I don’t believe what I just saw.
The Broncos’ 18-15 overtime win against the Dolphins defied all logic. It defied belief for anyone like myself that watched the complete game. It’s almost as if a higher power was involved. (Yes, that’s sarcasm.)
“Denver and Tebow have won!” CBS announcer Kevin Harlan cried as the Broncos game-winning field goal went through the upright.
Uh, no.
This game was about a lot more than Tebow, who looked incompetent for 55 minutes and brilliant for five. It was about a Dolphins organization imploding on itself. It was about Tebow and his Broncos teammates playing their best when they absolutely had to. It was about an onside kick.
Let us count the ridiculousness:
1. Tony Sparano went for a two-point conversion to open the fourth quarter in an effort to go up 14-0. Totally unnecessary. I said it in our newsroom at that moment: That moment will come back to haunt them.
The Dolphins threw a low percentage fade pass to Brandon Marshall. They later kicked a field goal to make it 15-0.
2. When Tim Tebow got the ball with just over five minutes left, the Broncos had all of 13 passing yards on the day. Tebow had four completions at the time. He had been sacked six times.
The previous six Broncos drives had combined to gain one first down.
When Tebow missed throws, he often missed them by 10-15 yards. The Broncos wouldn’t let him throw on third down. It was one of the worst 55 minutes of quarterback play I’ve ever seen. At one point, the crowd chanted “Tebow sucks.” He didn’t remotely look like an NFL quarterback.
And then the Broncos rose from the ashes.
3. The Dolphins under Tony Sparano always seem to find a way to lose. It wouldn’t be a surprise if owner Stephen Ross let Sparano go after this one. Miami so often outplays its opponents, and finds a way to lose.
This loss, on a day the Dolphins celebrated the Florida championship team, marks one of the lowest points in Miami’s franchise history.
4. The Broncos won the game with back-to-back touchdown drives sandwiched by a successful onside kick. Tebow was accurate on those drives and made good decisions. His receivers -- Demaryius Thomas, Matt Willis, and Daniel Fells made fabulous catches for him.
5. The Broncos needed a two-point conversion to force overtime. The entire stadium knew the Broncos would spread out Miami and run Tebow up the middle. Except the Dolphins.
It was like Tebow and his offensive teammates flipped a stretch in the final five minutes. They closed. But let’s not make this all about Tebow.
6. Tebow’s teammates made huge plays, no bigger than Broncos linebacker D.J. Williams strip-sacking Matt Moore in overtime.
Even after all this magic, Broncos coach John Fox was still desperate to not let Tebow make a mistake. Denver went three-and-out on their first drive of overtime, including the seventh sack of Tebow.
After the Williams sack, Fox called three straight runs which gained two yards to set up a 52--yard field goal. It was a terrible decision by Fox that worked. Prater had missed two field goals on the day, but you knew this one was going through the uprights.
After all, it was Tim Tebow Florida Gator appreciation day in Miami.