However, regarding those three games:

1) EVERYONE played badly against NE, especially in the second quarter. Tebow played better than most, those his second quarter fumble was among the 3 that gave NE their first lead of the game. As I recollect, he was 4/6 passing in the first half; we just didn't pass much, because, except against Pittsburgh, Chicago and the second half against Minnesota, we NEVER pass unless 1) it is 3rd and long, 2) we are down a lot late or 3) both.

2) I only saw two plays of the second half agaisnt Buffalo (which happened to be a Tebow pick followed by a Tebow fumble,) because we were opening presents. In the first half, which I did see... well, I thought his handoffs were very good, but after the TD drive at the start run, run, pass, punt on 5 straight drives accomplished little. You would think when your QB is 3/5 passing the coach would not content himself with 5 consecutive three and outs running, but you would be wrong. The stat sheet on the second half looks horrifying; 3 Ints and a fumble do not have "winner" written all over them.

3) He was AWFUL against KC (the second game.) I mean, REALLY bad; he had all the time in the world to throw, and plenty of open receivers, but even when he was looking straight at an open man he refused to throw the ball.

So, no, one great game against Pitt did not make me forget the terrible game and a half against KC and Buffalo. Likewise, those two did not make me forget the great games against Chicago, Minnesota, SD, the Jets, SD, Oakland or Miami.

I also did not forget that Casey Hampton, one of the top 2 3-4 NTs in the game, left todays game in the second quarter and never returned (on the other hand, our only decent pass blocking guard broke his leg against KC and is done for the year, plus we lost our #2 WR in the second quarter against Pitt.)

I also know our whole offense REALLY stepped up; the pass protection was so outstanding I wondered where they have been all year (the STEELERS got NO sacks! ) and the receivers made great catches after getting lots of separation from defenders. Still and so, Tebow had a banner playoff game against the #1 passing defence; that has to count for SOMETHING. If we dump it all on him when the TEAM loses, it is only right to dump it all on him when they win.

The main thing is that all those difficult reads and tough throws people insist Tebow will NEVER make, he made against the Leagues best passing D. Repeatedly, often on several throws in a row. The issue is, as it has been for a while, CONSISTENCY: Can he do it week in and week out, or at least a lot more often than not. The jury is still very much out on that, but I have to think his first real off season of practice, under Elways careful tutelage, will make him much better, and he is already pretty good for a QB with 15 starts. In other words, his start against NE next week will bring him to a full seasons worth. I am pretty happy with how he has played to that point, though a number of things (mainly reads, decisions and progressions at game speed rather than in 7 seconds) still need big improvement.

The REAL bottom line is that a team that was next to last in the League last year just won its first playoff game since '05 (and got revenge on the team that kept us out of the Super Bowl that year.) I am pretty stoked about that, too.