Denver trailed by 10 with 4:35 left when Tebow set off on a 63-yard touchdown drive to pull the Broncos within three. But a failed onside kick and a complete absence of remaining timeouts seemingly meant the clock striking midnight on Tebow Time.
Then, for no real reason, Chicago running back Marion Barber headed to the sidelines and allowed himself to get knocked out of bounds on third down.
:SIB
The clock stopped with 1:06 left. Just like that, Denver had life again.
And, as we?ve seen time and again this season, giving the Broncos even an ounce of hope is giving them one ounce too many. Tebow completed three passes in four plays, the last a 19-yarder to Matt Willis, who got to the Chicago 41 and stepped out of bounds.
Fifteen seconds later, Matt Prater unloaded a 59-yard field goal that might have been good from 70.
Pandemonium in Denver. Disbelief all over America.
Tebow did it again? Impossible.
This time, though, unlike some of Tebow?s other rescue missions, the job wasn?t done. Denver and Chicago headed to overtime, and the Bears won the toss. As they got to the Broncos 38 ? within Robbie Gould?s field goal range ? Barber had a chance to redeem himself. On third-and-7, he broke through the Denver line and was headed for the end zone.
:SIB
Except things are never that simple against Denver. The last man in his way, Wesley Woodyard, stripped the ball out of his hands, the Broncos recovered, and the result from there was obvious.
Prater?s 51-yard, game-winning field goal was as straight and true as his first. As it sailed through the uprights, the TV cameras cut, naturally, to Tebow, who said a quick prayer and then let loose an exuberant shout.
........................................................................
Thanks Barber we knew that you had it in ya