Mile High Miracle

Tebow has the Broncos one win away for the
AFC Championship game.

The magic is back.

Led by the best game in quarterback Tim Tebow's career, the Denver Broncos outlasted the defending AFC Champion Pittsburgh Steelers in a thrilling overtime matchup to wrap up Wild Card weekend in dramatic fashion.

After Denver scored 20-second quarter points and taking a 20-6 to lead into the locker room at the half, the Steelers responded like true champions do, scoring 10 points in the final ten minutes of regulation and knotted the game at 23 points apiece. The Pittsburgh defense forced only the fourth Bronco punt of the game, giving Ben Roethlisberger and Co. one last chance to seal an improbable comeback victory.

However, just when it look as if the Steelers offense was in position to kick a game-winning field goal and end Tebow's magical run, Denver defensive Elvis Dumervil got his hand on the football, forcing the two-time Super Bowl champion quarterback to fumble and take them out of field goal range.

On the drive, Roethlisberger was sacked three times by the Denver defense, giving running back Willis McGahee, whose fourth quarter fumble led to the game-tying TD for Pittsburgh, a chance at redemption.

In the first non-sudden death overtime in NFL postseason history, McGahee wouldn't get that chance, letting Tebow and wideout Demaryius Thomas take care of the rest.

After winning the coin toss and electing to receive, the Bronco offense would take the field for the final time at Sports Authority Field this season. On the first play of extra period and for only the second time in the game, Tebow threw on first down, completing the pass to Thomas, who ran 80 yards to the end zone, sending everyone, including Hall of Famer John Elway, in Mile High into a frenzy.

Tebow "pulled the trigger" alright.

The play took 11 seconds, which marked the shortest overtime period in NFL history, regular season or postseason. Not to mention the fact it was also the longest TD pass in overtime history.

The 80-yard TD pass from Tebow was the longest of his young career and tied him with Elway for the longest TD pass in Bronco postseason history. Elway accomplished that feat twice in his career, each of them coming in a different decade.

Thomas finished the game with 4 catches for 204 yards and a TD. Dick LaBeau's defense hadn't allowed a 100-yard receiver all season long. Thomas totaled that many yards in the second quarter alone.

In now seven games this season, Tebow has throw and rushed for a TD. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Tebow is only the third quarterback in the Super Bowl era to throw for 300-plus yards without throwing an interception and record a rushing TD in a postseason game.

Completing only 10 passes, Tebow is the first quarterback in the Super Bowl era to throw for 300 or more yards while completing that many passes or fewer in the playoffs.

Tebow also becomes the third quarterback in postseason history to score a rushing TD against the  storied and vaunted Steeler defense. The other two are Ken Stabler and the late Steve McNair.

Tebow averaged 31.6 yards a completion and completed three passes of 50 yards or more. Since the 1970 AFL-NFL Merger, he becomes the first quarterback in postseason history to do so. Not only was Tebow's 316 passing yards a season-high, but a career-high, breaking one of Elway's franchise records, the most passing yards (123) in a playoff debut in franchise history.

Elway set that record in 1983 when his team lost 31-7 at the hands of the Seattle Seahawks. However, in 1984, Elway's first postseason start, he lost to Pittsburgh, unlike Tebow.

Since the start of the quarterback rating era, beginning in 2008, the second-year quarterback's QBR of 97.3 on Sunday is the highest total in a playoff game, narrowly edging Aaron Rodgers' 97.2. A mark he set just a year ago in Green Bay's 48-21 win over the Atlanta Falcons.

Thomas stiff arming Pittsburgh's Ike Taylor

on his 80-yard overtime TD reception.

It truly has been a magical run for this unselfish Denver team.

They are only the fifth team in NFL history to make the postseason after a 2-5 start. The Broncos are also only one of eight teams since the merger to reach the postseason after losing their final three games of the regular season, but now head to East in a rematch with the always dangerous New England Patriots.

New England is responsible for ending Denver's six-game winning streak this season when they visited Mile High in Week 15. There Tom Brady and Co. torched the Bronco secondary, 41-23.

In their franchise history, the Patriots hold an 11-3 record at home in the postseason, but two of those three loses have come in Foxborough the last two years. Former Bronco head coach Josh McDaniels, who was recently rehired by the Patriots to fill the offensive coordinator position that will be vacated by Bill O'Brien at season's end, is responsible for drafting both Tebow and Thomas.

In the NFL, Tebow, who is known as a devout Christian, he is unable to display his usual John 3:16 on his eye black, something he did often at Florida, but still finds away to spread the word. Oddly enough his passing yardage for the game totaled 316 and his yards per completion at 31.6.

Also worth noting, the four officials on the field in Denver Sunday bare the first names, John, Luke, Matthew and Mark, all names in the Bible. Coincidence? Maybe.

But if you're not a believer, you better start. God Bless.

WIld Card Weekend Preview: Sunday

After experiencing a lockout, so much uncertain and a record-breaking regular season, the NFL now reaches the postseason with some of the most unlikely of teams ready to crash the postseason party.

Atlanta Falcons at New York Giants:
A year after the Atlanta Falcons seized the No. 1 seed in the NFC at 13-3, won their first NFC South title since 2004 and were upended by the Green Bay Packers at home, 48-21, they are back. This time their dreams of getting to the Super Bowl takes a much different route.

After trading five picks to draft him, Jones
has become one of the most explosive
receivers in the game.

The Falcons will being playing on Wild Card weekend, something they did not do last season, but quarterback Matt Ryan is ready for the challenge of facing a tough New York Giants defense and recording his first win in the postseason. Ryan enjoyed yet another stellar season down South, tossing for 4,177 yards, 29 touchdowns and only 12 interceptions. This time around Ryan has an offensive weapon he didn't have a year ago.

Rookie wideout Julio Jones struggled to get acclimated to the NFL, but he and Ryan seemed to have clicked at the right time. During the final month of the regular season, Ryan threw 10 TD passes, six of those Jones was on the receiving end.

Jones' 7 receptions of 40-plus yards this season tied him for fourth most in the NFL. The development of Jones can be attributed to veteran presence of  tight end and future Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez.

Gonzalez is making his fifth trip to the postseason and is 0-4 in his previous four career playoff games. Gonzalez's 238 career games without a postseason win are the second most in NFL history and the most among position players. Detroit's kicker Jason Hanson's 311 games is the most all-time.

Ryan's offensive line has been heavily criticized this season by numerous teams, saying they play after the whistle. New York's Jason Tuck made reference to them being 'dirtbags' earlier in the week. Whatever they are, they know they are faced with daunting task, taking on one of the game's most premiere front four and protecting their quarterback.

The Atlanta offensive line was only penalized 25 times this season, the fewest among this year's playoff teams.

As for their defense, Atlanta will need to be able to put pressure on Eli Manning and force them to run the football. Pro Bowl cornerback Brent Grimes will play on Sunday, which could help contain wideouts Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks.

At the start of the NFL season, Manning was asked if he was an elite quarterback. He responded by saying yes with many raising their eyebrows as if his dramatic Super Bowl XLII comeback wasn't enough. Well, this season Manning did his best to back up his words.

The eight-year veteran led the Giants to the NFC East title and a 9-7 record this season. A season that saw New York beat the hated Dallas Cowboys twice and their crosstown rival New York Jets in a must-win game on Christmas Eve.

Manning narrowly missed being the fifth quarterback in NFL history and fourth of the 2011-12 season to pass for 5,000 yards, finishing the year with 4,933. However, his 15 fourth-quarter touchdowns passes this year are a NFL record and something he might cherish even more.

A lot of Manning' success this season can be attributed to the breakout campaign that Cruz enjoyed.

In only his second-year in the NFL, Cruz led the team in receptions (82), yards (1,536) and TDs (9). But his 5 receptions of 65-plus yards this season are the most since 1951, when the Ram's Elroy Hirsch accomplished that feat.

While the offense has accomplished a lot this year, it's New York's defense that holds the key to a deep playoff run in the Big Apple. With a weak secondary, the Giants have been able to avoid being torched every Sunday with arguably the most formidable front four in the NFL.

Pierre-Paul (90) has made his presence
felt this season.

In the final two games of the season, New York's defense recorded 11 sacks, by far the most during that time period. Jason Pierre-Paul, who was a first time Pro Bowl selection in 2011 and voted to his first of what could be many first-team All-Pro squads, may be their best defensive player.

Atlanta finished the year with a 4-4 record on the road and have a 3-game road losing streak in the postseason. However, New York recorded a 4-4 at home this season are in the midst of a 2-game home losing streak in the postseason.

Something's gotta give.

ATL X-Factor: Julio Jones


NYG X-Factor: Jason Pierre-Paul


New York, 27-21


Pittsburgh Steelers at Denver Broncos:
As if the Pittsburgh Steelers need an introduction. Everyone already knows they are owners of six Super Bowl championship, the most in NFL history, have played in three of the last six Super Bowls and are the defending AFC Champions. But this is a much different Pittsburgh team heading into their road playoff game against the magical and unexplainable Tim Tebow-led Denver Broncos.

The Steelers, while they still have the No. 1 ranked defense in the NFL, have been riddled by injuries and limb into Mile High, literally. Two-time Super Bowl champion Ben Roethlisberger has been hampered by an ankle sprain and will not be 100 percent when he takes the field.

Polamalu has been a game changer throughout
 his career and will need to be Sunday
in Denver.

Throughout his career, Roethlisberger's strength has been using his mobility and extending the play long enough to make something happen. His sore ankle has made him unable to do that as effectively and will play a huge factor on Sunday.

Despite the injury, he threw for more than 4,000 yards this season with 21 TDs.

Pittsburgh will also be without leading-rusher Rashard Mendenhall, who suffered a torn ACL the final week of the season. So second-year back Isaac Redman, who has only rushed for 729 yards in his young career, will need to carry the load.

But in the midst of the biggest game of Redman's career, running backs coach Kirby Wilson will not be on the sideline after suffering significant burns in a house fire earlier in the week.

The injury list continues with Pro Bowl center Marukice Pouncey, who was a teammate of Tebow's at Florida. Pouncey is also dealing with an ankle injury and has been ruled out for the game. The last time Pittsburgh played a playoff game without Pouncey snapping the ball, Super Bowl XLV, where they lost to the Green Bay Packers, 31-25.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Steel Curtain will be without safety and the commander-in-chief of the defense Ryan Clark. Clark led the team with 100 tackles, but will not play in the high altitude air in Denver because of the potential danger to his health.

Fellow safety Troy Polamalu will need to take that leadership role and become the quarterback of the defense in Clark's absence.

Pittsburgh allowed 100-plus rushing yards in three of their four losses this season and will be presented with the task of stop the top rushing offense in the league.

The Broncos started the season 1-4 with Kyle Orton under center, but in Week 5 head coach John Fox pulled Orton with his team trailing by 16 points in the fourth-quarter against San Diego and gave the reigns to Tebow. Tebow nearly led an improbable comeback, but came up short, 29-24.

Following Denver's Bye Week, Tebow started in Miami and orchestrated the first of his five fourth quarter comebacks this season, including three coming in overtime.

In his first eight starts this season, Tebow led the Broncos to a 7-1 mark, including a 6-game winning streak. However, Tebow hasn't faired well in his team's final three games of the regular season, but snuck into the postseason and find themselves facing the vaunted Steelers defense.

As the Broncos were the second worst passing team in the NFL, averaging 152.1 yards per game, they were the top rushing offense in the league. Denver averaged 164.5 rushing yards per game this season, relying veteran on Willis McGahee to use the clock.

Earlier this year, Prater kicked a 59-year
 field goal to tie a game in a eventual
win against the Chicago Bears.

Kicker Matt Prater also played a major role in Denver's winning streak earlier this year, kicking numerous field goals that either tied the game or gave win them the win.

Even though the statistics will not back it up, Denver's defense developed into one of the game's best and will play a major factor against Pittsburgh. Rookie linebacker Von Miller is the favorite to land the Defensive Rookie of the Year honor and played out of his mind the second half of the season.

Miller finishes his rookie campaign with 64 tackles, 2 forced fumbles and 11.5 sacks.

The Broncos will be without veteran safety Brian Dawkins, who is suffering from a neck injury, but will have one of the best cover corner the game has ever seen. Champ Bailey is one of only two remaining members of the Broncos team that lost to Steelers in the AFC Championship game in 2005. Bailey is out for revenge.

PIT X-Factor: Troy Polamalu


DEN X-Factor: Matt Prater


Denver, 17-13

How Many Moore Things Can Go Right?

Rookie sensation, Matt Moore handled his
first career postseason start with the poise
of a veteran. 

When Tampa Bays Rays' manager Joe Maddon tabbed rookie left-handed Matt Moore as his Game 1 starter of the ALDS against the Texas Rangers, it seemed to rise some question marks. Friday afternoon in Texas he put all those to bed.

Turning everything he touches into gold, Maddon saw Moore toss seven shutout innings against the defending American League champion Rangers, allowing only two hits with six punch-outs.

Using the Texas shadows to his advantage, Moore worked fast and efficient throwing only 98 pitches in his seven innings of work, 62 pitches of those pitches for strikes. But it might have be the early offensive support he received that calmed his nerves.

Postseason veteran Johnny Damon got the scoring started with a second inning two-run home run off Texas left-hander C.J. Wilson. It was the surprise offensive contributions of catcher Kelly Shoppach that broke the game open. Shoppach tagged Wilson for two home runs on the game, including a three-run shot in the third and a two-run blast in the fifth.

Shoppach joins Hall of Famer Johnny Bench as the only other catcher in history to have 2 home runs and 5 RBIs in a postseason game.

For Moore, who was called up back on Sept. 12, was making only his second career major league start. He made his major league debut in relief on Sept. 14 in Baltimore, allowing two earned runs in only an inning and a third.

His first major league start came with his team's backs up against the wall and in bright lights of New York City. He took the mound Sept. 22 at Yankee Stadium, shutting down the Bronx Bombers with five shutout innings and eleven strikeouts.

Prior to being called up, Moore was putting together an unbelievable minor league season, spending time between Double-A Montgomery and Triple-A Durham. During that time the Fort Walton Beach native posted a 12-3 record with a 1.92 ERA, striking out 210 batters in only 155 innings of work.

The 22-year-old phenom was drafted in the eight-round of the 2007 MLB Amateur Draft by Tampa Bay, showing once again why their player development is among the best in the game.

The last season when these two teams also met in the ALDS, the road team won every game of the five games that were needed to crown a winner. The Rays continued the trend Friday in Arlington and look to "Big Game" James Shields Saturday to bring a 2-0 series advantage back to St. Pete.

What A Way To Finish

Papelbon walks off hanging his head
and in disbelief like most Boston players.

Prior to the start of the 2011 Major League Baseball season many had already crowned the once-cursed Boston Red Sox AL East division champions, they would represent the American League in the Fall Classic, and ultimately win their third World Series title in eight years. That's why they play the game.

The Red Sox completed the greatest September collapse Wednesday night losing to the never say die Baltimore Orioles 4-3. While the Tampa Bay Rays continued their improbable run at history, playing the role of Cinderella.

Red Sox fans found themselves in unfamiliar territory, rooting for the hated New York Yankees with their Lets Go Yanks signs scattered throughout Camden Yards.

Both teams sent their ace left-handers to the hill hoping if nothing else to live to play another day. Boston's Jon Lester, who was starting on three days rest for only the second time in his career, had a 14-0 record in 17 career starts against Baltimore, giving the Sox the slight advantage. Down South David Price, like Lester, had pitched in a World Series as rookie knowing exactly what pressure is.

With New York grabbing an unearned run in the first at Tampa Bay, former AL MVP and the heart and soul of this Red Sox team, Dustin Pedroia got the scoring started with an RBI single in the third.

Baltimore quickly answered in the home half of the inning with two of their own after J.J. Hardy's 30th home run of the season, tying him for the major league lead among shortstops.

After a two-out grand slam by Mark Teixeira in the second inning their arch rival, with nothing to play for, held a 5-0 lead after only an inning and a half. Up in Maryland, Boston had knotted the score at two after an Alfred Simon balk.

Then almost simultaneously Teixeira hit his second home run in consecutive at-bats against Price while Pedroia was giving the Sox a 3-2 edge with a solo shot of his own, willing his way to the postseason. Price would not return for the fifth at Tropicana Field after a disappointing 97-pitch effort. His replacement would not fair much better as reliever Juan Cruz surrendered a home run to only the second batter he faced, Yankee left fielder Andruw Jones.

Tampa Bay found themselves facing 7-0 deficit with only one hit through six innings, there season in doubt and an uphill climb upon them. During Boston's seventh inning rain delay NESN welcomed in long-time Boston Globe sports writer Dan Shaughnessy to the booth, where he pronounced the Rays dead in the water and was ready to crown the Red Sox wild card champions.

I guess the Rays didn't get the memo.

Joe Maddon's squad rallied with a four-hit, six-run eighth inning capped off by a three-run home run by the new face of their franchise, Evan Longoria, cutting the New York lead to one.

While the Sox resumed play against the Orioles, the Rays were down to their final strike. Pinch-hitter and Red Sox killer Dan Johnson launched a 2-2 changeup into the right field stands for a two-out game-tying home run.

Johnson watches the flight of his game-tying
ninth inning home run Wednesday.

Pandemonium at the Trop.

It was the second time Johnson, who hadn't recorded a hit since April 27th and had accumulated a .108 average, played ninth inning hero for the Rays.

In 2008, the left-handed slugger smacked a game-tying home run against Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon, helping propel Tampa to their first division title and postseason berth in franchise history.

Meanwhile after squandering numerous scoring opportunities Papelbon was brought in to preserve a one-run lead and ensure the Sox at least one more game. After deposing the first two hitters on strikes, Chris Davis promptly lined the first pitch he saw from the hard-throwing right-hander into the right field corner, sliding into second with a double.

Just before the clock struck midnight Eastern Time, Cinderella got her wish.

Baltimore's Nolan Reimold, a name that now will forever live in Red Sox lore, lined a game-tying ground-rule double, crushing Red Sox Nation. It was Papelbon's third blown save of the season and the second in the month of September against the Orioles. The other coming back on the Sept. 20 at Fenway Park with the man striding to the plate responsible for it.

Robert Andino spoiled the Red Sox evening with a three-run double once already this season, could he do it again?

Andino drilled a bullet to left field as Carl Crawford would not make a play he would usually make in his sleep, scoring the game-winning run and sending shock waves through New England.

With the score being posted in Tampa and the Rays' fans erupting in excitement, minutes later Longoria would hit a walk-off home run down the left field line, tallying his second jack of the game and sending Tampa Bay to the 2011 postseason. It was the first time a team faced a 7-0 deficit in their final regular season game only to come back and win to make the playoffs.

Longoria's walk-off blast also put himself in some pretty elite company joining baseball legend Bobby Thomson as the only other player to hit a walk-off home run on the final day of the season to put their team in the postseason.

As for the Red Sox, they did not win consecutive games once during the month of September. You have to go as far back as Aug. 27 when the Sox swept a double-header from the Oakland Athletics to find back-to-back wins for this club.

They finish the month with a 7-20 record, a .259 winning percentage, their worst since 1952. It was the first time since 1993 Boston would lose 16 or more games in September and first time since the 2000-01 and 2001-02 seasons they would not make the postseason in consecutive seasons.

The last time we saw the Red Sox in the playoffs it was a familiar sight as Papelbon was blowing a two-run lead, allowing the Angels to exercise their postseason demons, advancing to the ALCS.

Boston finishes 3-9 in their last 12 games and 2-5 in their last seven meetings with the Orioles.

Longoria celebrates after launching his
Rays into the postseason.

Many are calling for manager Terry Francona's head, but my how we forget so quickly. Francona replaced Grady Little as manager following the 2003 season. He is responsible for orchestrating a 0-3 ALCS comeback against the Yankees and ending an 86-year curse. In Tito's tenure at the helm the Sox have posted a .574 winning percentage, good enough for second in franchise history and the majors since '04.

His 28 postseason wins and 2 World Series titles are by far the most during his eight seasons in Beantown.

It all starts with pitching and that's something that was dismal for Boston the final month of the regular season. As a whole the staff posted a 5.84 ERA with six blown saves while the starters saw their ERA balloon to 7.08.

After blowing the largest lead (9 games) in September history, 1978 is in the rearview mirror with 2004 and 2007 feeling like a very long time ago.

Credit goes to Maddon as he never let his guys quit. In an offseason that say Tampa lose their top 6 highest paid players including players like the reigning AL saves leader Rafael Soriano, their home run leader Carlos Pena and the face of their franchise with Crawford departing to Boston, they were a team without an identity.

For two teams that both started the season 0-6, it will be a tale of two very different seasons.

For the Red Sox Sept. 28, 2011 will be a day that will forever live in infamy as it was the Rays date with destiny. Even Hollywood couldn't have written this script.

The San Francisco Giants got into the postseason on the final day of the season a year ago with the same type of formula for success, pitching. We all know how that fairy tale ended. How will this one?