrible time to run out of fourth-quarter comebacks.

Rather than inspiring the
Denver Broncos
to another dramatic rally, the quarterback sealed the most dreadful performance of his two-year career by throwing four interceptions
– all in the second half and two returned for touchdowns 18 seconds apart – in a 40-14 loss to the
Buffalo Bills
on Saturday.

It happened as the Broncos (8-7) had a chance to inch closer to clinching their first playoff berth in six years, and against
a Bills team that was coming off seven straight losses and had little to play for.

“My confidence is just fine,” Tebow said. “I have to do a better job of not giving them opportunities. I tried to make something
happen, and I tried to force it.”

Denver coach John Fox hasn’t lost faith in Tebow.

“I just think a couple of misreads,” Fox said.

And no, he gave no thought of pulling Tebow at any point during a second half in which four of the Broncos’ final six possessions
ended with interceptions.

On the bright side, Denver’s not done yet, despite falling into a tie with Oakland atop the AFC West. Denver closes its season
by hosting the
Kansas City Chiefs
next week, and still holds the tiebreaker edge over the Raiders.

“Everything is still on the table,” Tebow said. “We have to go and execute and play a little better. Hopefully, we can get
in the tournament.”

Tebow finished 13 of 30 for 185 yards with a 17-yard touchdown pass to
Daniel Fells
. He added 34 yards rushing, and scored on a 1-yard plunge.

That wasn’t nearly good enough for a player who entered the game best known for engineering five fourth-quarter comebacks
this season.

The Bills (6-9) made sure he never got in position for a sixth in coming away with a win in their home finale.

Safety
Jairus Byrd
and linebacker
Spencer Johnson
scored on interception returns 18 seconds apart midway through the fourth quarter. C.J. Spiller rushed for a career-best 111
yards and a touchdown, and
Leodis McKelvin
scored on an 80-yard punt return.

“It’s special,” Johnson said. “We had a monkey on our back for a long time.”

Added safety
George Wilson
: “It’s a great reward for the resilience, commitment and dedication.”

The Bills’ four interceptions were two more than they managed in their previous seven games. They have returned five interceptions
for touchdowns to set a single-season franchise record.

If the game wasn’t over with 8:03 left when Byrd jumped in front of Tebow’s pass intended for
Eric Decker
up the left hash mark and returned it 37 yards for a touchdown, then it certainly was decided on the Broncos’ next play from
scrimmage.

Tebow was flushed from the pocket and was scrambling to his left when linebacker
Chris Kelsay
dived from behind and batted the ball out of the quarterback’s hand. The ball flew into the air and landed in the hands of
Johnson, who ran it in from 17 yards.

Kelsay, the longest-serving member of the defense, had two sacks and led the team with nine tackles.

“We’ve lost seven games in a row. It wears on you,” Kelsay said. “We got rewarded. We came together and we executed.”

After weeks of assertive defense, the Broncos gave up 40 points for a second straight game – though Tebow’s giveaways certainly
didn’t help. And yet Denver allowed 160 yards rushing and 351 yards in all to a banged-up Bills offense that was averaging
14.2 points and 314.7 yards during its seven-game skid.

While Tebow was struggling, Bills quarterback
Ryan Fitzpatrick
enjoyed his most efficient game in two months by going 15 of 27 for 196 yards with no interceptions. Fitzpatrick entered the
game taking plenty of heat during the seven-game skid, in which he threw eight touchdowns versus 12 interceptions.

Dave Rayner
shook off two missed field-goal attempts – and a booing crowd – to hit his final four, all from within 29 yards.

“I’m glad that Coach stuck with me,” Rayner said. “I’m glad that we got opportunities, because I never want to leave a game
going oh-fer.”

Except for scoring touchdowns on their first possession of each half, nothing went right for the Broncos.

They went nowhere in the first half after Tebow capped a 73-yard opening drive with a 1-yard run. Denver managed just 21 yards
and no first downs on its final six possessions, including a kneeldown in the final seconds.

They finished converting just two of 13 third-down chances and Tebow had four of his final six drives end with interceptions.

NOTES: After McKelvin scored, Denver’s
Eddie Royal
returned the ensuing kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown, but it was negated by a block in the back penalty against
Dante Rosario
. … Broncos RB
Willis McGahee
had 64 yards rushing to give him 1,054 this season. He became the second NFL player to reach 1,000 yards rushing with three
teams. He previously did it with Buffalo and Baltimore. Ricky Watters rushed for 1,000 yards with San Francisco, Philadelphia
and Seattle. … The Bills finished 5-3 at home (including a win over Washington at Toronto), matching their best record since
going 5-3 in 2004.

© 2011 STATS LLC

ORCHARD PARK, NY — Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos’ comeback train were derailed by an opportunistic Buffalo Bills defense. Safety Jairus Byrd and linebacker Spencer Johnson returned Tebow interceptions for touchdowns on consecutive plays from scrimmage in the fourth quarter to seal Buffalo’s 40-14 rout on Saturday. The Bills snapped a seven-game skid and stalled the Broncos in their bid to secure their first playoff berth since 2005. Tebow finished with a career-worst four interceptions as the Broncos (8-7) lost their second in a row and fell into a tie with Oakland for first place in the AFC West. The Broncos close the season at home against Kansas City next week, while Oakland hosts San Diego. Byrd scored on a 37-yard return with 8:03 left and Johnson had a 17-yarder just 18 seconds later as Buffalo (6-9) ended its home schedule with a victory. C.J. Spiller rushed for a career-best 111 yards and a touchdown, and Leodis McKelvin scored on an 80-yard punt return. Dave Rayner shook off two missed field-goal attempts — and a booing crowd — to hit his final four, all from within 29 yards. The Bills set a single-season franchise record with five interceptions returned for touchdowns. The last two came at the expense of Tebow, who had generated a national buzz for his ability to produce in the clutch. Entering the game with two interceptions all season, he was picked off four times in the second half as his record dropped to 7-3 since taking over the starting job. Rather than inspiring a fourth-quarter comeback — something he’s done five times this season — he essentially ended the Broncos’ chances in the final 8 minutes. Dropping back from his own 10, Tebow attempted to hit Eric Decker up the left hash mark, only to have Byrd jump the route and return it for a score. On the Broncos’ next play from scrimmage, linebacker Chris Kelsay batted the ball out of Tebow’s hand, and it fell into the arms of Johnson, who ran it in from 17 yards. Tebow finished 13 of 30 for 185 yards with a 17-yard touchdown pass to Daniel Fells. He added 34 yards rushing, and scored on a 1-yard plunge. While Tebow was struggling, his Bills counterpart, Ryan Fitzpatrick, enjoyed his most efficient game in two months by going 15 of 27 for 196 yards with no interceptions. The Bills quarterback was taking plenty of heat during the seven-game skid, in which he threw eight touchdowns versus 12 interceptions. Except for scoring touchdowns on their first possession of each half, nothing went right for the Broncos. They went nowhere in the first half after Tebow capped a 73-yard opening drive with a 1-yard run. Denver managed just 21 yards and no first downs on its final six possessions, including a kneeldown in the final seconds. The Bills responded after Rayner missed field-goal attempts wide left from 45 and 34 yards on consecutive possessions. Rayner finally hit from 28 yards, helping the Bills score 17 points in the final 6:06 of the first half. McKelvin sparked the Bills with his 80-yard punt return. He broke up the left sideline and avoided being tripped up by punter Britton Colquitt at the Broncos 15-yard line before keeping his balance and stumbling into the end zone. Eddie Royal returned the ensuing kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown, but it was negated by a block in the back penalty against Dante Rosario. After the Broncos’ fifth consecutive three-and-out, Fitzpatrick hit David Nelson for a perfectly placed 30-yard pass up the right sideline to set up Spiller’s 4-yard touchdown run. Tebow opened the second half by hitting Fells for a score that briefly cut the Bills’ lead to 17-14, but that was as close as the Broncos got. The Broncos converted just two of 13 third-down chances and Tebow had four of his final six drives end with interceptions.

What’s Next?

The Broncos play the Kansas City Chiefs next Sunday in a game that could decide the AFC West.

Tim Tebow gets the white-hot spotlight and all the hype. But while the polarizing Denver Broncos quarterback is watched by the world, an ex-University of Utah QB has guided his ascension.

Almost 17 years ago, Mike McCoy led the Utes to a 16-13 victory in the 1994 Freedom Bowl, persevering against Arizona’s Desert Swarm defense to unearth a last-minute victory via a fourth-and-goal desperation touchdown toss.

Today, McCoy walks the sidelines as Denver’s offensive coordinator, alternately barking in Tebow’s ear and making tactical in-game adjustments that have propelled the Broncos to the No. 1 rushing attack in the NFL (163.1 yards per game) and on the verge of qualifying for the playoffs.

“I’ve been fortunate that I’ve been able to work with some great people and very good football coaches, and I’ve learned a lot,” said McCoy, prior to Denver’s 41-23 home loss to the New England Patriots last Sunday. “I’ve always been someone to say, ‘Hey, you’ve got to make the most of your opportunities,’ and I think that’s what I’ve done.”

—

­Total turnaround » So have the Broncos.

Denver (8-6) holds a one-game lead over Oakland and San Diego in the AFC West with just two weeks left in the regular season. The Broncos can clinch a playoff spot Saturday with a victory at Buffalo and losses by Cincinnati, Tennessee and the New York Jets.

On Oct. 9, Denver’s year was a disaster just five weeks into the season. The Broncos were 1-4, then-starting QB Kyle Orton wasn’t cutting it, Tebow chants poured down from the stands and new coach John Fox was limping toward the chopping block.

Story continues below

Then Denver made a change. Tebow was promoted, Orton was released and McCoy worked with quarterbacks coach Adam Gase to quickly adapt the Broncos’ struggling offense to the run-first, pass-second QB who previously was more of a popular debate topic than a prime-time player.

Victories in seven of eight games followed — several featuring thrilling late-game comebacks won in overtime — Tebowmania spread like wildfire and Denver climbed from the doormat to a darkhorse AFC contender with McCoy calling many of the shots.

“[McCoy] and Adam Gase have done a great job of changing around what we do to kind of make sure that we’re using our best abilities that we have on offense,” Broncos receiver/punt returner Eddie Royal said after the loss to the Patriots. “Tim’s able to run the ball, so we’ve mixed that in a lot and they’ve done a great job of doing that.”

—

QB and OC » Tebow offered his own praise. The energetic, spiky-haired QB took 30 seconds out of a postgame news conference last Sunday to discuss how McCoy has tailored Denver’s offensive schemes to fit the second-year player’s unique assets.

The Broncos still keep it simple, using a balanced run-pass attack that’s as old school as it is new age. But McCoy acknowledged adding a “wrinkle or two” each week that’s aided Tebow’s evolution. And the Heisman winner and two-time national champion at Florida said his OC has utilized everything from power runs and play-action passes to unbalanced sets and option-tosses to send Denver skyward.

“There are a lot of different recipes [that defenses] have to prepare for,” Tebow said.

The variety and the victories haven’t stemmed the tide of Tebow haters. If anything, critics have risen to the occasion to meet the Christian QB head on.

Next Page »

Tim Tebow gets the white-hot spotlight and all the hype. But while the polarizing Denver Broncos quarterback is watched by the world, an ex-University of Utah QB has guided his ascension.

Almost 17 years ago, Mike McCoy led the Utes to a 16-13 victory in the 1994 Freedom Bowl, persevering against Arizona’s Desert Swarm defense to unearth a last-minute victory via a fourth-and-goal desperation touchdown toss.

Today, McCoy walks the sidelines as Denver’s offensive coordinator, alternately barking in Tebow’s ear and making tactical in-game adjustments that have propelled the Broncos to the No. 1 rushing attack in the NFL (163.1 yards per game) and on the verge of qualifying for the playoffs.

“I’ve been fortunate that I’ve been able to work with some great people and very good football coaches, and I’ve learned a lot,” said McCoy, prior to Denver’s 41-23 home loss to the New England Patriots last Sunday. “I’ve always been someone to say, ‘Hey, you’ve got to make the most of your opportunities,’ and I think that’s what I’ve done.”

—

­Total turnaround » So have the Broncos.

Denver (8-6) holds a one-game lead over Oakland and San Diego in the AFC West with just two weeks left in the regular season. The Broncos can clinch a playoff spot Saturday with a victory at Buffalo and losses by Cincinnati, Tennessee and the New York Jets.

On Oct. 9, Denver’s year was a disaster just five weeks into the season. The Broncos were 1-4, then-starting QB Kyle Orton wasn’t cutting it, Tebow chants poured down from the stands and new coach John Fox was limping toward the chopping block.

Story continues below

Then Denver made a change. Tebow was promoted, Orton was released and McCoy worked with quarterbacks coach Adam Gase to quickly adapt the Broncos’ struggling offense to the run-first, pass-second QB who previously was more of a popular debate topic than a prime-time player.

Victories in seven of eight games followed — several featuring thrilling late-game comebacks won in overtime — Tebowmania spread like wildfire and Denver climbed from the doormat to a darkhorse AFC contender with McCoy calling many of the shots.

“[McCoy] and Adam Gase have done a great job of changing around what we do to kind of make sure that we’re using our best abilities that we have on offense,” Broncos receiver/punt returner Eddie Royal said after the loss to the Patriots. “Tim’s able to run the ball, so we’ve mixed that in a lot and they’ve done a great job of doing that.”

—

QB and OC » Tebow offered his own praise. The energetic, spiky-haired QB took 30 seconds out of a postgame news conference last Sunday to discuss how McCoy has tailored Denver’s offensive schemes to fit the second-year player’s unique assets.

The Broncos still keep it simple, using a balanced run-pass attack that’s as old school as it is new age. But McCoy acknowledged adding a “wrinkle or two” each week that’s aided Tebow’s evolution. And the Heisman winner and two-time national champion at Florida said his OC has utilized everything from power runs and play-action passes to unbalanced sets and option-tosses to send Denver skyward.

“There are a lot of different recipes [that defenses] have to prepare for,” Tebow said.

The variety and the victories haven’t stemmed the tide of Tebow haters. If anything, critics have risen to the occasion to meet the Christian QB head on.

Next Page »