The second coming is here! Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos will face their biggest challenge yet -- Tom Brady and the New England Patriots -- in the divisional round of the 2012 NFL Playoffs at 8:00 p.m. EDT on Saturday night at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA (TV/Radio: CBS/WBZ-FM 98.5 The Sports Hub).
Tebow and company tried and failed to take out the Patriots earlier in the season, but Brady's gang proved to be way too much for the Broncos to handle. Brady threw for 320 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Patriots to a 41-23 romping of the Broncos back on Dec. 18 at Mile High Stadium in Denver. Aaron Hernandez led the Pats receiving core with 129 receiving yards and one touchdown on nine catches. Meanwhile, Tebow threw for 194 yards and rushed for 93 yards and two scores for Denver. The Patriots out-gained the Broncos, 451-393, in the victory.
New England is coming off a bye week, which it obtained by virtue of finishing with the best record in the AFC during the regular season at 13-3, giving Brady and the Pats time to rest up and get healthy. The extra time certainly helped, but the Patriots still have 13 players listed as questionable for Saturday's game, including starting safety Patrick Chung.
Tebow and Denver were busy last weekend, as the Broncos knocked off the Pittsburgh Steelers, 29-23, in overtime of the AFC wild card round at Mile High Stadium. Tebow threw for 316 yards (figures...) and two scores, including the game-winning 80-yard touchdown pass to Demaryius Thomas on the first play of overtime to capture the victory.
The win reignited Tebow Time, which had taken a two-week hiatus after the Patriots' big win over the Broncos. Denver lost its last three games of the regular season against the Pats, Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs by a combined score of 88-40, but still backed into the playoffs courtesy of an Oakland Raiders loss in the regular season finale.
For more New England Patriots coverage, visit our team page and blog, Pats Pulpit. Also, for additional 2012 NFL Playoffs coverage, follow along with our stream. Visit SB Nation Denver and Mile High Report for Broncos news.