COMMENTARY | Tim Tebow threw for 316 yards in his first playoff game leading the Broncos over the Steelers in overtime. The yardage number is impressive, but is it miraculous? The significance of the number has to do with the Bible. John 3:16 is the Bible’s most famous verse for salvation. It states: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Not only that but John 3:16 is the verse that Tim Tebow put on his eye black for the BCS championship game in 2009 for the University of Florida.
The matchup between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Denver Broncos looked like a lopsided one to most fans. Denver backed into the playoffs losing its last 3 games. The Steelers were an 8 point favorite with a ton of both playoff and Super Bowl experience. Tebow’s biggest supporters were starting to doubt his ability to continue to provide the magic for fourth- quarter heroics.
Denver got out to an early lead after it dominated the 12-win Pittsburgh Steelers in the first half. Tebow ended the first half with one rushing and one passing touchdown. Tebow took his Broncos into halftime up 20-6. The second half was all Pittsburgh. The Pittsburgh defense held Tebow and his Broncos to 3 points and allowed the offense to tie the game up. At the end of the fourth quarter it looked like Pittsburgh was going to win the game. They were marching down the field with the clock running down. An unfortunate bad snap for a 23 yard loss put the Steelers out of game winning field goal range and they were forced to put to Denver and take the game to overtime.
The coin toss went Denver’s way. One play and 80 passing yards later had Tebow was jumping into the stands to celebrate his first playoff win. For anyone wondering his eyeblack message versus the Steelers was Hebrews 12:1-2.