Three Final Thoughts For Tonight's Patriots/Broncos Game

Today is the big game, the one everybody has been talking about. It's the matchup of the year it seems. Denver and their holy quarterback, Tim Tebow will take the field in Foxboro to challenge Tom Brady and the Patriots tonight at Gillette Stadium.

If you're like me, you've had just about enough Tebow Mania for one year and you'd really like to see the Patriots shut down the Broncos' season once and for all. There have been countless songs and photographs altered to make it look like Tom Brady is God and Tim Tebow has no chance. It seems as though everybody can agree upon the fact that Brady was here first and he's the real hero.

Looking back on what could have been the last week of Tebow Mania for the season, I've taken away three key thoughts. Here they are, in no particular order.

1. Nobody is giving Denver a chance. Sure fans from New England harp on Tebow, but the media has too. Yes, SportsCenter has been nonstop with their Tebow coverage and haven't said boo about the Patriots, but they do not expect Denver to succeed on Saturday. All season long the media has been flip flopping on Tebow. One week he's good, the next week, he's a mistake. Tebow has done nothing but improve this season. He's proven he has the mental capacity to learn a pro-style offense. Take last week for example, he threw for over 300 yards for the first time this season. He worked through the Steelers defense and got the win. Don't count this team out just because they're headed for another matchup with the Patriots and lost the last time. Remember, they had a 16-7 lead at one point during that game and things could have ended differently if it wasn't for their turnovers. Any given Sunday is the motto for this team.

Tom Brady is in playoff mode. He's got an edge about him thats raising the level of perfection for the whole team. (FILE:Icon/SMI)

2. Tom Brady is ready to rumble. Jason Cole of Yahoo! Sports wrote an interesting article a couple of days ago. It was about the seriousness and the edge Brady has to him this time of year. Chad Ochocinco said he's never seen anything like it. He even went as far as to ask Deion Branch and Wes Welker what was wrong with Brady. This is a good sign for Patriots fans. Brady has upped his compete level and is demanding perfection. He's got a lot of weight on his shoulders from the last few years and he has something to prove. He has carried this team all season long and it's good to know they're going to come out hungry on Saturday. I do not expect an emotion letdown from the Patriots this year.

3. The weather report is on our side. Probably the best news I've heard all week is that it's going to be absolutely freezing on Saturday night. It will be around 23 degrees at kickoff with winds making it feel like 11 degrees. By ten o'clock, it will have dropped to 19 degrees and it will feel like a balmy 6 degrees at Gillette Stadium. Brady can play in the cold. He completes 62.5% of his passes when it's below 40 degrees. Tebow on the other hand, grew up in Florida, played for the University of Florida, and doesn't have much experience in colder temperatures. His first time wearing sleeves was during his preparation for Buffalo three weeks ago. When it comes to weather, we know the Patriots dominate in the cold. They thrive on it and Saturday will be no different.

Hopefully the Broncos will get what's coming to them on Saturday and slip quietly into their golfing shoes. Tebow Mania has had enough of an impact on SportsCenter for one season and I think we all could use a rest. Leave it to a tenacious Tom Brady to restore order and lead the Patriots over the Broncos when the two meet one last time later tonight.