Tebow Time couldn't continue unabated for the rest of the season, and the New England Patriots put it to a temporary end on Sunday when they defeated Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos, 41-23. The Broncos put up a valiant fight, but Tom Brady and his tight end Aaron Hernandez were too much to handle.
The Broncos had actually jumped out to a 13-7 lead at the end of the first quarter, but Brady and the Patriots outscored the Broncos, 20-3, in the second quarter. The scoring died down in the second half, but the Patriots had 14 points to the Broncos' seven.
That Broncos score, predictably, was Tebow's second rushing touchdown of the day. He had a big 39-yard pass to Demaryius Thomas and then a 34-yard pass to Lance ball to set up the two-yard scoring run. Despite the loss, Tebow had one of his better game at quarterback this season, completing 11 of 22 passes for 194 yards. He rushed 12 times for 93 yards, the team's leading rusher.
Turnovers by Quan Cosby, Tim Tebow and Lance Ball all hurt the Broncos in the first half while penalties slowed the Broncos down in the second half.
The Denver Broncos, 8-6, remain in first place of the AFC West. They head to Orchard Park for a Christmas Eve showdown with the Buffalo Bills.
For more on this game, visit Patriots blog Pats Pulpit and Broncos blog Mile High Report. Check out SB Nation NFL for more news and notes around the league.