Top Ten Moments of 2011: 2. Tebow Time!

The second best moment of 2011 is more of a string of moments than a single one. Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow captivated the nation with five late game comeback victories, defying the media's low expectations on a weekly basis. Tebow's miraculous performances have polarized the nation, as fans are divided on whether or not Tebow is a legitimate NFL starting quarterback. Tebow's opposition have numerous arguments against his success, including his throwing motion, his performance in the first three quarter of games, and his success on third downs. While some of the arguments against his play on the field are legitimate, the ridiculous attacks against his expression of his Christian faith prove that Tebow's critics will go to any length to try to bring him down. On the other side, Tebow fans have the best argument of all: he wins games. Tebow is 7-3 as a starter this season after taking over for Kyle Orton in Week 7. One thing is for sure: people won't stop talking about Tebow anytime soon.

Tebow's magical run began on October 23rd against the Dolphins in Miami. On the day when the Dolphins were honoring Tebow's 2008 national championship Florida squad at halftime, Tebow stole the show in the fourth quarter. He would go 10 of 19 for 137 yards and two touchdowns in the fourth quarter and lead the Broncos to an overtime victory after trailing 15-0 with under five minutes remaining. After a blowout loss to the Detroit Lions that brought the Tebow haters out in full force, Tebow answered back with a huge 38-24 road victory over the Oakland Raiders. Tebow would run for 118 yards and throw for two touchdowns, an unconventional box score that would be criticized heavily by football analysts everywhere. The fact of the matter is, frankly, the guy wins.

Mr. Fourth Quarter would have another late game winning drive against the Chiefs the following week. And then against the Jets the next week. And then against the Chargers. And the Vikings. And the Bears. Right when his critics began to quiet down, two consecutive losses against the Patriots and Bills have led to even more criticism of Tebow and his chances in the NFL. But Tebow remains unfazed. A devout Christian, Tebow has always remained positive when faced with adversity and has ignored the constant criticism thus far. He has been the class act that the league and its players have needed after receiving a lot of heat from the media and fans alike over the lockout and Lions' star Ndamukong Suh's repeated classless on-field acts. And with 1669 passing yards, 644 rushing yards, 18 total touchdowns, and first place position in the AFC West, Tim Tebow isn't too bad of a quarterback, either.